Contents · 7 sections
You signed the lease. The keys are in your hand. Now what? The foreman arrived and said, "let's begin." But what, in what order, and in how much time? If you start without knowing this — the work will drag on twice as long, and the budget will be considerably more than you anticipated.
The construction process is the most expensive, most stressful, and most problem-prone stage of opening a restaurant. But with systematic planning, you can save time, money, and nerves.
In this article, I divide construction into 5 phases. I provide a checklist for each phase. Print it, give it to the foreman, check it every day.
PHASE 1: PRELIMINARY PREPARATION (Before construction — 2-4 weeks)
At this stage, don't pick up a brick. First, complete the documents, permits, and technical inspections.
| # | Item | Note | ☐ |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 3-phase electrical inspection | ASAN Kommunal → Azərişıq technical inspection | ☐ |
| 2 | Natural gas connection inspection | Is there a gas line? If a new one must be laid — add to budget | ☐ |
| 3 | Water and sewage entry points | Where? Does it match the kitchen plan? | ☐ |
| 4 | Chimney exit point | Where will it be? Risk of neighbor conflict? | ☐ |
| 5 | Ceiling height measurement | Minimum 3 meters — for suspended ceiling + ventilation | ☐ |
| 6 | Property code inspection | Previous tenant's tax/DSMF debt? | ☐ |
| 7 | Preparation of construction project (plan) | Kitchen, hall, storage, toilet — location of everything | ☐ |
| 8 | Preparation of construction budget | Rough + finishing work + reserve fund (15%) | ☐ |
| 9 | Selection of foreman/contractor | Compare from a minimum of 3 offers | ☐ |
| 10 | Construction contract | Time, price, material, penalty terms in writing | ☐ |
| 11 | AQTA registration | ASAN Service/KOBİA — IT IS FREE | ☐ |
| 12 | FHN permit application | Fire safety plan | ☐ |
⚠️ Warning: 3-phase electricity, natural gas, and chimney — DO NOT START CONSTRUCTION without checking these three. These three alone can kill the project. We explained this in detail in our "12 Mistakes" article.
PHASE 2: ROUGH WORK (3-6 weeks)
Rough work is the "skeleton" of the building. Walls, floor, ceiling, water/electrical/gas lines.
| # | Item | Note | ☐ |
|---|---|---|---|
| 13 | Demolition work | Old walls, floor, suspended ceiling | ☐ |
| 14 | Construction of new walls | Kitchen-hall separation, toilet, storage | ☐ |
| 15 | Plumbing installation (laying) | Kitchen sinks, toilet, dishwasher location | ☐ |
| 16 | Sewage laying | Grease trap is mandatory | ☐ |
| 17 | Laying electrical lines | 3-phase + separate lines: kitchen, hall, lighting | ☐ |
| 18 | Laying the gas line | Natural gas — do not use propane! | ☐ |
| 19 | Ventilation ducts | Kitchen — separate, hall — separate system | ☐ |
| 20 | Chimney installation | Chimney filters, fire extinguishing system | ☐ |
| 21 | Floor preparation | Non-slip, washable in the kitchen | ☐ |
| 22 | Ceiling preparation | Structure for suspended ceiling | ☐ |
| 23 | Fire extinguishing system | Sprinkler or extinguisher — FHN requirement | ☐ |
| 24 | Insulation | Sound insulation (for neighbor complaints) + thermal | ☐ |
PHASE 3: FINE WORKS (3-5 weeks)
Fine works — this is the part the customer will see. Wall paint, flooring, lighting, furniture.
| # | Item | Note | ☐ |
|---|---|---|---|
| 25 | Wall paint / covering | Colors matching the concept | ☐ |
| 26 | Flooring | Hall: parquet/ceramics, Kitchen: non-slip ceramics | ☐ |
| 27 | Suspended ceiling installation | Light points must be planned in advance | ☐ |
| 28 | Lighting system | Dimmer is a must — day/evening difference | ☐ |
| 29 | Air conditioning system | Kitchen + hall + storage — separate zones | ☐ |
| 30 | Toilet renovation | Customer toilet + staff toilet must be separate | ☐ |
| 31 | Bar/cashier area | POS location, cash storage, electrical outlets | ☐ |
| 32 | Storefront / entrance design | First impression — detailed in our "Atmosphere" article | ☐ |
| 33 | Signage installation | Don't forget the advertising (signage) permit! | ☐ |
| 34 | Furniture installation | Tables, chairs — matching the concept | ☐ |
| 35 | Decor elements | Paintings, plants, accessories | ☐ |
| 36 | Music system | Sound system + business music subscription | ☐ |
PHASE 4: EQUIPMENT AND TECHNOLOGY (1-2 weeks)
| # | Item | Note | ☐ |
|---|---|---|---|
| 37 | Industrial oven/stove installation | Three-phase connection, gas connection | ☐ |
| 38 | Refrigerator installation | Temperature check, 24-hour test | ☐ |
| 39 | Freezer installation | -18°C test | ☐ |
| 40 | Dishwasher | Water connection + drainage | ☐ |
| 41 | Prep tables (stainless steel) | Stainless steel — hygiene requirement | ☐ |
| 42 | POS system installation | Cash register + tablets + printer | ☐ |
| 43 | Internet / Wi-Fi | Stable internet is a must for POS | ☐ |
| 44 | Camera system | Kitchen, cashier, entrance — minimum 4 cameras | ☐ |
| 45 | Alarm system | Security after closing | ☐ |
⚠️ Warning: Leasing equipment may be more budget-friendly. Instead of buying 50,000₼ worth of equipment outright, you can make monthly payments through leasing — less strain on the starting budget.
PHASE 5: OPENING PREPARATION (1-2 weeks)
Construction is done. Now prepare for opening.
| # | Item | Note | ☐ |
|---|---|---|---|
| 46 | AQTA final inspection | Are hygiene requirements fully met? | ☐ |
| 47 | FHN final inspection | Fire equipment, exits | ☐ |
| 48 | Hiring employees | Recruitment + medical certificates | ☐ |
| 49 | Training period (min 1-2 weeks) | Menu, service, POS, hygiene | ☐ |
| 50 | Soft opening | Friends, family — 3-5 days of testing | ☐ |
| 51 | Menu final check | Prices, food cost, design | ☐ |
| 52 | Grand opening | Marketing, social media, guests | ☐ |
Budget planning — approximate framework
Approximate construction budget for a small-to-medium restaurant (50-80 m², 30-40 seats):
| Phase | Approximate cost (₼) | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Preliminary preparation (documents, design) | 2,000-5,000 | 3-5% |
| Rough works | 20,000-40,000 | 30-35% |
| Finishing works | 15,000-30,000 | 20-25% |
| Equipment | 25,000-50,000 | 30-35% |
| Opening preparation (training, soft opening) | 3,000-5,000 | 3-5% |
| Reserve fund (15%) | 10,000-20,000 | 15% |
| TOTAL | 75,000-150,000₼ | 100% |
⚠️ Warning: These figures are highly variable — the condition of the building, location, concept, and choice of materials change everything. But the reserve fund is mandatory — minimum 15%. As we said in our "Hidden Costs" article: unexpected costs ALWAYS happen.
The most common construction mistakes
| Mistake | Consequence | Solution |
|---|---|---|
| Starting without checking the 3 phases | Major additional cost, delay | Check BEFORE construction |
| Hiring a "cheap contractor" | Unfinished work, redoing it | Compare 3 quotes, don't pick the cheapest |
| Not signing a written contract | Time drags on, price increases, you can't make a claim | Agree on everything in writing |
| Drawing the kitchen plan without a chef | Equipment doesn't fit, workflow is disrupted | Involve the head chef in the planning |
| Not setting aside a reserve fund | An unexpected cost collapses the budget | Minimum 15% reserve |
| Putting up a sign without a permit | Fine | Get the permit first |
| Installing a chimney without talking to the neighbors | Complaint, municipality problem | Inform them in advance |
📝 DOĞAN'S NOTE: "An entrepreneur came and said 'the renovation will be done in 2 months.' It was done in 5 months. Why? Because there was no plan. The foreman brings paint today, lays a water pipe tomorrow, and goes back to painting the day after. The phases got mixed up, every task was done twice. If he had given this checklist to the foreman — it would have been done in 2.5 months. Phased work = time savings = money savings."
— Doğan Tomris💡 DK Agency: Do you want construction supervision and project management? The interactive version of this list — with the ability to add notes and photos to each item — is in DK Agency's free "From Construction to Opening: Checklist" tool. If you'd like to plan your project together, write to us.
📧 info@dkagency.com.tr | 🔧 From Construction to Opening Checklist | 🌐 Marketing Ocağı
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