The Tools You Need for a Successful Active Remodel

No matter how well you care for your store, eventually, every retail space needs repairs. Because you shouldn’t have to sacrifice customer experience to get the renovations you need, here’s some key ideas on how to have a successful active remodel.

Understanding that your store needs a remodel can be a frightening reality. Everyone’s heard the horror stories: Remodels can be costly, stretch out over weeks or months, and can have an impact on your business’ profits. Even with an active remodel where you don’t have to close your location altogether, loud machines, dust, and the smell of fumes can negatively affect your customers’ experience and make your space feel inhospitable.

Luckily, with careful planning and the right team, you can have a successful remodel! It is possible to plan a remodel that has minimal impact on your day-to-day operations. Pre-construction planning, off-site fabrication, and careful time and labor management can help your business get the facelift it needs without putting your budget at risk.

Here are three elements that can help improve your active remodel experience:

Pre-construction & Design-Builds

Planning ahead can mean the difference between a successful active remodel and a complete disaster. During pre-construction, a good team takes into consideration any necessary permits and makes sure the paperwork is lined up and ready to go. This step can heavily affect your budgeted time if handled incorrectly. Additionally, for a quick, minimally-invasive remodel, working with the existing locations of utilities and avoiding rewiring or moving pipes or ducts will help your remodel move forward quickly. A team with a skilled designer or architect will generally be able to achieve the look and layout you’re hoping for—without overhauling the utilities.

Transitioning from planning to construction can be tricky, but opting for a design-build, or staying with the same construction team for all stages of your remodel, can help things run smoothly and efficiently. By working with one company for the life of your project, you are able to save time and energy. Because the construction team works hand-in-hand with the designers and planners, there’s no time lost to information transferring or miscommunications, and you’re able to build a stronger relationship with your construction team—making it easier to communicate your business’ needs.

Fixtures & Fabrication

In much the same way that a design-build team can streamline the remodel process, choosing a construction partner that offers in-house fixtures and fabrications also cuts down on the timeline and helps you entire endeavor run smoothly. Cabinetry, displays, and other fixtures can be prepared off-site then delivered once ready. This significantly reduces the chaos of having custom millwork done on location while trying to conduct business.

With an integrated fixture and fabrication team, you also don’t have to compromise on customizations for the sake of time or customer experience. A good fabrication team can design and build items made specifically to meet your vision. Plus you can rest easy knowing that there will be clear communication between teams and that, when your products arrive, they will fit and enhance your space.

A Dedicated Construction Partner

When it comes down to it, the most important element of a successful active remodel is the construction company you choose for the project. Planning and design can set you up for success, pre-fabricating your fixtures can reduce the timeline and impact on your business, but ultimately, it takes skilled and mindful workers to get the job done. For an excellent active remodel, you need a construction partner that hires the best-of-the-best and that is willing to go above and beyond to ensure that your project is a complete success.

For active remodels, workers should be mindful of the comfort and safety of everyone on the site—including customers and business employees. Volume levels, dust and other particulates, and fumes and smells should all be taken into account. Remodels on active sites should be carefully scheduled, and a reliable team will work at the times necessary—including when the business is closed—to make the most of every hour. Don’t settle for a team that fails to respect your or your clients! Your remodel team should be as committed as you are to the timeline and success of your project.

With the right planning, including fixtures and fabrications, and the right team, you can have a successful and stress-free active remodel. The next time you’re looking to updated a space, be sure to choose a company that is committed to your satisfaction.

Want to hear more about how The MDC Group works with clients to meet their time and budget goals? Drop us a line today!