Here are 8 Key Questions you need to ask before you renovate.

These same questions apply to Residential, Retail and Commercial renovations.

1.  Do you feel your location is a good one?

A client of mine had a very successful long-time business in a clean well-managed strip mall.  Over the course of a number of years it totally changed and no longer reflected the type of customers he wanted to attract.

Renovation wasn’t in the works in this case so he moved!  For him, the location wasn’t right any longer.

2.  Can you see yourself staying in your present location for another 7 years

There are good reasons that large Shopping Centres make you do tenant improvements every 5 – 7 years.  They keep everyone looking fresh, and keep the customers coming in! When you’re signing a new lease, you really need to ask yourself this question.  Is the neighbourhood changing.  Has the foot traffic changed?  Are the demographics of the neighbourhood who you want to attract as customers?  If not, perhaps you would be better moving than renovating.

When a retailer renovates a store, he is telling the competition, “I’m here to stay”, “I’m a player!”, “I’m offering my customers more than my competition.” He’s telling the customer that he’s Reliable & Stable.  People want to know that they’re buying from someone who will stand behind their merchandise.  It shows that they’re committed to their customers, that they’re counting on growth and that they want YOU as a customer.

A store that hasn’t been renovated in 7 years falls into patterns and traps with their merchandising.  Renovations really shake things up and encourage creativity.  New fixtures, better and different lighting, fresh floor plans, new mannequins all create energy.  Energy = Sales!

3.  Do you have a realistic budget and/or cash in the bank to cover the project costs?

I always ask, ‘What’s your budget?’  Its not that I want to spend all of that money, but I want to make sure that we spend your money wisely, whether its a champagne budget or a beer one. Switching to residential for a moment, a neighbour told me he though he could re-do his kitchen for $15,000.00.  Realistic for what he wanted to do?  Not at all.

4.  Do you have a contingency fund of 10 – 20%

There are always surprizes.  You need to be prepared.

5.  Can you handle the disruption for the duration?

If you’re the type of person that hates construction work going on around you, yet you want to do a renovation, you may be better renting a temp. space for the duration of your renovation.  Sometimes renovations can be done when the store is closed in the evenings and weekends…but that will cost more money.  The key to the least ‘closure’ is in the planning stages.  Having all your ‘ducks in a row’.  Schedules, trades, orders and so on.

6.  Are you a good decision maker and able to make compromises?

There is nothing worse than waiting for an owner to make a decision.  Put yourself in my place when a customer can’t decide whether to buy the distressed denim or the tie-dye denim.  You’ve been there!  Good decision making in renovations always saves you money and time.  Time is KEY to getting your store up and running.  Can you make a compromise?  What if your new feature chandelier is now out of stock, because you couldn’t make a decision?  Will you be able to compromise and change to a different one, or would you be able to wait?

7.  Are you a good communicator?

Do you know who you want to attract as a customer?  Do you know your BRAND?  Can you let the designer know the ‘look’ you’re after.  Again, this is about ‘TIME’.  If a designer brings a concept to the table because that’s who you told her you were, and then you change your mind and want to go a different direction…then that will cost you money.  The designer will be back to the drawing board.

8.  Will you have trust & faith in your designer and contractors for their expertise.

I spoke with a new friend and architect recently and we both agreed that the best results come from collaboration.  That means that each one of us brings an expertise to the table.  We all have specialties.  Once we bring the best of ourselves to the contract we then need to trust each other to do the job.  Then, you are the winner! …which is the way it should be!

This all starts with a consultation.  I am here to help you grow your business.

What does Urban Spaces Design offer?

We are here to help you as a Consultant, A Designer, and Expert in Visual Presentation and Interior Design.  With over 20 years experience we know how to “Get People in the Door, and Make you Money” We work with both large Corporations and Smaller Independents.  Every business is important to us!

Call us for help.    604 649 9050 or Email  info@urbanspaces.ca