7 tips to Reduce your Dental practice construction cost

1 . Buy your own decorative lighting-If you use a designer, he/she will send you links to where you can buy the decorative lights like pendants and have your contractor install them for free. They should install it for free as they probably need lights there anyway.

2. Cabinets- Get two different cabinet companies. One for your dental cabinets, like the 12 o'clock and sterile, and the other for everything else (you can even get away with them doing the lab in most cases). The non-dental cabinet company should be much cheaper. Also, have the non-dental cabinet company install the countertop at the reception desk and not have your contractor do it. They are just getting a price from a cabinet company and mark it up anyway. Also make sure the dental cabinet company cabinets have a serial number on them and are considered equipment because you can write it off.

3. Design features-,After your design is complete your contractor might give you an addendum cost for all the design features you added. If it seems too expensive, chances are it is, and they know you will pay a premium. Just have them finish the construction with no design features, then hire a handyman to come and install the backsplash or whatever it is. 

4. Strategic planning- OK, this is more for the future, but plan for the future. Place your compressor/vac and sterile in an area where you can  tap into as you grow and not have to cut the ground to run suction and air for future chairs.

5. Change orders-get a 2nd opinion! Contact a construction specialist or even a local  contractor and ask them if this is normal and the cost is fair. You would be surprised how many will help you out for free.

6. Time is money- If you decide to go with the design/build approach, then you yourself should check out how it’s going in the county. Most counties will offer an online service where you can plug in your address and see how many times the drawings had comments or failed. It shouldn’t be your fault if the drawings keep failing, and they are dragging their feet to revise and resubmit.  

7. Bi-weekly meetings- If you have hired a consultant, make sure he/she is an expert in construction and is at your site weekly-biweekly to check the progress and find any future issues.