Well, we are close on the final issues about the property before I sign a contract.

The bathroom/wc had conformed to previous levels of code for disabled access, but new code regulations now say it's too small! So we need to move a wall out and rearrange the hand sink.

The ceiling tiles in the food prep areas are the type with a relief and holes in it. Current code says that the ceiling must be completely smooth, no areas to accumulate grease and dirt etc. So all these need to be replaced.

The floor tiles also need to clean up to an acceptable level to go with the decor.

So the real estate agent and I have put forward our proposals and we await the reply.

All the plans for the build out are almost complete and the architect and I now need to talk to a building contractor. That will be after the Thanksgiving holidays.

There's been a lot of questions around the electricity supply into the building. Currently this section is used for food prep and we suspected that there was only 100 amps going to the panel. After a number of contractors have looked at it, we are happy that there is 200 amps (just about enough) and importantly there is 3 phase power. A lot of heavy machinery needs 3 phase power, in my case the large dough mixer.

As well as electricity we need to ensure the gas supply is sufficient for a big oven. Another tick in the box, it looks like there is.

The main issue is air conditioning. If you have an extraction hood to take out the heat from the oven you need replacement air to come in, and that can't be from an open door or window. The systems need to balance off. We will have to ramp up the air con a little, but we can do this with additional units in the oven area.

Water and waste should be ok. But oh there are questions about the bathroom .....

As they say it's location location location. Getting the right location has been the biggest challenge by far. Despite working on this point since March (well before the move from the UK), and using multiple real estate agents to look on my behalf, it's been a hard nut to crack.

What I needed is retail space with permissions for a kitchen and the correct level of utilities being supplied to the building. It also has to be in the right location if we are to conduct any direct sales. If we're paying rent on a space we might as well sell there too.

Permissions to perform food service is one thing, but your whole kitchen has to comply with the health dept/Dept of agriculture too, plus the entire site has to comply to local authority zoning regs.

Alexandria, Arlington and DC weren't showing anything in the right shape. I looked at constructing semi permanent kiosks but I still needed a kitchen. The same for any mobile vending options. n.b. mobile vending is much easier in Arlington than DC.

Then we turned up an option in Vienna (Virginia) and this had good possibilities.

A 1300 sq ft space that had retail front and was part of an existing bakery that was upgrading to purchasing its own premises. Great little town, near enough for me to run food carts into Arlington. This is what we are going to pursue.

OK lets start blogging.

I seem to get a lot of questions on Pasty progress and FB doesn't seem to really be the place for this. It's good for the social stuff. So I'm thinking of posting the business developments here to keep it separate. Let's see what it looks like.