Renovations can be costly. It depends on what you really want. I remember when we’re doing the spray paint on the roof of a double storey Spice shop at 42 Newdegate Street we have to hire a cherry harvester mounted on a truck that works on hydraulics in order to reach to the rooftop. Old concrete buildings generally have higher roofs than the newly built The painter forgot to cover all the nearby cars parked in the area and I had to dash around on his behalf covering each of the vehicle with all his industrial protective cloth including that of my old bed sheets as the wind started to change its course. I assume that he must have his insurance cover. That was the whole purpose of not taking any work related risks myself but hiving off jobs like this to the professionals who were certified and licensed for the it though they may well be the small businessmen like myself.
The shop fitters I contracted represent the heaviest cost in a retail situation like the Spice Centre at North Hobart. You showcase your merchandise in the best possible way for a sale. So designing a showroom with appropriate shop fittings is a must. Display shelving and cabinet units are not cheap. Then you have to consider the type of flooring or suitable floor covering . More importantly I had to redesign the whole interior lightings. But that was the Spice Centre shop. However here in this article I am going to show you a photographic account of renovation and refurbishment on an old Club building and gradually turning it into a spanking brand new restaurant and the address is at 6 Victoria Street. That was the year 1992.
About the most expensive renovation and refurbishment I have ever gone through in any of my restaurant years was undertaken at 6 Victoria Street right in the heart of the Business centre. Altogether it costs me more than three houses and an additional hefty sum of loan from a bank to secure this majestic building before I could get it renovated and refurbished in a substantial way. But the house value then wasn't in any way like the house value of today. This time I really did dig deep into my pocket. Like I mentioned before in order to maintain your business competitive edge renovation and refurbishment can be a costly financial matter. The first few months’ things were moving very slowly perhaps because I was still going through my initial euphoria of my major purchase. Just as well this coincided with my contractors’ set date for their job commencement which was at least a few more months away which gave me a brief spell to brush up more on city council by-laws and rules regarding the requirements of a restaurant operator.
The empty main dining room. My daughter is my best companion at all times.
The bare kitchen with no stoves sink wash basins etc. A new start on essential like pipes and plumbing, wires, and heating/AC duct. The costs will reach a bottomless pit so to speak by the time you consider the miles of carpet one has to lay in the main dining room and around the foyer.
This is a unique opportunity to take up residence in an historic building on high- pedestrian trafficked Street and flanked by two arterial thoroughfare namely Davey and Collin Streets. This is where I need to transform the antiquated interior into a chic eatery.
In my next post I shall show you how I have converted an old interior ground floor into a swanky spanking eatery outlet equivalent to a five star establishment.
