Do you plan to keep your business open during restoration work? First and foremost, it’s important to pick a professional and experienced company for the job if you plan to stay open for business. Before all else, we recommend creating a cost-benefit analysis to determine if it truly pays off to remain open during construction. In some cases, businesses may not legally be allowed to operate under construction, for instance, there are health code restrictions for restaurants that could impact your decision.
6 Tips for Staying Open During Commercial Construction
Plan Work Hours Accordingly – Conducting restoration work after-hours when your business is closed for the night can help reduce inconveniences, improve safety, and so forth. Although, it may cost more and take more time to have construction conducted after-hours. That’s where a cost-benefit-analysis comes in handy. When finding a contractor to take care of the work, ask if they can accommodate odd hours—working at night, early in the morning, or whenever your business is closed to the public.
Signs Are Important – Maintain complete transparency throughout the process for employees, patrons, and the public at large. Add large signs that say your business is still open during construction, otherwise, people may assume otherwise, and you could lose business. Signs may also include reasons for renovating, expected completion date, and any steps you’ve taken to reduce inconveniences. Provide a number for anyone to call and leave feedback as well as suggestions to improve the process. Additionally, post maps that outline active construction areas and offer detailed evacuation routes.
Block Off Certain Areas – Even if your business is still open, you may need to close off portions that are actively under construction. By working in segments, you can keep certain areas open while others are under construction. This buffer reduces noise and health hazards. It’s also important to invest in the right systems to reduce poor air quality. Certain areas may need to be sealed off and contained to reduce construction areas from contaminating open areas of your business.
Have an Emergency Plan in Place – There’s always the risk that something could go wrong when your building is under construction. That’s why it’s important to have an emergency plan in place to calmly close down shop if any issues arise, for instance, a fire or air quality issues. This plan may include providing employees with appropriate safety gear. Speaking of emergencies, you can reduce the chance something goes wrong by planning accordingly. For instance, avoid running wires or extension cords across a sales floor or office, as this can create additional hazards.
Keep it Clean – Construction creates a lot of dust and debris and if you plan to stay open it’s important to keep things clean. Make sure someone is assigned to sweep and clean construction zones, and surrounding areas, every hour or so.
Hire a Company with Proven Experience – Commercial restoration work must be conducted with great attention to detail. Not only to the project at hand but to the overall professionalism of the job. The professionalism of a construction team can reflect on your business, that’s why it’s so important. They need to work with and in consideration of patrons and employees to keep everyone safe and in the loop throughout the process.
Turnbull Masonry has proven experience working on commercial restoration projects. We are more than happy to work with you to get the job done to specifications if you decide to stay open for business during the restoration process.
