3 Things To Do Before You Renovate Your Store

If you're a business owner who owns a store, as your business grows you might start to think about renovations. Renovations can allow you to expand your retail space and make your store look more attractive to customers. However, in order for your renovations to be completed properly and in a timely manner, you need to keep some things in mind before renovations begin. Here are some things to do before you start renovating your store.

Get the Right Permits

As the owner of a commercial property, you will need to get certain permits from your city or town. In most cases you will need permits for new construction, but you may also need permits for electrical, plumbing and other kinds of work. Without these permits, you may end up paying high fees.

It is also a good idea to check out the zoning of your store, to ensure that you are allowed to do the kind of renovations you want to do. For instance, you may want to add another floor to your building and may discover that second floors are not allowed in your zone. However, if your renovation plans fall outside of what is permitted, don't despair. You may still be able to seek a variance in order to get special permission to continue. 

Have Specific Plans

Of course, when you set out to do renovations, you have some ideas about what you'd like to see. However, before bringing a contractor on board, it is imperative that you have specific plans in mind. For instance, instead of thinking that you'd like to change the flooring, know what kind of flooring you want. Instead of thinking about new lighting, know where you want to put the new lighting and what kind of lighting equipment you want to install. When you have specific plans, you can avoid delays in planning and construction, which can end up saving you money overall.

Talk to Customers

While you may visualize certain changes for your store, you need to make sure that your customers would like to see the changes you have in mind. Enlisting their help and asking for their feedback can build a stronger sense of loyalty to your store, since people like to be asked for their opinion. You can post pictures of your renovation plan in a prominent location in your store and ask for feedback in the form of a suggestions box. You can also run a survey on your website about particular components of the renovation plan. You might find that your customers have ideas that may be even better than your original plans.

Make sure you use the tips in this article to properly prepare you for your store's renovations. Talk to a commercial contractor like one from City Centre Interior Contractors Ltd about how best to manage the process, and to get more ideas about what may work best for you and your store.