A commercial building restoration project entails a lot of planning. If you're getting ready for commercial building restoring, it's wise to have a checklist. These four items belong on it.

Checking the Building's Bones

Whether you already own the building or not, it's important to make sure the structure is in good shape. You should have a professional inspector perform a thorough walkthrough. They should check the state of the main supports, and they should also make sure the building is compliant with local building codes. Bear in mind that new codes might only kick in once you begin commercial building restoration work. Talk with a local code enforcement officer to learn what the rules are at your location.

Looking at the Neighborhood

Whenever possible, you'll want your newly restored building to be visually consistent with the nearby structures. If the region has a lot of traditional brick facades, for example, you may want to find a way to make your building consistent with that theme. It's also a good idea to touch base with local groups to learn what efforts their making to maintain the area's overall architectural aesthetics. As a bonus, they might tip you off to funding options if there is, for example, an effort to preserve historical buildings.

Brand Standards

Some commercial operations have to comply with corporate branding standards. If you're in this boat, contact the nearest corporate office and have them send you a copy of the standards documents. You may also need approvals for variances, so ask them what the process is for that.

Financing and Budgeting

You'll want to have financing for your commercial building restoring work lined up before you make a budget. If you haven't already spoken with a lender, contact your preferred institution. Tell them what your plans are so they can wrap their heads around your financial requirements.

It's a good idea to have contractors' estimates available during these conversations so you can ballpark the projected budget. When you line up financing, it's also good to overshoot your targets by between 10 and 20 percent in case anything goes awry.

Once you begin to finalize the budget, try to break things down. What is essential for the project? What are the things you'd like to have? Use the list to eliminate things if you need to tighten the budget up. Finalize proposals from contractors so you can lock in your costs, too.