Dallas’ restaurant scene is changing fast. New ideas are constantly being devised, tastes in food are evolving and the battle for the guests’ loyalty is as intense as anywhere in the country. In that kind of environment, how you build out is not simply about esthetics. It’s a strategic move. A restaurant that opens with a well-designed, efficiently built space is starting from a position of strength. One that starts with a rushed or broken build-out spends its first months fighting operational problems that should have been solved before day one.

The first step to making the right decisions during the planning process is to understand what a professional restaurant build-out Dallas project actually entails. The scope is broader, the technical requirements more specialized and the coordination more complex than most first-time owners anticipate.

The Real Scale of a Dallas Restaurant Build Out

Dallas restaurant build-out projects typically go through four primary stages, each with its own set of choices, approvals and timeframes.

The phases include: Design and Planning including concept development, space planning and architectural drawings; Permitting and Compliance including food establishment permits, health code approvals and building permits; Construction and Build-Out including ground-up builds, tenant improvements or remodels; and Equipment and Final Fit-Out including kitchen installation, furniture and fixtures and finishing touches.

Each of these phases is related with those previous and following it. A design decision in phase one affects the permit requirements in phase two which affects the construction sequence in phase three which affects the equipment installation timeline in phase four. When you have one integrated team across all four phases at the same time, those links are handled well. The gaps between separate vendors handling each phase independently are the root of most project problems.

Cost Reality: The True Cost of a Dallas Build-Out

One of the most common questions restaurant owners ask as they begin the planning process is how much does a build out actually cost in the Dallas market.

The average price per square foot for a Dallas restaurant project is $75.36. The average cost of a Dallas restaurant project is between $200,000 and $1,400,000. Over the past two years, 1,148 restaurant projects have been completed.

That wide range is indicative of the actual range of restaurant build-out scopes from small fast casual concepts to large format full service dining rooms with extensive custom finishes. The secret to managing costs in that range is accurate, early estimates based on completed comparable projects, not ballpark figures that change as the build progresses.

Restaurant Headquarters offers early and accurate cost estimation based on hundreds of completed projects in the Dallas Fort Worth area restaurant remodel Dallas. That history of similar projects gives clients a real-world financial picture right up front, which is of real value when you are making decisions about lease terms, investor commitments and opening budgets.

Integrated Approach Shortens Timelines and Reduces Costs

And there is a real financial incentive to choose an integrated design and build team, rather than a multi-vendor approach that is disconnected.

By providing all services under one roof, this integrated approach can help clients save costs by up to 28 percent and reduce project timelines by 20 to 35 percent.

Cost savings of 28 percent is not a marginal benefit for a restaurant owner looking at every dollar of an opening budget. It’s the difference between opening with working capital reserves and opening on the financial edge. A 20 to 35 percent reduction in the timeline translates directly into weeks of revenue that would otherwise be lost due to an unnecessarily long construction period.

Where the real savings come from in an integrated build

Here’s a practical way to think about the sources of integrated build out savings:

• No subcontractor markups on custom fabrication. That means it goes straight to your bottom line.
• Decisions on design and fabrication made together, eliminating costly change orders
• Procurement of design-related equipment to prevent expensive late-project substitutions
• Parallel phase management versus sequential vendor hand-offs, shortening the timeline
• Single submission of permit based on complete, coordinated design package, not revised submissions
• Single point of contact for each decision, no communication delays between several vendors

Each of these efficiencies is real and measurable. They deliver the kind of cost and timeline performance that makes an integrated team the financially smart choice for any restaurant build-out project.

The portfolio demonstrates ability

The best way to judge the capability of any build team is to look at the work they’ve actually done. The RHQ portfolio includes a really wide range of project types and ideas across the Dallas Fort Worth area and each project tells a specific story of how the team solves real problems.

RHQ has completed more than 1,000 restaurant projects in Texas, including notable Dallas-area locations like Ebesu Plano TX, and Manpuku Dallas TX. Such a diverse portfolio of completed projects demonstrates a team that can deliver on different concept types, different budget levels, and different build complexity profiles.

The team has been recognized by the Dallas Observer, Texas Monthly, Plano Magazine and Eater Dallas, among other publications, for their ability to deliver results that get noticed by the restaurant industry.

Waterjet Cutting: What It Can Do To Your Build At 60,000 PSI

One fabrication capability that distinguishes the RHQ team from a typical general contractor is the precision waterjet cutting technology that the Garland shop has. This equipment runs at 60,000 PSI to create custom components with tolerances that cannot be achieved with conventional fabrication methods.

In a restaurant build-out, that precision is most important in the custom decorative elements that establish the character of the space. We produce waterjet-cut signage, decorative wall panels, precision-fitted countertop pieces and custom bar components with the accuracy to make them look exactly as designed, not roughly as designed.

Summary

A Dallas restaurant build-out is a big job, and you deserve to have the most experienced, most capable team you can find on your side. Every decision you make while you are building your restaurant will determine how it runs for years to come.

For over 30 years, we have been equipping and building DFW kitchens with over 1,000 builds. The in-house Dallas Fort Worth team designs, fabricates and builds the entire space end to end with no subcontractors involved. Restaurant Headquarters is the obvious choice for owners who want a team that controls every step of the project and provides a result they are proud to open. Learn more about the portfolio and visit the Garland showroom and ask for your free consultation to get your build-out started with the most proven team in North Texas.