Tips on how to Start and complete your Restaurant or retail interiors smoothly in Dubai?

In our experience we have seen in the past that many clients have struggled to complete the project on time. That ends up in delay in store opening , staffs recruited and trained but store is not ready, paying rent without business, idle salary for ground staffs, damages to the raw materials and in some extent penalty from landlord some times.

As a business owner you should take advantage of the benefits from rent free period that some landlords may provide when you sign the lease agreement. At the same time, Keeping in your mind to allow enough time for all stake holders to complete all their tasks.

We have laid out few tips that will help you complete your projects on time with out any delay and confusion.

Follow this guide to complete your restaurant or retail shop interiors smoothly:

1. Data Collection

2. Budgeting

3. Drawings

4. Procurement

5. Tender

6. Authority Approvals

7. Execution

8. Handing over to operations team

1. Data Collection - Having right data before hand provides expected results. You will thank your future self.

• Once you have finalised your trade license and leasing formalities start collecting the data.

• Ensure an idea of your design expectations and brand guidelines are available with you before reaching out to the interior designer.

• Take photos of existing site conditions as many as possible.

• Measure what is the maximum ceiling height you can achieve.

• Ensure to collect fit out and design guidelines from the landlord.

• Check with the landlord what are the services they provide, for example AC units, chilled water supply, exhaust duct routes etc,

• Collect full set of existing As built drawings in a cad format file

• Collect the existing DEWA approved electrical load schedule ( Only If you are the first tenant of the leased property)

• Collect leased outline diagram (LOD) for Architectural and MEP from the landlord

• Understand the tenancy services. What are the services to be provided by the landlord and what are the services in your scope.

• What is the power load available in KW? Is that sufficient for your operations? or you need additional load from DEWA?

• Identify the approving authority for your premises (Example - Dubai Municipality, DDA, Trakhees etc,.)

2. Budgeting

• Discuss and have multiple meetings with all stake holders to understand the requirements.

• Include all the masterminds, for example if it is s restaurant project, Chef, Operations head, Marketing head, procurement head, your store designer, project manager, finance head.

• List out all the requirements and freeze the requirements and budget in the initial stage itself.

• This way you will avoid last minute surprises and budget overshooting.

3. Drawings

• Preliminary Concept - A set of document that gives you overall look and feel of your store. This includes, a preliminary concept, reference images, colour scheme, furniture layout, and images of your existing store.

• Concept design drawings - Concept design is the set of document that gives you overall look and feel of your store. This includes, samples of visible finishes, mood boards, reference images, and a preliminary 3D layouts of your proposed store, 3D of store front, Signage details with sample letters - Landlords might ask for this.

• Once you get the feedback on your concept design then you will ask your interior designer to prepare the detailed design drawings as per the mall / landlord guidelines.

• Detailed design drawings- These are the set of technical drawings that includes detailed architectural drawings and Electromechanical drawings with Fire alarm, Fire fighting, Heat load calculations and electrical load schedule calculations.

• The detailed design drawings along with the samples will go for landlord approval to get their NOC.

• Try to get the drawing approvals and NOC from the building management on all the drawings and documents at the early stage possible.

4. Procurement

• Identify the list of items to be supplied from your end and prepare a complete list with lead time as well. This will help you to plan the installation and store opening dates accordingly.

• Supply items includes, Any AV Equipments, shop fixtures / fittings, loose furnitures, Kitchen equipments, POS, IT equipments, Antitheft alarm system, light fittings, Marketing kit etc,.

• Make sure to incorporate all the items to be procured in the project schedule.

5. Tender

• Ensure all the mall comments are incorporated in the drawings, that includes materials and installation methods.

• Finalise all the finishes materials with samples.

• Get the project specifications written from your designers.

• Have complete set of mall/ landlord approved drawings. This set of drawings will work as a tender drawing and construction drawings.

• Have the Bill of quantity (BOQ) prepared from your end with the help of the designer. This will enable you to compare the prices apple to apple.

• If you allow the vendors to prepare the BOQ, chances are, they assume some thing or miss out something. Later you will have to pay huge sum for variations and additional. This will delay the project. (Not all the vendors have enough experience)

• If you get the BOQ (Bill of quantity) from the multiple vendors, you will end up comparing apple to orange and chances are you will lose money.

• Float the tender with all sets of document. Do not miss out any document. if you miss out to share any required documents, you will regret later.

5. Authority approvals

• There are multiple authorities involved in Dubai. Your premises could fall any one of the authority like Dubai Municipality or DDA or Trakhees etc,. Identify which authority is responsible for your location

• The contractor will prepare all set of drawings required for submission to Dubai Civil defence, Dubai Municipality, and DEWA

• For some categories depending on the nature of your business you need to get additional approval from other authorities like food safety department or Dubai health Authority.

• The contractor is responsible for submitting the drawings to all authorities, call them for inspection and getting the completion certificate.

• It is the responsibility of the store owner to provide all set of documents as per authority requirements.

• Authority approvals are time consuming process that depends on the experience of the contractor and how quickly you provide all the required documents. Please keep a check on the time taken for this process.

6. Execution

• Always prepare a detailed program for complete set of activities that are going to be performed in the project in line with the opening date in mind. This will make your life and your team life very easier.

• Share this program across all stake holders and get their consent.

• During the fit out execution process, if there is any delay happened, make sure to incorporate the delay and prepare a revised program. This will ensure all stake holders are in the same page.

• We have prepared a detailed program that covers most of the tasks. A FREE copy of template shall be sent to you for your use upon request.

7. Handing over to operations Team

• Once the fit out works are complete, ensure to verify that all tasks are complete in line with drawings, specifications, and mall/ landlord requirements.

• A copy of FREE CHECK LIST with comprehensive list of check points shall be sent to you for your use. (Please type space deco and send an e mail at siva.gn4@gmail.com.com and we shall send the templates and resources to you)
  

We at Enmas Interiors are providing full turnkey interior fit-out services in the UAE, for your restaurant or retail shops. You can also avail our individual services like, store designing, Technical drawings preparation for malls and authority submission, Project management consultancy, Electro mechanical works, Shop fixtures & Shop fittings supply. We are providing the services in the UAE for the last 10 years and we have trained professionals with us in executing the above said solutions.

Reach out to us at contact@spacedecointeriors.com

or Call and ask for Siva at 058 5761379 to get free advise.

DISCLAIMER: This content is provided for informational purposes only and is not intended as legal, accounting, tax, HR, or any other professional advice. You are responsible for your own compliance with laws and regulations. You should contact your subject matter expertise or other known relevant advisor for advice specific to your circumstances.