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Grease hood and three roofs

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NicksPizza

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I am currently negotiating an installation price for the grease hood in my new buildout pizzeria kitchen. The contactor came out to look at it Friday (he can install everything down to fire system and extinguishers). On inspecting the remodel space for about an hour, he apologetically said that he didn’t think he could help me, and didn’t think anyone else could, either.

The core of the problem is that my building was started in 1948 and modified several times along the decades, each time adding a roof on top of the other. We have identified three layers of roofline that has to be negotiated to get to daylight with the exhaust duct. And the joists are offset to give way loo little clearance even for wrapped duct.

Five hours, an architect consultation, climbing into my neighbor’s attic, many jokes and a reciprocating saw later . . . . we have cleared the space needed for the duct work and some added height clearance for installing the hood. When I say we, I mean I was pulling shingles crumbs from my hair before getting in the shower. I had the archtect and a couple contractors look at our plan, and it was sound . . . no structural issues after all is now done.
  1. Can someone give me a ballpark of what to expect to get an 8 foot and/or 9 foot hood installed completely, including the metal cookline protection? SS hood with makeup chamber, lights, fans, ductwork, and fire suppression; also K extinguisher and 2 general extinguishers for restaurant. I do understand there will be lots of variation from market to market. I just want some sort of reference point to judge the four bids I have. Looking at 4000 labor and about 5500 materials for 8 foot hood.
  2. I am looking at two realities, and want advice. the 8 footer will meet my needs nicely for today and months to come. If our growth goes as we hope, and we expend next year, then we will need to add another stove and some feet of hood space (to 10 or 11 feet) to increase production (total 2 stoves 2 fryers). I can barely afford the 8 foot item cost now, but want to get advice about building for today or for a tomorrow that may not come. Do I get in business now with the equipment budgeted for, or go into higher debt I may not be able to manage well and get capacity for next year? the difference is about $3000, and I have reached my budget cpacity with no more good options beyond personal credit card that will cause cash flow issues.
Anyone wise beyond compare and want to jump in to advise on this??
 
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when i first moved into my place,i just went ahead and bought a 12 footer and 2 fans,well here it is 2 years later,and i need another hood,the main problem i had was the placement of the ansel system,had to have that moved,twice…when buying a hood system the average is 1,000 per foot if you have someone do the hole package,i ordered my setup from central rest supply,had my local plumber do the install,i ran the electric and saved 4,500$
 
Nick,
What do you have in mind equipment wise under the hood, for starters.
 
I’m paying $23,400 for 13 foot grease hood w/2 exhaust fans & 1 make-up fan.Originally also 8 X 6 ft oven hood now just 16/18 inch vent w/fan. 30 feet stainless wall covering & fire system install. I want some money deducted because I eliminated hot air hood, installer crying saying cost of metals since deposit (9 months ago) went up. I’ll probably get something off price though. With everything involved I’m satisfied as long as work is good.I’m in Philadelphia btw…Good luck
 
The $1k/foot rule is roughly still good. You can save money by finding a usable used hood - but you can LOSE money that way too - if it complicates installation, permits, etc.
Since you were planning on that kind of money, just make sure you are dealing with someone who is INCLUDING:
Hood, Intall, Ansul, Ansul install, Firewrap, PLANS and approvals.
Meaning, they get final payment when you pass the city and fire inspections. And they should do required drawings and submit them for you. THAT’S the full service you should get for a full price new hood.
 
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Nick,
What do you have in mind equipment wise under the hood, for starters.
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I don’t really need help deciding the size of hood I need. that I have ahandle on. Tape measure, measure it all, and add 12" for local code requirements . . . 6" open space on each end.

That said, I intend to end up when all is said and done with two 6-burner stoves, two 50# fryers and a 24" griddle. 141 total inches . . . 11.75 feet included added 12". That means eventually 12’ hood in my county. I may never get that far along in business. I may be able to do all my sautee on the stovetops . . . or could convert to totally griddle top. Some variables still out there depending on hwere the business and customers lead.
Since you were planning on that kind of money, just make sure you are dealing with someone who is INCLUDING:
Hood, Intall, Ansul, Ansul install, Firewrap, PLANS and approvals.
Meaning, they get final payment when you pass the city and fire inspections. And they should do required drawings and submit them for you. THAT’S the full service you should get for a full price new hood.
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The guy I am talking to is providing pretty much that. Actually, all that and a bag of chips, so to speak. He’s also including stainless sheeting for behind the cook line, stainless 18" around the edges of hood, two fire extinguishers and a K extinguisher for the kitchen. Our local building department isn’t demanding drawings, though, so we are good there. Both guys I am considering do a split draw with final payment after inspections. The one I lean towards doesn’t take any payment at all until it is in the kitchen and ready for inspection. Classy guy if he takes the job. Only two or three places in GA do the entire install from hood to ansul fire system. And they stay busy. I just cannjot find a line on a used hood this month :cry:
 
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go for the 12’ from now…it will cost you more later to bring everybody back out down the road…chances are you probably will never do it then…as for prices mine cost more than $2k per foot although some of the less reputable can be brought in for cheaper
 
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I know it varies, and trust you checked - but where I am, I needed hood blueprints submitted directly to the fire department, needed an engineer to validate the make-up air was sufficient, and had to pass inspections by both the city and the fire department.
 
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MM:
I know it varies, and trust you checked - but where I am, I needed hood blueprints submitted directly to the fire department, needed an engineer to validate the make-up air was sufficient, and had to pass inspections by both the city and the fire department.
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You must live in the “Big City”. I am going to verify with whoever I contract that they will comply with the plans and codes for our county. Our city is not at all on this page as we have had scant few restaurants in our history, let along ones that complied with building codes . . . . or even inspectors in some decades.

Fire marshall will very likely be coming to call as we get that hood installed and ready to fire up.
 
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Man, all I can say is that if you are struggling to make payment for the smaller hood be careful. It is horrible to overspend planning for what business you “think” you will be doing and then not have it happen. I’ve been there.

These things “always” cost more then you plan for. If you go for the bigger hood now and things don’t work out you could really be up the creek. Not fun.

On the other hand, if you build too small and business really takes off you will be in a strong position to upgrade.

I don’t know your financial concerns in detail, but if they are any real concerns at all I think you should go small. In the bigger scheme of things the money you would be saving by going big now is not that big of a deal compared to the agony you could go through if things don’t pan out.
 
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My main issue is that we have a hard limit for the buildout expenses. We got a personal loan from somone who will be our business partners in owning the property we are location in. Oncwe we get open and moving pizzas, the cashflow will very easily cover the expenses as we have them laid out.

Dipping into that future cashflow right now could upset the applecart. And, since the last three years we could have managed withan 8 foot hood with room to spare, that is a known need as opposed to a maybe later need.

The suggestions to buy big now are well received. I understand the value of getting it now while they’re in there hanging stuff. Stainless prices could go berzerk in 6 months . . . labor prices are about to start climbing. My little pot of money is only so big, and I am still weighing the risks. Thanks for input, and anyone else out there can feel free to keep sending in their advise. I’m not making the final call until Wednesday.
 
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Nick,
I would go with an 8’ hood. If you can find one used, it doesn’t take much more than a day and a couple of handy friends, a ratchet jack, some uni-strut & threaded rod to hang it. That should save you about 2K. Find a used hood and save another $500-1K. Most ansul installers will not re-use the pipe, but they can certainly put new pipe into an old hood. Use the savings to get the biggest & best exhaust fan you can get away with & look into how low you can hang the hood relative to the floor. You can do the back splash stainless work yourself also. Double up the drywall on the backwall and attach the stainless directly to it, with no baffling behind it. If the city is not up your A## on drawings, you will be fine with this.
 
You also need to look at your insurance coverage…Sometimes the policy will contain “warranties”…These are items you must comply with or your insurance will not apply…If there is a “warranty” that your fire supression system must comply with codes it better should you have a fire…I know from past experience (in my insurance adjster days) insurance companies I worked for denied claims for breaches of “warranties”…RCS…
 
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royster13:
You also need to look at your insurance coverage…Sometimes the policy will contain “warranties”…These are items you must comply with or your insurance will not apply…If there is a “warranty” that your fire supression system must comply with codes it better should you have a fire…I know from past experience (in my insurance adjster days) insurance companies I worked for denied claims for breaches of “warranties”…RCS…
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Excellent heads up. I’ll look at our policies and be sure that any warranties are complied. Hadn’t thought about that one.
 
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Nick,
I would go with an 8’ hood. If you can find one used, it doesn’t take much more than a day and a couple of handy friends, a ratchet jack, some uni-strut & threaded rod to hang it. That should save you about 2K. Find a used hood and save another $500-1K. Most ansul installers will not re-use the pipe, but they can certainly put new pipe into an old hood. Use the savings to get the biggest & best exhaust fan you can get away with & look into how low you can hang the hood relative to the floor. You can do the back splash stainless work yourself also. Double up the drywall on the backwall and attach the stainless directly to it, with no baffling behind it. If the city is not up your A## on drawings, you will be fine with this.
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I am still toying with the idea of self-hang if I can find a used hood. I’ve tried every source I know of, and no one has one right now. I am using gypsum (fire rated drywall) for my backsplash, so only need the Stainless. I may even change to durarock (non-combustible).
 
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Nick, email me the size and specs and I will forward them to a guy I use here in Gainesville. He’s not licensed, but has done a bunch of these, including two for me. As far as a used hood in the southeast, he will find it as well. Should be quite a bit cheaper than the $1000-$2000 per foot that I’m seeing here.
 
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Nick,
Have any luck on ebay? Also, hoods are the cheapest itemm at a restarant auction. And they will let you take the fans if you pt some plywood over the roof cut-out. You can hang these things yourself if you rent or borrow a ratchet jack. It can be done.
 
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Nick,
Have any luck on ebay? Also, hoods are the cheapest itemm at a restarant auction. And they will let you take the fans if you pt some plywood over the roof cut-out. You can hang these things yourself if you rent or borrow a ratchet jack. It can be done.
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haven’t had any luck locating the items in local restaurant auctions. I have a line on a 15 foot hood that would fit just fine, but cannot get the guy to call me back 😦 I a running up against time crunch, and have to make a call really soon. As I am finding out, though, the hood isn’t the “meat” of the cost. It is the installation that includes the fire wrap for the exhaust duct since I don’t have the required 16" clearance from combustible materials, metal panels behind cook line, the fire suppression system wth install and welded duct work up to roof . . . 8 to 9 feet up.

I can probably get a cheap hood and install it . . . the welded duct and other stuff will still eat me up, and only save a few hindred bucks for my troubles. Since I am framing walls and hanging sheetrock myself with a crew . . . and hanging my own ceilings . . . I may be biting off more than I can chew trying to install the whole hood system as well.

My luck has run poorly on the hood search, I must say. Did reasonably well on the rest, though.
 
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i just ordered an 8 footer + fan for 1900.00 from central equpt supply
it arrives tues,plumber will install on fri at hourly rate,about 200.00 in labor
 
Nick,
I was in the same boat–middle of a build out & the hood on my mind. Your right, hoods are cheap–sometimes about the scrap cpst of the stainless, it’s the duct & the hang & the fans & the ansul that add up. Maybe the heck with it & let them do it.
 
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