(Published this post two years ago, and it's still timely!)
Halloween is a great day to share tales of horror, and certainly as practitioners of the retail buildout we've heard more than a few.
- There's the one about the client who found out he had to install sprinklers in his building, at a cost of $500,000. Not something he planned on, and kind of threw his budget out of whack and necessitated lengthy negotiating with the landlord regarding a lease he'd already signed.
- Then there's the tale of the disappearing general contractor, a familiar one to those in the construction trade. This contractor signs up for the job, but is stretched so thin between jobs that he gets behind. Subcontractors also fail to show up on time, or at all. The open date looms farther and farther in the future, and the relationship between client and contractor dissolves into bitterness and bickering.
- Perhaps the most frightening tale is that of the overwhelmed owner. Trying to handle a buildout on his or her own, managing contractors, architects, municipalities; worrying about whether you have enough outlets in every room, if the bathroom fixtures are appropriate, how to negotiate the best lease and TI money, in addition to the "everyday" work of ordering inventory, hiring and training staff, sales and marketing, budgeting etc.
Here at F.C. Dadson, many of our clients have come to us with their own particular horror stories of projects gone bad, deadlines missed, and headaches multiplied.
We help to simplify the retail buildout, and make it less scary. With 40 years of experience building retail fixtures and managing buildouts, we've seen all the potential pitfalls and can help you to avoid them.
We can help save you time and money at all stages of the buildout process - we'll make sure you're 100% covered regarding building codes and regulations, manage your contractors, make sure you have the right fixtures at the right price, coordinate your fulfillment, and make sure you open on time and on budget.
Please check out our free resources, and contact us for a free consultation.
And enjoy your Halloween! :)