Commercial

It can mean the entire structure, such as a mall, hospital, museum, or theatre.
Or, it can mean an area within a building, such as a leased space in a mall, or office complex.

The focus here will be on a retail stores and restaurants.

Both of these are found in either type of location.
One… the store or restaurant is a leased space within a structure, like a mall, office, or condominium.
Two… it is in its own building, as is the case with power centres or street locations. The building is either leased or owned.

Having your own retail store or restaurant is an exciting adventure. It is also an investment. You want to start off right. There are many things to consider, the financial planning, the product, the theme, the equipment, the display and so on.

The following information concentrates on the design and construction aspect.

First…a building permit is required for any type of commercial work, big or small.

For a retail store or restaurant project, a permit application must be made to the local building department. This means the department in the area where the work is to take place. This applies to a new retail store or restaurant, as well as any renovation to an existing space or building. No construction work of any type can start until the proper permits are acquired.

This ensures that all proposed work complies with the health, safety and construction standards of the applicable Provincial Building Code. Construction work in Manitoba must comply with the Manitoba Building Code, in Nova Scotia with the Nova Scotia Building Code, and so on.

As the owner of the business it is important to know what permits are necessary. In the end, it is the owner who is responsible for ensuring that all required permits are obtained. Contact the local building department. A list is provided under the ‘Building Depart.’ section.

Second… a set of construction drawings is required for any commercial project. An outline of construction drawings is offered under the ‘Construction Dwgs’ section.

These drawings have several purposes.

They must be submitted for approval as part of the permit application.

Certain drawings must be provided to the landlord before work starts. This applies when your business is a leased space or building. Your lease agreement will state which drawings are required, if any, for landlord approval. If applicable, the landlord will also provide a criteria book that outlines certain design standards for his/her building.

The complete set of drawings is also used for bidding purposes. Three or more general contractors will each get a copy of the same set to supply a price quotation.

Once a contract is awarded, this set of drawings is used to actually build the retail store or restaurant.

Finally…
In order to apply for a building permit, construction drawings are required.
In order to have construction drawings, an interior designer must be hired.

At this point, retail stores and restaurants are separated into their own category.

Click on a heading below and learn more about how to start your project off in the right direction.

Commercial - Retail Stores

Restaurants

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