The handbook · Before you open
Find a space
More of your future is decided here than anywhere else in the process. A lease ties you down for years, and the ventilation can cost more than the entire kitchen.
Summary
Look first for a space that has already been a restaurant. Then the imkanal, the kitchen extract duct, the fettavskiljare, the grease trap, and heavy power are often already in place, and you save 300,000 kronor or more. Check the ventilation, the drains and the power before you sign. A commercial lease often runs three to five years with nine months of notice.
Numbers to plan with
- 3 to 5 years
- common term for a commercial lease
- 9 months
- shortest notice period allowed by law for longer commercial leases
- 150,000 to 500,000 SEK
- is what new ventilation with an imkanal through the building costs
- 25 %
- moms, the Swedish VAT, is added to the rent. You can deduct it, but it hits your cash flow.
Location matters more than the interior
Go to the street you are considering at twelve on a Tuesday and at seven on a Friday. Count people. That tells you more than any listing.
A good location for a grill is not the same as for a dinner restaurant. The grill wants movement, parking and foot traffic. The dinner restaurant wants evening life and people who stay.
- If there are offices, a school or industry nearby you have lunch guests five days a week
- Check parking and how easy it is for a delivery rider to stop for two minutes
- Look at the neighbors. Five food places on the same street is usually a good sign, not a warning.
- Ask what was in the space before and why they stopped
- A visible spot facing the street is worth more than a few extra square meters inside
Look for a space that has already cooked food
The largest saving in the whole project is taking over a space that has been a restaurant. What is already in place you neither have to build nor apply for permits for.
Go through the list below on site, preferably with a chef or ventilation company next to you. One hour of consulting fees can save six figure amounts.
- An imkanal, the kitchen extract duct, running up through the building with an approved fan unit and the right air flow
- A fettavskiljare, the grease trap, of the right size and emptied on schedule
- Floor drains where you need them, with the right slope on the floor
- Three phase power with a big enough fuse for fryer, oven and dishwasher at the same time
- Fridges and freezers that hold temperature, and room to add more
- A separate hand wash basin in the kitchen. The inspection will always look for it.
Ventilation, grease and drains
These are the three most expensive words in the trade. Cooking needs more extract air than a shop, and the duct has to run all the way up above the roof. If there is no duct in the building the whole idea can fall apart.
The fettavskiljare is required by the municipal water utility. It has to be emptied regularly, and the size depends on how you cook.
- Ask the landlord in writing whether there is an imkanal and whether it may be used for cooking
- Ask for the latest report from the ventilation inspection
- Check with the municipality what applies to a fettavskiljare at that exact address
- If the space sits in a residential building, noise and smell become an issue. Neighbors who complain can stop your evening opening.
Six things to read closely in the lease
Commercial rent is not like residential rent. You have no protection against being given notice, only a right to compensation in certain cases. Read these points before you sign, preferably with someone who knows contracts.
| Point | What to check |
|---|---|
| Lease term | Three to five years is common. A short term gives flexibility, a long term gives security if you build at high cost. |
| Notice | At least nine months for longer leases. If you miss the date the lease is extended automatically. |
| Index clause | The rent follows the consumer price index. Ask what the increase has been over the last few years. |
| Moms on the rent | If the landlord is registered for moms, 25 percent VAT is added to the rent. You deduct it, but you have to carry it in the meantime. |
| Extra charges | Heating, water, waste collection, property tax. Ask what the total came to last year. |
| Permitted use and transfer | It must say that the space may be used as a restaurant. Also check whether you may transfer the lease if you sell. |
Bygglov and notification
If you change the use of the space from shop to restaurant you need bygglov, a building permit, for the change of use. New ducts through the facade, a new sign or an awning also need a permit in many municipalities.
Processing takes time. Send it in early and plan for weeks, not days. The building permit office in the municipality is often happy to answer questions before you apply.
- Change of use from shop or office to restaurant
- A new imkanal, a fan on the roof or a hole in the facade
- Signs and awnings facing the street
- Rebuilding that touches load bearing walls, fire compartments or escape routes
Common questions
How do I know if the space is allowed to become a restaurant?
Ask the municipal building permit office and read the zoning plan for the property. Some locations only allow retail or offices. Ask before you sign, a bygglov that is refused in the middle of a lease gets expensive.
What is a reasonable deposit?
Three months of rent is the most common. If you are newly started with no history the landlord can ask for six, or for a bank guarantee. A bank guarantee costs an annual fee but ties up less capital.
Should I rent a space with a dining room or only do takeaway?
Takeaway needs less floor space, fewer staff and lower rent. A dining room gives a higher average check and the chance to sell drinks. Many start with takeaway and a few tables, and expand when the cash allows.