Commercial Kitchen Renovation Checklist: What to Settle, in Order
Renovation Guide · Commercial Kitchens
Commercial Kitchen Renovation Checklist: What to Settle, in Order
A renovation goes well when the decisions are made in the right order: goals, equipment, utilities, approvals, then ordering and building. Skipping a step usually costs more later than doing it now.
Use this checklist as a working document. Seven phases, each with what to confirm and who to ask. Print it, share it with your contractor and tick items off as you go.
Start With What the Kitchen Has to Do
Before choosing equipment or drawing a layout, write down what the renovation has to fix and what the kitchen must produce at its busiest service. That is what the rest of the checklist builds on.
Rules, permits and inspections vary by province, city and public health unit. Where we mention them, treat them as questions to confirm locally, not rulings.
Who This Checklist Is For
Operators renovating, expanding or reworking an existing commercial kitchen.
Commercial Kitchen Renovation Checklist · Russell Hendrix
Phase 1: Before You Design
A renovation that starts with a clear problem finishes with fewer changes.
Most renovation regrets come from starting to draw before the goals are written down. Get the problems, the menu, and the current state of the kitchen on paper first.
The rule of this phase
- Write down the problems before the solutions.
- Measure and list what you have.
- Name one person in charge.
| Check | What to confirm | Who to ask | Done |
|---|---|---|---|
| Why you are renovating | The two or three problems the renovation must fix: capacity, flow, equipment that keeps failing, a menu change, or more seats | You, your chef and your managers | |
| Menu and peak volume | What the kitchen must produce at your busiest service, today and in the next few years | Chef or kitchen manager | |
| What you have today | A measured plan of the space, a list of every piece of equipment with its age and condition, and the utilities serving each one | You and your current service provider | |
| Who is in charge | One person who coordinates the trades, the supplier and the schedule | Owner or operations lead | |
| Building and lease | What the building or landlord must approve before work starts, if you do not own the space | Landlord or property manager | |
| Staying open or closing | Whether you will stay open, phase the work or close for a period. See the staying-open post for how to decide | You and your contractor |
Phase 2: Equipment Decisions
Every piece gets a decision: keep, move, replace or add.
An equipment list drives the utility work and the approvals, so settle it before either. Our separate post walks through how to make each call, with a worksheet you can print.
| Check | What to confirm | Who to ask | Done |
|---|---|---|---|
| Keep | Low-wear equipment still in good condition that fits the new layout | Service provider and your team | |
| Move | Equipment you will relocate, and whether the new spot has the right utilities, clearances and ventilation | Contractor and trades | |
| Replace | Heat- and grease-heavy cooking equipment near the end of its useful life, or that no longer suits the menu | Equipment supplier | |
| Add | New capacity the menu needs, and the utilities and hood coverage it will require | Equipment supplier and designer | |
| The finished list | One list of every piece, its decision and its connection requirements, agreed before anything is ordered | Everyone on the project |
Common rule of thumb: when a repair would cost around half the price of a replacement, replacement is worth considering. Treat it as a starting point, not a rule.
Phase 3: Utilities & Infrastructure
Most renovation surprises come from the building, not the equipment.
Add up what everything will draw and use, then compare it to what the building supplies. Ask your authorized trades. Requirements depend on your location, so treat this as a list of questions, not a rulebook.
Ask early
- Electrical capacity can limit what you add.
- Gas upgrades can take time.
- Old buildings can surprise you.
| Check | What to confirm | Who to ask | Done |
|---|---|---|---|
| Electrical | Panel capacity against the total load of everything you plan to run, including what you are adding | Electrician authorized in your province | |
| Gas | Supply size against the combined connected load of all gas equipment, and whether the utility needs to upgrade the service. Ask early, because upgrades can take time | Gas fitter authorized in your province and your gas utility | |
| Water | Water quality and pressure, especially for steamers, combi ovens and ice machines. Testing before the design is final avoids surprises | Plumber and equipment supplier | |
| Drains and floors | Floor sinks, troughs and drainage sized for the equipment that will discharge to them | Plumber and designer | |
| Ventilation | Hood coverage and make-up air for every piece of cooking equipment. Adding a grease-producing appliance can change what the system must handle | Ventilation contractor | |
| The building itself | Floor, structure, piping and the existing hood in older buildings, which can hide surprises once walls and floors are opened | Contractor, early |
Phase 4: Approvals
Know what needs approval before work starts, and who decides.
Rules differ by province, city and public health unit. In some places a public health unit reviews plans, or needs notification, before a food premises is renovated. Toronto, Halton Region and BC's Interior Health all publish guidance on this. We list them as examples, not as your rules.
Confirm with your local public health unit, building department and trades before you commit to a schedule.
Questions to ask
- Do you need plans reviewed before work starts?
- Is an inspection required before you reopen?
- Who applies for each permit?
| Check | What to confirm | Who to ask | Done |
|---|---|---|---|
| Health unit | Whether your public health unit needs plans reviewed, or needs to be notified, before you renovate a food premises. Build to what is approved, not to the sketch | Your local public health unit | |
| Building permit | Whether the scope of work needs one, and who applies | Municipal building department and contractor | |
| Gas, electrical and plumbing | Whether permits or inspections are required for the work and who pulls them | Trades authorized in your province | |
| Hood and fire protection | What the ventilation and fire suppression changes need to satisfy before work starts | Ventilation contractor and local authority | |
| Timing | How long each review takes, so approvals do not hold up the schedule after equipment is on order | Each authority |
Phase 5: Before You Order & Install
Order late enough to get it right and early enough to arrive on time.
Finalize the equipment list before walls go up, confirm the utilities are routed for the final units, and ask for lead times before you commit to a schedule.
Avoid
- Roughing in for equipment you have not chosen.
- Deliveries arriving weeks before the space is ready.
- Equipment that cannot get through the door.
| Check | What to confirm | Who to ask | Done |
|---|---|---|---|
| Equipment finalized | The list is settled before walls go up, so the trades rough in for what is actually being installed | Everyone on the project | |
| Utilities routed | Each connection is routed and located for the final equipment, not a placeholder | Trades and supplier | |
| Lead time | When each piece will arrive. Some equipment can take weeks or months, so ask before you set the schedule | Equipment supplier | |
| Access | Door, hallway and lift sizes, and a clear path for installers and delivery | Site contact and contractor | |
| Delivery staging | Deliveries timed for just before installation, so equipment is not sitting in the way | Supplier and site coordinator | |
| Install windows | Which installs can happen in low-traffic periods, and whether several can be bundled into one window | Coordinator and contractor |
Phase 6: During the Work
A regular rhythm beats heroic problem-solving.
A single coordinator, a weekly meeting and a running list of open items keep a renovation under control. Build delay into the schedule from the start.
The habits that help
- One coordinator.
- Weekly meetings.
- A buffer for delays.
| Check | What to confirm | Who to ask | Done |
|---|---|---|---|
| Regular check-in | A standing weekly meeting with the coordinator, trades and supplier | Coordinator | |
| Changes | Any change to equipment or layout is checked against utilities and approvals before it is accepted | Coordinator and trades | |
| Safety and food safety | Barriers, dust control and separation between the work area and any area still in use | Contractor and your manager | |
| Delay buffer | Room in the schedule for the things that slip. Delay is common on renovations | Coordinator | |
| Open items | A running list of what is unfinished or wrong, closed out as you go | Coordinator |
Phase 7: Before You Reopen
The kitchen is not finished until it is inspected, tested and understood by the people using it.
Confirm any required inspection, test every connection, close the punch list and train your team before service resumes.
Before the doors open
- Inspection, if required.
- Equipment commissioned.
- Team trained.
| Check | What to confirm | Who to ask | Done |
|---|---|---|---|
| Inspection | Whether the health unit needs to inspect before you resume service, and that the finished work matches the approved plans | Your local public health unit | |
| Commissioning | Each unit connected, tested and calibrated, and service checks done on anything you kept or moved | Equipment supplier and trades | |
| Punch list | Every open item closed, or agreed in writing with a date | Coordinator and contractor | |
| Cleaning | A full clean of the finished space and the equipment before food returns to it | Your team | |
| Training | Your team trained on new equipment, cleaning routines and maintenance | Supplier and your manager | |
| Paperwork | Manuals, warranty details and service contacts filed in one place | You |
Common Renovation Mistakes
Most of them are ordering problems, not equipment problems.
These come up again and again. Checking them now is cheaper than fixing them in the middle of the work.
Ordering before the list is final
Rough-ins that do not match the equipment mean opening walls again.
Skipping the utility check
Electrical or gas capacity that falls short shows up after the order, when it is most expensive to fix.
Starting before approvals
Work that does not match what the authority approved can hold up reopening.
Ignoring lead times
A kitchen ready on time with no equipment is not ready.
Replacing things that were fine
Low-wear equipment is often worth keeping, once it is checked.
No single coordinator
When no one owns the schedule, trades wait on each other.
Assuming nothing will be hiding
Older buildings can hide structure, flooring, piping and hood problems.
Forgetting the team
New equipment works best when people know how to run and clean it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Short answers to the questions we hear most from operators planning a renovation.
Where should I start?
With why you are renovating and what the kitchen must produce at its busiest service. Everything else follows from that. The order-of-operations post lays out the full sequence.
Do I need approval to renovate a commercial kitchen?
It depends on where you are and the scope of work. In some places a public health unit reviews plans or needs notification before a food premises is renovated, and building, gas, electrical and fire rules may apply. Confirm with your local authorities before work starts.
Should I replace everything while the walls are open?
Not necessarily. Low-wear equipment in good condition is often worth keeping, and recently bought units may be fine after a service check. Heat- and grease-heavy cooking equipment near the end of its life is where replacement tends to pay off. Our audit post walks through the decision.
Can I keep operating during a renovation?
Often, with planning. Phasing the work by section and using temporary setups can help. It still needs your local requirements and a realistic schedule. See our staying-open post.
How long will equipment take to arrive?
It varies by product. Some equipment can take weeks or months, so ask your supplier before you set the schedule.
Can Russell Hendrix help with planning?
Yes. A specialist can review the equipment list, flag utility questions for your trades and help balance the line before anything is ordered.
Where This Guidance Comes From
We built this from published guidance. We name it so you can read it yourself.
These are the public sources behind this post. Requirements for plan review, permits and inspections differ by province, city and health unit, so the health-unit pages are examples of how it works in some places, not a ruling for yours.
Always confirm locally
- Your local public health unit
- Your municipal building and fire departments
- Your gas, electrical and ventilation trades, who are authorized in your province
- City of Toronto: Submitting plans for a food business
- Halton Region: Public health notification of business opening
- Interior Health (BC): Guide to applying for food premises approval (PDF)
- Foodservice Equipment & Supplies: Understanding utility needs when adding foodservice equipment
- Foodservice Equipment & Supplies: Remodel, repair, replace
- Mission Restaurant Supply: How to remodel your foodservice space without closing down
- FoodService Director: Onsite kitchen renovations, lessons learned
When to Involve a Specialist
Some renovation decisions should be made with the whole kitchen in view.
A checklist cannot see your menu, layout and building. A specialist can help you work through the equipment list and the questions to take to your trades.
Bring in Sales when
- You are replacing or adding more than one piece.
- Utility capacity is uncertain.
- You need equipment that is not listed online.
- You are changing the layout of the line.
Plan the Order, Then Do the Work
The strongest renovations connect the goals, the equipment, the utilities and the approvals before anything is built.
Want the full sequence? The order-of-operations post explains how the decisions depend on each other.
