construction/tenant improvement lesson #1: the real cost of a walk-in

this is the first in a list of lessons that i learned while building out my dinette. i should have started this list at the very beginning...

lesson #1
the real cost of a walk-in includes the following:

• the cost for the actual physical walk-in box - this is what your supplier will quote you once they've visited your site and determined the appropriate box you'll need.

• the cost for installation of said box - this is a fee that your supplier might forget to tell you and you might not know to ask. the installation usually takes 2 days.
  

• the cost for an electrician skilled in walk-in hook up - this might be another cost that your supplier doesn't tell you about. the walk-in is both mechanical and electrical, so the hook up is not as simple as creating an outlet to plug the machine into and requires a specialist. the hook-up usually takes 2 days.

sub-lesson #1a

• most likely your construction team will include an electrician, so when negotiating your tenant improvement contract, check to see if the electrician fees include a specialist for a walk-in. if the electrician fees do not include a specialist for a walk-in, make sure to add the additional cost to your overall budget.