The first instalment:  A model is just a model…

When I was younger, I used to spend my pocket money and allowance on plastic model kits.  Cars, planes, military vehicles, you know what I mean.  When I finally finished one of these projects, I used to proudly show it off to anyone who would give me a minute.  The detail on some of these kits was really incredible.  Doors would open and you could see inside.  Wheels and propellers would turn and with a nifty paint job, it was a true scale model of the real thing.

But the real story is not about the model itself but rather how the model was assembled.  You see, these kits as many of you know, come with a fantastic set of graphical instructions.  These instructions tell you a story of the assembly process from where to find the parts, what order the parts should be assembled in and in some cases even give you a target time in which to build the assemblies.  You were the Project Manager and the instructions became your project plan.

If you were lucky, as part of the kit you also got some historical facts, performance details, optional configurations and maybe some tips on how to keep that work of art maintained well after the final part had been glued together.  All great reference information when it came time to show it off to your friends. 

Now that I am a bit older I like to build my models a slightly different way… or do I?  

I still use a set of instructions that give me insight as to where to locate appropriate resources.  I have all the historical information of the project, a timeline, a process if configuration changes are necessary and a support contract to maintain the model after delivery.  So what has changed? 

We now call this madness BIM, or  Building Information Modelling.  We can do this BIM modelling using a computer or bunch of computers with some pretty sophisticated software.  The software allows us to build the building information model virtually and let it be viewed and scrutinised by others with varied interest in the project.  These scrutinisers are called stakeholders (usually the ones who sign cheques) and the tool they use is called Project Collaboration Software, or PCS.

PCS allows you to view and analyse large projects made up of models, usually all in 3D. It’s the entire model kit wrapped up into a computer!

That leads me (albeit with a nice anecdote) onto the purpose of this article. The Project Collaboration Software I am interested in is called Navisworks.  Although it has been around for quite some time, Navisworks now has a set of much improved Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) that allow the user to interrogate the model with much more complexity than the software itself would do.

This series of posts is all about the learning and understanding of Navisworks.  Not just from Project Collaboration Software but also from a platform to build plug-ins that feed databases that are queried on a web site.

Building Information Modelling and Navisworks really aren’t far off those plastic model kits, they just have a different way of displaying the data.  Stay tuned…….

The next post:  What can Navisworks do, that it doesn’t tell you on the box?

Grant Dott, C A Design Services.

Top 5 considerations for planning your shop layout

Have you ever wondered about how the inside of a store is planned?

From deciding how many checkouts to have through to adopting Health & Safety requirements for a delicatessen counter or a bedroom display, there are so many factors that can help inform good store planning and layout, but where should you start?

To get off to a good start, some facts and figures will help to build a picture.  These don’t have to be 100% accurate, just forecasts. For example, you may have predicted store takings or expected customer footfall.  You may also have feedback from local residents or existing customers. 

My top 5  things to consider when planning your shop should give you a good basis on which to start your own store planning. If there’s anything you think I should add to the list, why not comment below!

1. Is your store in an affluent area?  This will dictate the value of items sold and therefore how they might be displayed in store. Check out other local shops, what are they selling? Value or premium products?

2. What goods do you plan to sell? Your display might require extra security or more browsing space to fully view the items on sale. Specialised staff may also be required, with detailed knowledge of the products on offer. 

3. Have you researched industry trends? What are the typical habits for consumers of your products? What items do they traditionally buy together? Is the purchase a high involvement one, requiring much thought and deliberation, or a quick purchase on their way to/from work? Knowing this will give you some clues for layout, cross-promotion and up-selling. These factors can then be further analysed during the store planning stages.

4. Most importantly, make sure you view your potential store from the eyes of the customer, make sure the shop looks bright, clean and welcoming, as well as easy to navigate. A decent shop environment will ultimately encourage shoppers to spend more!

This initial research can be used to form a design brief, from which an optimised store space or shop layout plan can be formed.

5. And finally what about the actual store space plan?

You may already have an established shop layout, which will be adopted.  You may, however wish to explore options to devise the optimum layout for your store. Store planners and designers can guide you to create a great, optimised layout, using retail specific planning products such as our own StoreSpace, as well as 3D visualisations and retail design mock ups. Of course, this all depends on your budget, and your requirements.

Your store layout plan can start at quite a high level… for instance a plan could show you marked out areas for each part of the store, and required equipment that would fit each space.  Some of this high level detail may have already been drawn at feasibility level which Julie wrote about last week .   

Once the high level shop design has been agreed, you can look in more detail at where the actual commodities will sit on the sales floor, bearing in mind your earlier research about consumers and trends.  You’ll need to consider both the Warehouse (areas for specific product types, staff areas, delivery areas, etc.) and the Sales Floor (areas for specific equipment and commodities, areas for customer service, and customer facilities, etc.).

Following that you’re ready to start laying things out. Check out some of the popular guides to instore shopping behaviour:

How do your customers shop?

Shopping behaviour  

What are your key store layout considerations? Let me know and I’ll add them to the article.

Judith

Last week I started this series with my first 5 tips on choosing your new store location and retail design considerations.

If you need a reminder, those first 5 tips were:

1. Choosing a shop / company name, and brand image
2. Finding the right site
3. Site Research
4. Building Condition Survey
5. Other Specialist Store Surveys

You can find more information in my original post

This follow-on covers the next 5 important things to consider when setting up your first shop. They sound technical, but are actually quite straight forward so don’t be put off!

6. Measured Survey

A measured survey gives you accurate plans of the site and can be tailored to suit your needs.

The survey should contain all information about the building which could affect the design proposals. It is not just about measuring all the walls , positioning doors and windows; you also need to be aware of any stairs or ramps, beams, ceiling level changes, mains services positions, heating and ventilation equipment, fire detection systems etc

Your chosen design company will usually advise you on what information should be captured and often be able to undertake the survey work for you.

7. Feasibility Plans

A feasibility plan will help to test the viability of the proposal before embarking on more detailed design work.

At this stage the plan may be in a very simple form, showing the general arrangement of walls doors, windows, fixed and possibly loose equipment.

The nature of your business will dictate the level of detail which is necessary to consider at feasibility stage. Agree with your retail design agency what that level of detail should be.

This stage of the process will not only confirm ‘does it all fit’ but also whether the correct relationships can be created between different shop zones or operations, whether the layout is safe and free from risk, whether it will have the appropriate impact and whether the required work needed to deliver the retail project at this premises makes is too expensive.

8. Structural work

Structural work can be expensive you should therefore avoid it if possible.

You will need to involve a Structural Engineer, since you can’t remove a wall without checking to see if it is supporting any structure above it.

A structural engineer will produce designs and calculations for your builder to use to ensure the structure is safely supported.

9. Working drawings and scope of works

Once you found the perfect premises for your new shop, and checked that it  can be adapted to meet the needs of your business, you will need to identify the scope of required works and have detailed working drawings produced.

The level of detail in a set of working drawings will depend upon the nature of the business and the amount of work which is necessary to be undertaken.

As standard your retail working drawings should provide accurate detail of the works, covering everything from  walls, doors, windows, floors ceilings  (size, material, type, construction) , to fixtures and fittings, general decorative treatments, lighting, electrics, fire detection and prevention equipment and any heating and ventilation. This part of the process will usually involve a site visit to confirm  the required works.

The information contained within the working drawings and accompanying scope of works will be to produce accurate pricing and equipment orders, to produce the programme of works, and to produce the health and safety plan for the works to be undertaken.

10. Statutory Applications and Consents

As early as possible in your discussions about a site, and depending on the proposed work, there are a number of approvals which you may require before on-site works can commence.

It can take between two and three months to receive approvals, so you need to plan in advance for this.

As part of the design process, your chosen design company will identify what approvals you may need. In brief, these may include:

• Advertisement consent
• Planning Consent
• Listed Building Consent
• Building regulations approval
• Party Wall Awards

These are my tips to ensure your new retail adventure is set on the right track. If I have missed anything, or you have questions about any stage of the process, let me know in the comments section.

Julie

Retail design, location and planning – 10 top tips for first time retailers

At C A Design Services we often receive enquiries from first time retailers looking for help getting their new shop off the ground.

In the first of a two-part series, our Retail Design Manager, Julie Griffiths, outlines the first 5 key considerations for first time retailers in locating, planning and designing the perfect shop.

1. Choosing a shop / company name, and brand image

Your business name, branding, and image should be considered as early as possible.

There are plenty of websites out there with guidance on brand names and image. The main point to consider is ensuring the name you have selected is available to use. You can check this easily on the Companies House site: http://bit.ly/coshouse

Remember, the name of a business can help communicate your proposition, suggest a design theme, colour palette or style which can then be translated into the whole design of the premises from signage to finishes, materials, fixed and loose furniture and equipment.

2. Finding the right site

When searching for your store premises it’s a good idea to have some details prepared of what you need from your store and location. In terms of the physical aspects of a prospective retail site, you will need to have an idea of size, and any special requirements your business may have.

Engaging a retail design company at this early stage could be really beneficial. Your retail designer can help you to produce a model store layout. Their experience in the area will more than likely mean you consider important aspects that you hadn’t previously thought about.

A model layout  will also help to confirm the size and style of store premises you require, and can form a large part of the brief to commercial estate agencies.

3. Site Research

Having created a model to help your agents identify potential retail sites, you should then ensure that you know as much about any potential retail sites your agent puts forward before making any decisions.

There are legal issues to consider as well as physical and operational issues. For example, a lot of commercial property, particularly retail, is owned by property companies or institutional investors, and for this reason it is likely you will lease your site.  Once you have signed a lease you may be tied in for a considerable period of time so you need to be sure you have thought of everything.

Leasehold transactions can be complex and take a long time as there is often more than one party with a legal interest in the premises. You will need specialist help with the legal process.

The lease may have certain restrictions which prevent you from doing certain works or operating certain businesses. The property may require a change of use application to allow you to carry out the trade you wish to undertake from the premises.

Physically and operationally some sites may seem ideal for your business, matching your model perfectly, but there may be practical issues that would prevent you from carrying out the necessary work needed to turn your dream into a reality.

Involving your retail designer in this process will ensure that you can make a decision armed with a full understanding of the site. Agree in advance with your designer what you want the site research to cover.

The retail designer can then meet you on site and give guidance on what is feasible. They will also suggest alterations which may be required to the structure of the building for example, to provide you with the sort of space needed to operate your business. They will also help you investigate any restrictions on the site before embarking on detailed store design work or going too far down the legal route…

4. Building Condition Survey

As we have said it’s fairly normal to lease your first premises. Obviously you will ensure you take appropriate legal advice, but it is important to know the condition of the premises you are about to agree to lease.

If your lease agreement states you are responsible for all repairs, it is prudent to have a Chartered Surveyor carry out a condition survey on the premises. This provides you with a record of the existing building condition, which can be useful when negotiating with your Landlord

5. Other Specialist Store Surveys

As a result of the condition survey, requirements for other surveys may be identified.

It is also a good idea to know the condition of the installed services e.g. electrical installation, to ensure they are in good order and comply with current legislation as again, this will impact on your initial store set-up costs.

I hope that this goes someway to help you understand the process of setting up your first retail store.

Feel free to comment should you have any questions.

Or call the retail specialists at C A Design Services to discuss your retail design project in more detail
01493 440444

Next week I’ll go through the next 5 stages, covering:

6. Measured Surveys

7. Feasibility Plans

8. Structural work

9. Working drawings and scope of works

10. Statutory applications and consents

See you then!

Julie

C A Design Services is one of the latest group of successful companies to join two leading edge prequalification Health and Safety schemes.

Accreditation to the Contractor Health and Safety scheme (CHAS) and the SAFEContractor Scheme demonstrate a high standard of management of Health and Safety systems and compliance with current legislation.

The accreditation is expected to enhance the company’s ability to attract new contracts. It offers inclusion on a database accessible to registered users, these can vet potential contractors before they even set foot on site. Over one hundred and twenty nationwide businesses from several key sectors have signed up to use the scheme when selecting contractors, and agree that as users of the scheme they will engage only those who have received accreditation

An added benefit saves time and resources by reducing the burden of completing future prequalification questionnaires particulary for CADS Surveys.