Category: 🏗️ Venue Opening & Construction | Reading time: 10-12 min
You signed the lease. Key in hand. Now what? The foreman came and said, "let's start." But what, in what order, how long? If you start without knowing this — a 3-month job will stretch to 6 months, a 50,000₼ budget will become 90,000₼.
The construction process is the most expensive, most stressful, most problem-causing 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 give the checklist for each phase. Print it, give it to the foreman, check it every day.
PHASE 1: PREPARATION (Before Construction — 2-4 weeks)
In this phase, do not pick up a brick. First, complete the documents, permits, and technical inspections.
| # | Item | Note | ☐ |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 3-phase electrical inspection | ASAN Kommunal → Azerishig technical inspection | ☐ |
| 2 | Natural gas connection inspection | Is there a gas line? If new installation is needed — add to budget | ☐ |
| 3 | Water and sewerage entry points | Where? Does it match the kitchen plan? | ☐ |
| 4 | Chimney exhaust point | Where will it be? Risk of neighbor conflict? | ☐ |
| 5 | Ceiling height measurement | Minimum 3 meters — for suspended ceiling + ventilation | ☐ |
| 6 | Object code check | Previous tenant's tax/DSMF debt? | ☐ |
| 7 | Construction project (plan) preparation | Kitchen, hall, storage, toilet — location of everything | ☐ |
| 8 | Construction budget preparation | Rough + finish work + reserve fund (15%) | ☐ |
| 9 | Foreman/contractor selection | Compare from at least 3 proposals | ☐ |
| 10 | Construction contract | Time, price, material, penalty terms in writing | ☐ |
| 11 | AQTA registration | ASAN Service/KOBİA — 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 have explained in detail in our "12 Mistakes" article.
PHASE 2: ROUGH WORK (3-6 weeks)
Rough work — the "skeleton" of the building. Walls, floors, ceilings, water/electricity/gas lines.
| # | Item | Note | ☐ |
|---|---|---|---|
| 13 | Demolition work | Old walls, floors, suspended ceilings | ☐ |
| 14 | New wall construction | Kitchen-dining area separation, toilet, storage | ☐ |
| 15 | Water installation (laying) | Kitchen sinks, toilet, dishwasher location | ☐ |
| 16 | Sewage system laying | Grease trap mandatory | ☐ |
| 17 | Electrical wiring installation | 3 phases + separate lines: kitchen, dining area, lighting | ☐ |
| 18 | Gas line installation | Natural gas — do not use propane! | ☐ |
| 19 | Ventilation ducts | Kitchen — separate, dining area — separate system | ☐ |
| 20 | Chimney installation | Chimney filters, fire extinguisher system | ☐ |
| 21 | Floor preparation | Non-slip, washable in kitchen | ☐ |
| 22 | Ceiling preparation | Structure for suspended ceiling | ☐ |
| 23 | Fire extinguishing system | Sprinkler or extinguisher — Ministry of Emergency Situations requirement | ☐ |
| 24 | Insulation | Sound insulation (for neighbor complaints) + heating | ☐ |
PHASE 3: FINISHING WORK (3-5 weeks)
Finishing work is the part the customer will handle. Wall paint, flooring, lighting, furniture.
| # | Item | Note | ☐ |
|---|---|---|---|
| 25 | Wall paint / covering | Colors matching the concept | ☐ |
| 26 | Flooring | Hall: parquet/ceramic, Kitchen: non-slip ceramic | ☐ |
| 27 | Suspended ceiling installation | Light points must be planned in advance | ☐ |
| 28 | Lighting system | Dimmer is mandatory — day/evening difference | ☐ |
| 29 | Air conditioning system | Kitchen + hall + storage — separate zones | ☐ |
| 30 | Toilet renovation | Customer toilet + staff toilet must be separate | ☐ |
| 31 | Bar/cash register area | POS location, money storage, power outlets | ☐ |
| 32 | Showcase / entrance design | First impression — detailed in our "Atmosfer" article | ☐ |
| 33 | Signage installation | Do not forget ADRA permission! | ☐ |
| 34 | Furniture installation | Tables, chairs — matching the concept | ☐ |
| 35 | Decorative elements | Paintings, plants, accessories | ☐ |
| 36 | Music system | Sound system + business music subscription | ☐ |
PHASE 4: EQUIPMENT AND TECHNOLOGY (1-2 weeks)
| # | Item | Note | ☐ |
|---|---|---|---|
| 37 | Industrial stove/hob installation | 3-phase connection, gas connection | ☐ |
| 38 | Refrigerators installation | Temperature check, 24-hour test | ☐ |
| 39 | Freezer installation | -18°C test | ☐ |
| 40 | Dishwasher | Water connection + drainage | ☐ |
| 41 | Preparation tables (stainless steel) | Stainless steel — hygiene requirement | ☐ |
| 42 | POS system installation | Cash register + tablets + printer | ☐ |
| 43 | Internet / Wi-Fi | Stable internet is essential for POS | ☐ |
| 44 | Camera system | Kitchen, cash register, entrance — minimum 4 cameras | ☐ |
| 45 | Alarm system | Post-closing security | ☐ |
⚠️ Warning: Leasing equipment may be more budget-friendly. Instead of buying 50,000₼ worth of equipment outright, you can make monthly payments via leasing — less burden on the initial budget.
PHASE 5: OPENING PREPARATION (1-2 weeks)
Construction is complete. 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 day test | ☐ |
| 51 | Menu final check | Prices, food cost, design | ☐ |
| 52 | Grand opening (official opening) | Marketing, social media, invitees | ☐ |
Budget planning — real numbers
Approximate construction budget for a small to medium restaurant (50-80 m², 30-40 seats):
| Phase | Estimated cost (₼) | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Preliminary phase (documents, project) | 2,000-5,000 | 3-5% |
| Rough work | 20,000-40,000 | 30-35% |
| Fine work | 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 numbers are very variable — the condition of the building, location, concept, material selection changes everything. But a reserve fund is mandatory — minimum 15%. As we said in our "Hidden Costs" article: unexpected costs ALWAYS occur.
Most Common Construction Mistakes
| Mistake | Result | Solution |
|---|---|---|
| Starting without checking the 3 phases | 15,000–20,000₼ additional cost | Check BEFORE construction |
| Hiring a “cheap master” | Half-finished work, rework needed | Compare 3 bids, don’t pick the cheapest |
| Not having a written contract | Delays, price increases, unable to claim | Agree on everything in writing |
| Drawing the kitchen plan without a chef | Equipment doesn’t fit, workflow disrupted | Include the head chef in planning |
| Not setting aside a reserve fund | Unexpected costs collapse the budget | Minimum 15% reserve |
| Installing a sign without ADRA permit | Fine | Get permission first |
| Building a chimney without talking to neighbors | Complaints, municipal issues | Inform in advance |
📝 DOĞAN NOTE: “One entrepreneur came, said ‘renovation will be done in 2 months.’ It took 5 months. Why? Because there was no plan. The foreman brings paint today, installs water pipes tomorrow, and goes back to painting the next day. The phases got mixed up, every job 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.”
💡 DK Agency: Do you want construction supervision and project management? The DK Agency team plans the construction process from scratch — budget, time, phase control, equipment selection, AQTA/FHN preparation. Includes opening strategy and soft opening planning.
📧 info@dkagency.com.tr | 🔧 dkagency.com.tr/aletler | 🌐 dkagency.com.tr/aletler/marketinq-ocagi
DANNY MEYER
“Restaurants don't close because of bad food. They close because of bad planning.”
📖 Source: Setting the Table
ANTHONY BOURDAIN
“The desire to open a restaurant is a strange and terrible disease. The probability of the investment returning is one in five.”
📖 Source: Kitchen Confidential