718 Builders has been building out commercial spaces across Queens since 2011. Offices in Long Island City, restaurants in Flushing, retail on Steinway Street in Astoria. We understand the permit process, the Certificate of Occupancy requirements, and the health department compliance rules that apply to Queens commercial spaces. Our licensed and insured team manages every phase of your build-out: design coordination, permits, demolition, construction, and final inspections. You get a written estimate, a dedicated project manager, and a space that opens on the schedule you gave your landlord.
Queens commercial spaces come in every configuration: converted retail units, raw loft offices, ground-floor restaurant spaces, salon suites, and professional offices. Each type has different permit requirements and different construction priorities. We have built them all.
Most business owners sign a commercial lease in Queens, then discover the regulatory requirements of building out their space. 718 Builders addresses every one of these requirements before a single nail goes in.
Any change in the legal use of a Queens commercial space requires a Certificate of Occupancy amendment filed as an ALT-CO with NYC DOB. Converting retail to restaurant, storage to office, or any other use change triggers this requirement. We manage the full CO amendment process so your space can legally open when construction is complete.
Multi-trade commercial build-outs that do not change the use of the space require an Alteration Type 2 permit. This covers most office and retail build-outs. We file the ALT-2, manage all plan review correspondence, and coordinate all required trade inspections.
NYC Department of Health layout requirements for restaurants must be built into the space from the start, not retrofitted after a failed inspection. We coordinate hand-washing sink placement, three-compartment sink requirements, food storage zones, and ventilation compliance with your layout during design, before construction begins.
Commercial kitchen hood and ventilation systems require separate permits and fire department sign-off. Grease trap installation must meet NYC sewer regulations. These are specialized commercial construction requirements that 718 has managed across multiple Queens restaurant projects.
Restaurant kitchens and certain other commercial uses require fire suppression systems installed to NFPA 96 standards. We coordinate the fire suppression contractor and the required FDNY inspections as part of the restaurant build-out scope.
NYC construction work hours are 7am to 6pm on weekdays and 10am to 4pm on Saturdays. In buildings with active tenants, additional restrictions may apply. We coordinate with building management on work schedules, material delivery windows, and noise-sensitive areas from day one.
You signed a lease. You have a date you need to open. A contractor who does not know NYC commercial permit requirements, restaurant health code compliance, or Certificate of Occupancy amendments will not get you there on time. 718 Builders has managed every one of these requirements across Queens commercial projects for 13 years.
If your commercial build-out involves a change of use, you need a CO amendment before your business can legally open. We manage the full ALT-CO filing process: coordinating with the licensed design professional, filing through DOB NOW, responding to plan review comments, and obtaining the final amended Certificate of Occupancy. This is not something you want to discover is missing on opening week.
The NYC Department of Health has specific layout requirements for commercial kitchens. Hand-washing sinks must be within certain distances of food preparation areas. Three-compartment sinks have specific placement and plumbing requirements. Ventilation must meet hood clearance standards. We review DOHMH requirements at the design stage and build them into the layout before construction begins. A failed health department inspection at the end of a build costs time and money that 718’s process prevents.
You receive a full, line-by-line estimate before work starts. Every permit cost, every trade, and every finish is itemized. If we encounter an unforeseen condition behind a wall, we stop, show you, and get your written approval before any additional cost is added. The number in your estimate is the number you pay, unless you change the scope.
Every week your Queens commercial space sits unfinished is a week of rent paid on a space that cannot generate revenue. We build commercial projects on committed timelines. Your project manager provides daily updates during active construction phases and escalates any issue that could affect your opening date immediately.
Commercial build-outs in Queens have more regulatory steps than most business owners anticipate when they sign their lease. Here is exactly how 718 Builders manages it from first call to keys in hand.
We visit the space, review your lease alteration clause, assess existing conditions, and discuss your business's specific requirements. For restaurants, we review DOHMH compliance requirements at this stage.
You receive a full written, itemized estimate. Every cost is listed: permits, design fees, trades, finishes, and any Certificate of Occupancy work required. No work begins until you approve it.
We file the required permit type (ALT-2 for standard build-outs, ALT-CO for use changes) and manage all DOB correspondence. We coordinate landlord alteration approval documentation when required.
Demo, structural changes if applicable, plumbing rough-in, electrical rough-in, and HVAC rough-in are completed and inspected. For restaurants, hood and ventilation rough-in is coordinated at this stage.
Drywall, flooring, ceilings, lighting, millwork, fixtures, and paint are completed in the correct sequence. Your project manager provides daily updates throughout.
All required DOB, FDNY, and DOH inspections are scheduled and managed. Final Certificate of Occupancy sign-off is obtained. We walk the finished space with you before we hand over keys.
We opened our second restaurant location in Flushing and 718 Builders managed the entire build-out, including the Certificate of Occupancy change from the previous retail use, the commercial kitchen permits, and the DOHMH compliance layout. We passed our health inspection on the first visit. We opened on the date we told our landlord we would open.
Fully Insured
Every commercial build-out 718 Builders completes is properly permitted, inspected, and delivered with the Certificate of Occupancy documentation your business needs to legally operate. We carry general liability insurance, workers compensation, and the NYC DOB licensing required for commercial construction. We manage ALT-2 and ALT-CO filings, coordinate FDNY and DOHMH compliance for restaurant spaces, and deliver projects on committed timelines across Queens.
Get a free, no-obligation estimate from 718 Builders. We visit the space, review your lease alteration clause and build-out requirements, and give you a written quote with every cost listed: permits, CO amendment if required, trades, and finishes. No surprises mid-build.
Free estimate. No commitment required. Licensed and insured in New York State.
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