Can I Stay Open During a Restaurant Renovation? The Truth About Timelines, Phasing & Profit
- Accanto Interiors
- May 18
- 3 min read
If you’re planning to refurbish a restaurant, bar, hotel, or café — one of the first questions you’ll ask is:
“Can I stay open during the works?”
The answer depends on one thing: the scale of the renovation.
At Accanto Interiors and Accanto Construction, we manage projects across all scales — from weekend refreshes to full-scale, five-month rebrands.
Here’s how to plan properly — and profitably — no matter what stage you’re at.
Option 1: Small Installations (Yes, You Can Stay Open)
If you’re updating finishes, lighting features, or adding a decorative installation, you can absolutely stay open — especially with smart planning.
Common small works:
Custom flower or foliage installations
Feature wall upgrades (mirrors, artwork, lighting)
Furniture swaps
Branding touch-ups
When to do it:
Overnight
During early-week closures
In pre-agreed, tightly timed windows
Why it works:
Fast transformation with minimal disruption
Keeps you trading while refreshing your visual identity
Great ROI for minimal downtime
Pro Tip: We often complete small installations in 1–3 nights, allowing business as usual during trading hours.
Option 2: Medium Renovation (Short Closure, Strategic Planning Required)
This is where most hospitality owners lose money — not because of the cost, but because of poor planning.
You’ll need a short closure, but if designed and managed properly, it can be executed with speed and precision.
What this includes:
Flooring upgrades
Lighting rewiring
Bar or reception reconfiguration
Joinery installation
Layout changes
Why design matters:
The design phase typically takes 8–12 weeks, and this is your most valuable window.
Use that time to:
Finalise all decisions
Order every material
Book contractors and trades
Hire storage and prep logistics
Compress the build timeline
Mistake we see often:
Worrying about storage costs instead of lost bookings.
Paying for temporary storage is far cheaper than losing three weeks of trading because your tiles were stuck at sea.
At Accanto, we design everything up front and store materials off-site — so when your closure starts, we’re ready to go.
Option 3: Full Renovation or Rebrand (3–5 Months, Requires Closure)
Planning a full transformation? This will require a full closure — and it needs to be managed with military-level precision.
What’s included:
Structural changes
HVAC, fire compliance, and M&E upgrades
Custom bar or kitchen install
Full joinery packages
Branding, lighting, acoustics, and layout overhaul
Planning permissions and building control coordination
Typical timeline:
Design & Planning: 2–3 months
Procurement & Scheduling: 1–2 months (overlapping with design)
Construction & Fit-Out: 8–16 weeks
Key risks:
Delays due to unclear scope or late material ordering
Budget blowouts from on-site decision-making
Council or compliance issues without proper planning
Our Approach:
Fixed-price turnkey design + build
Single point of contact from start to finish
Cost planning, council navigation, and procurement all handled in-house
All trades managed by our construction team — no finger-pointing
How We Keep You In Business, Even During a Build
At Accanto Interiors + Accanto Construction, we don’t just make things look good — we make sure they work for your business. That means:
Faster builds
Less downtime
Clear budgets
Strategic phasing
Smarter decisions from day one
We specialise in:
Restaurant and café renovations
Bar fit-outs and upgrades
Boutique hotel refurbishments
Private clinic and wellness interiors
Full hospitality rebrands
Renovation Planning Is a Business Strategy
Whether you’re touching up or tearing down, your renovation should protect two things:
Your customer experience
Your cash flow
If it doesn’t — it’s not design. It’s decoration.
Let’s Plan It Right the First Time
Thinking of refreshing or relaunching your space?
Book a consultation and we’ll help you plan your renovation with clarity, cost control, and a real commercial strategy.
Contact Us:
Accanto Interiors | Accanto Construction
Email: info@accantointeriors.com
Book online
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