Making old look new again

I love this example of how to make an existing manufacturing facility look new again without spending a lot of money to do so. Once completed this facility will have the entire structural system, roof deck and interior masonry walls painted white.

Notice the difference between the existing ceiling on the left versus the painted joist and deck on the right. Additionally the beat-up and dirty shop floor will be ground down and polished to expose its original light concrete color.

The final piece in the refurb puzzle will be the replacement of the existing metal halide light fixtures with energy efficient T-8 industrial fluorescent fixtures that qualify for Focus on Energy grants.

Already the companies owner has noticed a measurable uptick in the attitudes and performance of his employees as they work in the brighter space.

Cost per/sq.ft

• Paint walls, deck, structurals = $1.21


• Install new high efficiency T-8 fluorescents = $.47


• Grind and polish entire shop floor = $1.80

If one takes the floor grinding and polishing out of the equation, for just a hair over $50,000 an existing 30,000sf building can look brand new again. If you're looking to sell a building you have to ask yourself if its worth $50,000 or $1.68/sq.ft. to make that building look new, especially when you consider the current economy and realize that potential buyers are comparing your building to the many other vacant buildings on the market today.