Most codes I have seen require 6" overhang around the equipment
The size of the hood is one thing, the CFM of the exhaust puller fan is another. If you are starting out with 1 oven and plan to move to 3 make sure your fan CFM pulls enough for 3 ovens otherwise you might end up with lack of venting and excessive heat in the shop. Some Up blast fans from Hood Mart, Captive Air etc have variable speed controllers that will increase CFM on demand, for example from say 1800 CFM to 4,000 CFM
The size of the grease trap effects the clean out schedule, the smaller traps needs to be cleaned more often is all. Some traps can be cleaned by hand for example if they are inside and more shallow say 75-125lb trap 30" deep. Larger and deeper outside (and inside) traps need equipment to clean out. The schedule can be set by city code (in general) but it really depends on how much grease you use and how and really how well you stop grease from heading to the trap (wipe grease items with paper towels before cleaning etc…). Check the trap daily and clean weekly to start. Less grease, less cleaning.
Drop in cooler are fine, just remember the compressor in inside the building, typically on top or side mount. The compressor adds heat to the space which in turn increases the demand on AC. Remote units have the compressor outside, are more expensive to install, but reduce loads on the AC. Norlake for example has plug and play remote units complete with charged lines. With ovens going and the importance of AC, personally I prefer remote units. Size of the cooler will depend on your dough management and items needing to be stored (your menu items) , if you are a multi-day cold dough fermenting shop, you need space for that. Calculate the # of balls you may use, determine if you are going to use boxes and stack or use sheet trays with racks then calculate the space. Easy to say, harder to do. 8X14 is a decent size.
Overhead will KILL your business. Too many shops close up due to high rent and their anticipation of enough volume to cover expenses. The way to determine if cost is in line if to calculate the cost per square foot and compare to the rest of the area. A 1200 SF delco is about a low cost as you can get, compare your cost now with your existing volume and see of $5K fits in. Since it’s 1 mile away, using your existing volume can help set a baseline with the $5K plugged in.
