If you are a business owner moving into a new commercial space in Long Beach that is in need of some improvements, keeping the costs down is probably one of your top priorities. Yes, you want a space that is conducive to the type of work you do and is aesthetically pleasing, but as a savvy business owner, you always have to be concerned about the bottom line. Hopefully, your landlord will provide an allowance for tenant improvements, but it’s rarely as much as is needed to make all of the desired changes to a space.
In an effort to save money, you may decide that you just want to make cosmetic changes to your space, reasoning that this will save you on both architectural design fees as well as construction.
Here’s the problem with that line of reasoning: You may find that you still need to bring in a Long Beach architect, whether you want to or not.
Here’s why: In the City of Long Beach, opening a new business involves getting a business license, which you are probably well aware of. When you go to the City to apply for the license, one of their requirements is that you provide them with site plans and floor plans for your commercial space. Your landlord may have these, but if they don’t, you could have them drawn up fairly inexpensively by a draftsperson. However, once you submit the plans to the City, they will likely require you to make some changes to bring the space into compliance with current building codes. This is when you will need the services of a Long Beach architect who specializes in tenant improvements.
A Long Beach tenant improvement architect can produce a set of plans that will show city officials how you intend to bring the space into compliance. Once those plans are approved, you can then proceed with those improvements, as well as any other cosmetic upgrades you want to make.
If you are on a tight timeline to get your business up and running, as most business owners are, you would be wise to consider contacting a Long Beach architect early on! They can draw up the plans you need, which you can then submit to the City along with all of the other required documents. This type of proactive approach can save you weeks—maybe even months—allowing you to open your business that much sooner!
To get started, contact a Long Beach tenant improvement architect and tell them you need site plans and floor plans drawn up for your commercial space to submit to the City. Let them know that you are also interested in a second set of plans that will include the any improvement that need to be made to bring the space into compliance with current building codes.
