I’ve never heard of a full-service restaurant build-out that went under budget. Have you?!
Maybe I’m going crazy a little, but keeping a project under budget has always felt more like the exception than the rule, and I have a feeling ours is not going to be one of those exceptions. Annoyingly, it’s true what they say: everything is always a bit more more expensive than you expect and time is rarely on your side. We’re officially at that point in the project where we’re needing to order everything. Like, EVERY. LITTLE. ITEM. Think: tile, all the trim, light switch covers, wallpaper, stainless steel shelves, freaking hand sinks, etc. And, I’m needing to, very quickly, finalize the items I haven’t gotten around to sourcing, like toilet paper holders, banquette cushion fabric, glassware, water pitchers, etc. It’s making my head spin.
This morning, I jolted awake from my slumber and, without skipping a beat, immediately panic-checked if I ordered enough tile. Needless to say, I have not had my typical restful sleep in a minute and, as a result, have been feeling a little psychotic. I guess this is just the reality of this phase and, although I fully expected to experience these types of stresses, it doesn’t make it any less stressful. 😂 This is what it’s like to do a full build-out of a space, one that wasn’t a restaurant to begin with. There’s just A LOT to remember and A LOT to keep track of.
When designing this restaurant, I was very conscious about not settling for only the cheapest materials and not skimping on all details, but that meant that I needed to find advantages where I could and capitalize on my own skills to find savings.
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