Uppteam

  • Training
Resturant

Transforming a Vacant Shop into A Fully Functional Restaurant in Florida

  • Soumen
  • April 25, 2025
  • 6:37 am

Intro

Uppteam’s MEP design support team converted an existing shop into a fully functional restaurant within 2 – 3 weeks. The support team efficiently coordinated with multiple teams from the client’s side to perform calculations and design efficient mechanical and plumbing systems.

Project Type: Commercial
Software Used: COMcheck, AGi32, and AutoCAD
Area: Approximately 10,000 sq ft

Task Assigned

This project’s scope was to create effective mechanical and plumbing designs for the existing commercial building, which had been renovated as a restaurant. The client needed support for the HVAC systems, including ductwork and ventilation pathways, and equipment such as chillers, to regulate indoor temperatures, humidity, and air quality. The plumbing design task needed our designers to focus on water supply, drainage, and waste management tailored to the specific needs of a sushi restaurant. This includes pipe layouts, placement of fixtures like sinks, dishwashers, and grease interceptors. Hence, Uppteam’s MEP design support team collaborated with multiple parties repeatedly to ensure the permit drawings matched the client’s requirements.

Challenges

The primary challenge in this commercial project was navigating the complications. Since the shop was an existing building, our MEP teams had to adjust their plans considering the old building’s design. While the team aimed at creating a fully functional restaurant, they struggled with finding the most suitable and economical design option that was the best approach for the client.

Another significant challenge our teams encountered was coordinating with the existing and new architects’ drawings to create flawless MEP systems, as we worked around making changes in the existing structure.

Planning for kitchen equipment installation was another challenge in this commercial design process. The restaurant was Japanese, so it had specific requirements for its kitchen equipment. Our team had to ensure that our design upgrade did not conflict with the kitchen vendor’s plan.

In addition, the client faced difficulties implementing the designs in the actual project, for which our team had to make urgent adjustments to the design. Finishing the entire design in a tight timeline of 2-3 weeks was challenging, mainly because the team had to create multiple design options as per the owner’s request.

Solutions

Based on the client’s request and the project’s challenges, our team decided to divide the design process of this restaurant into two main phases. We completed 50% of the design and shared it with the client for approval, while the team started working on the rest.

The team leader split the team into multiple groups to ensure they completed the project within the timeline while accommodating the client’s requests for changes. So, as soon as the client approved a part of the design, one of the groups started preparing the construction documents and detailed drawings using AutoCAD.

The team’s next target was to complete 90% of the design before sending it to the client for approval. They also abided by the US building standards and codes, using COMcheck to reduce the number of iterations. The mechanical and plumbing teams requested that the on-site architect and kitchen vendor share a precise drawing of the existing kitchen to create accurate mechanical and plumbing plans for kitchen equipment, while the electrical team ensured lighting design compliance with lighting systems using AGi32.

Uppteam’s design support team adjusted the main circuit breakers (the primary electrical appliance that controls the restaurant’s electricity flow) based on final load calculations while keeping the drawings unchanged. Simultaneously, they created detailed drawings and calculations for large and critical kitchen components, ensuring precise implementation.

Uppteam’s MEP design support team provided the owner with multiple design options so they could choose the one that best fit the restaurant. Our mechanical and plumbing teams also created a cost-effective and scalable design solution for this commercial building, keeping the specifications of the Oriental kitchen in mind.