• DVM360_Conference_Charlotte,NC_banner
  • ACVCACVC
  • DVM 360
  • Fetch DVM 360Fetch DVM 360
DVM 360
dvm360 | Veterinary News, Veterinarian Insights, Medicine, Pet Care
dvm360 | Veterinary News, Veterinarian Insights, Medicine, Pet Care
By Role
AssociatesOwnersPractice ManagerStudentsTechnicians
Subscriptions
dvm360 Newsletterdvm360 Magazine
News
All News
Association
Breaking News
Conference Coverage
Education
Equine
FDA
Law & Ethics
Market Trends
Medical
Politics
Products
Recalls
Regulatory
Digital Media
dvm360 LIVE!™
Expert Interviews
The Vet Blast Podcast
Medical World News
Pet Connections
The Dilemma Live
Vet Perspectives™
Weekly Newscast
dvm360 Insights™
Publications
All Publications
dvm360
Firstline
Supplements
Vetted
Clinical
All Clinical
Anesthesia
Animal Welfare
Behavior
Cardiology
CBD in Pets
Dentistry
Dermatology
Diabetes
Emergency & Critical Care
Endocrinology
Equine Medicine
Exotic Animal Medicine
Feline Medicine
Gastroenterology
Imaging
Infectious Diseases
Integrative Medicine
Nutrition
Oncology
Ophthalmology
Orthopedics
Pain Management
Parasitology
Pharmacy
Surgery
Toxicology
Urology & Nephrology
Virtual Care
Business
All Business
Business & Personal Finance
Hospital Design
Personnel Management
Practice Finances
Practice Operations
Wellbeing & Lifestyle
Continuing Education
Conferences
Conference Listing
Conference Proceedings
Resources
CBD in Pets
CE Requirements by State
Contests
Veterinary Heroes
Partners
Spotlight Series
Team Meeting in a Box
Toolkit
Top Recommended Veterinary Products
Vet to Vet
  • Contact Us
  • Fetch DVM360 Conference
  • Terms and Conditions
  • Privacy
  • Do Not Sell My Information
  • About Us

© 2023 MJH Life Sciences and dvm360 | Veterinary News, Veterinarian Insights, Medicine, Pet Care. All rights reserved.

Advertisement
By Role
  • Associates
  • Owners
  • Practice Manager
  • Students
  • Technicians
Subscriptions
  • dvm360 Newsletter
  • dvm360 Magazine
  • Contact Us
  • Fetch DVM360 Conference
  • Terms and Conditions
  • Privacy
  • Do Not Sell My Information
  • About Us
  • MJHLS Brand Logo

© 2023 MJH Life Sciences™ and dvm360 | Veterinary News, Veterinarian Insights, Medicine, Pet Care. All rights reserved.

I needed to bring WHAT?

August 1, 2019

Before you show up to talk to your accountant, your architect, your builder or your engineer at the Hospital Design Conference or your own town, you need these. Nothings worse than an, oh, thats at home! conversation to start off your big hospital build.

Getty Images

Prepping for a consultation with a veterinary architect, engineer or financial planner? Feeling overwhelmed by all the planning that goes into one of these projects and wish you had some guidance? These meetings are a valuable source of information-but they're best if you prepare a little.

Everything you need to know-all in one place

The HospitalDesign360 conference at Fetch dvm360 conference in Kansas City is a fantastic resource for planning, building and decorating your new veterinary hospital or remodel project. Plus included in your registration is a free one-on-one consultation with one of our architectural or engineering experts. See dvm360.com/hdconf for more.)

We asked our design experts-architects Heather Lewis, Dan Chapel and Wayne Usiak, engineer Scott Learned, and certified financial planner Gary Glassman-to explain what veterinary practice owners should think about before coming to these consultations. No. 1 item? A to-scale drawing of the site plan (and pre-existing building, if there is one). Here's what else to bring. Click here for a printable version of this list.

Meeting with an architect?

New construction projects

> Site survey with photos from different angles

> Site plan (if you have it)

> “Wish list” of desired hospital spaces

> Floor plan (if you have it), with rooms or functional areas drawn in

> Sketches of what the hospital will look like or photos of existing hospitals you plan to emulate

> Building cost estimate

Advertisement

> Bonus questions for start-ups: Is this first practice a stepping stone to a bigger dream, or is this a building you'll enjoy for a long time to come? What would make this veterinary hospital building successful?

Additions, renovations and leasehold projects

> Floor plan of existing building

> Interior and exterior photos from different angles

> Site plan (if you have it)

> “Wish list” of desired hospital spaces to be added to existing building

> Floor plan (if you have it), with rooms or additions drawn in

> Sketches of what the hospital will look like from the exterior after renovation or addition

> Building cost estimate

Meeting with an architectural engineer?

Answer these questions and bring this information to make the most of your valuable time together:

Details on:

> Conceptual drawings or schematics (if you have them)

> Timeline: What are your dates to begin design/renovation, construction and moving in?

> Desired building size (square foot)

> Land size and type: sloped/flat/mountainous terrain, open/wooded vegetation, etc.

> Road access

> Utilities: municipal water vs. private well; municipal sewer vs. private septic

> Permits: Are you cleared to build, renovate or add? Have you met with a planning officer or real estate attorney? Are there any objections (typically noise or odor)? Have you been heard at a city planning and zoning meeting yet?

> Ancillary services planned: daycare, grooming, physical therapy, fitness, dry treadmills, hydrotherapy, whirlpools, retail, etc.?

> Practice size: No. of veterinarians, exam rooms, surgical suites and animal housing units

> Competition: What other veterinary hospitals are in the area?

> Construction: Are you planning to bid the project competitively? Have you selected an architect, and what are your criteria? Have you selected a contractor, and what are your criteria?

> Business plan: Do you have financing in place? Do you have business partners?

> Equipment for reception, retail, exam rooms, pharmacy, treatment area, dental suite, surgical prep, ICU, diagnostic lab, radiography, surgery, grooming, special procedures and other (dishwasher, washer/dryer, pressure wash system, refrigerator)

Meeting with a CPA?

> Explanation of the project, including size and estimated cost for land and building, if known

> Tax return for previous year and financial statement

> The current building's fair market value and amount of existing debt on that building

Related Content:

Buying or Selling a Practice
GoodVets launches in Tampa with opening of new veterinary hospital
GoodVets launches in Tampa with opening of new veterinary hospital
Terravet and the future of veterinary real estate ownership
Terravet and the future of veterinary real estate ownership
A closer look at veterinary real estate
A closer look at veterinary real estate

Advertisement

Latest News

An update on copper concerns in pet foods

Dental hacks to make every case more manageable

Q&A with a keynote: Walter Brown, RVTg, VTS, ECC

News wrap-up: This week’s headlines, plus dvm360® launches its first CE podcast

View More Latest News
Advertisement