Customer and team flows, opening hours, noise, storage, cleaning, maintenance and electrical capacity shape the layout long before finishes are selected.
Start with operations
Identify who must approve what
Landlord, condominium, authorities, heritage, fire safety and utility operators may all be involved. Map approvals before promising an opening date.
Protect the opening date
Separate design, long-lead procurement, enabling works, equipment installation, testing and snagging. A programme without float and named owners is only an intention.
Confirm capacity before freezing the layout
Electrical capacity, ventilation, extract, drainage, cooling, acoustics, accessibility and fire safety must be tested against the intended operation. A constraint discovered after the lease is signed can undermine the concept or programme.
Look beyond the construction contract
Allow for surveys, approvals, connections, furniture, operating equipment, signage, IT, initial cleaning, opening stock and working-capital headroom. The meaningful figure is the cost to reach an operational opening.
Content based on field experience from projects delivered in Budapest. A property inspection, the condominium rules and relevant local professional advice remain necessary for an actual project.