• Did you know some locations are way better for a daycare than others, even on the same street?

  A daycare on the corner with a turn lane and a monument sign will fill up faster than one mid-block with no visibility, even if the rent is cheaper. We compare locations for you by looking at traffic counts, nearby competing centers, population density of families with young children, and visibility from the road. We also look at the practical stuff: parking ratio, drop-off lane safety, and whether the building shape will even let you build the right number of classrooms.

 

• Why this matters?

  Most owners pick a location because the rent looks good. We help you pick one because the business will actually work there.

 

• What you get?

  A side-by-side comparison of up to 3 properties, with a clear recommendation on which one gives you the best shot at full enrollment.

 

• How to start?

  Online purchase coming soon — meanwhile, Email Rebecca@ChildcareDesign.com with the addresses you’re looking at.  We’ll get back to you within 2-3 business days.

• Are you driving around looking at buildings but not sure what to look at?

  You walk into three properties in one afternoon. Two of them feel about the same. The third one has a great kitchen. By dinner you’ve forgotten which one had the fire hydrant close and which one had the bigger parking lot. Most new owners pick the property they liked, not the property that made business sense because by the end of the day, everything blurs together.

 

• What we made for you:

  A free PDF scoring sheet that compares up to 4 properties side by side, on the same page, using the same yardstick. Each property gets scored across 6 categories with a total grade at the bottom, so the winner is obvious instead of a feeling.

 

• The 6 categories we score:

  1. Costs: Asking price, what you’ll actually negotiate to, county/city taxes.
  2. Size: Total acreage, buildable acreage after setbacks and buffers, parking, frontage, topography, trees, required buffers, utility easements.
  3. Demographics: Distance from your home, number of households, number of children in the area, median income, household growth, nearby schools, competing centers, competitor rates.
  4. Zoning & Utilities: How easy the local authority is to work with, current zoning, whether rezoning is needed, water and sewer and gas availability, fire hydrant distance, fire sprinkler availability, power location.
  5. Traffic & Access: Number of curb cuts, speed limit, traffic count, whether you can enter from both directions.
  6. Aesthetics of Place: Visibility from the street, views within the property, views out to neighboring properties, neighborhood character.

 

• How the scoring works:

  Each item is scored 1, 2, or 3. We total each category, add them up, and convert to a percentage. A property scoring 64% is a C — worth a second look. A property scoring 90% is an A — that’s the one you make an offer on.

 

• Why this matters:

  A pretty building on a bad lot is still a bad lot. A boring building on a great lot, with good demographics, easy zoning, and plenty of parking, will make you money for 20 years. This tool tells you which one you’re looking at before you sign anything.

 

• How to get it:

  Go to the Property Comparison Checklist page and we’ll email you the PDF.

• Are you about to buy or lease an older building and have no idea what’s actually wrong with it?

  You walk through with your broker, you see pretty floors and new paint, and you assume the building is fine. But what’s behind the walls? What’s the HVAC doing? Is the electrical panel up to code? Does the fire alarm work? Are there plumbing issues hiding under the sinks? Most owners don’t know what they’re looking at, and the broker sure isn’t going to tell them.

 

• What we do:

  One of our architects walks the building with you (or for you) and writes up a full report on what’s good, what’s bad, and provides a rough estimate of what it’s going to cost to fix. We look at structure, mechanical, electrical, plumbing, fire safety, ADA, and code compliance.

 

• Why it pays for itself:

  We catch the things that would cost you $50K–$200K in surprise repairs six months after you open. We also give you leverage to negotiate the price down or ask the seller to fix things before closing.

 

• How to start:

  Email Rebecca@ChildcareDesign.com to schedule a walkthrough.

• Are you stuck choosing between two (or three) properties and want a clear answer?

  This is one of the most expensive decisions you’ll ever make, and most owners agonize over it alone. We bring a clear head and a checklist.

 

• What we compare for you:

  • Traffic and visibility from the road
  • Distance to your ideal families (where they actually live, not where the broker says they live)
  • Cost to build out and remodel
  • Speed through zoning and permitting
  • Parking and drop-off safety
  • Long-term resale value

 

• What you get:

  A clear recommendation with reasons, not a wishy-washy “it depends.” We tell you which site is the winner and why.

 

• How to start:

  Online purchase coming soon — meanwhile, Email rebecca@childcaredesign.com with the addresses. We’ll have a written comparison back to you within 2 weeks.

• You’re about to sign on the dotted line, but do you actually know if this building is up to code?

  Just because the previous tenant ran a daycare doesn’t mean that daycare passed inspection or that you’ll be grandfathered in. Buildings get used and reused for all kinds of things – restaurants, offices, churches. The day you change occupancy type or ownership is the day all of those code and licensing updates come due.

 

• What we do:

  One of our designers will review the building against current building code, fire code, ADA, and your state’s childcare licensing rules. We tell you what’s out of compliance and whether the building can even be used as a daycare in its current state.

 

• Why this is the most valuable thing you can buy before signing a lease:

  A failed code check after you’ve signed is a five-figure problem. A code check before you sign is a phone call. Use it to negotiate the price down, ask the landlord to fix things, or walk away from a money pit.

 

• How to start:

  Email rebecca@childcaredesign.com with the address. We’ll let you know whether this building is worth your time.

Available as an online purchase

• How many kids can this building legally hold — and is that number actually enough to make money?

  This is the single most important number in your entire business plan. Get it wrong and either you can’t get licensed, or you can get licensed but you can’t fill enough classrooms to cover rent. Most architects and most real estate brokers have no idea how to figure this out. Your state licensing website says “35 square feet per child,” but that’s only the usable classroom floor area — it doesn’t include hallways, bathrooms, the kitchen, the office, or the staff spaces. Do the math wrong and you’ll either lose your license or lose money.

• What we do:

  We take your floor plan (or your prospective building’s floor plan) and figure out exactly how many children your state will let you enroll, broken down by age group. We factor in classroom sizes, restroom counts, exits, and all the little licensing rules that trip people up.

• What you get:

  A one-page report with a clear number and the breakdown. No full design needed — just answers.

• Why this is worth doing before you sign anything:

  If the building can only hold 60 kids and you need 90 to make the numbers work, you just saved yourself from a five-year money pit.

• How to start:

  Online purchase coming soon — meanwhile, email rebecca@childcaredesign.com with your floor plan attached.

• You’ve got a building that fits 90 kids, but is there enough outdoor space to actually support all of them?

  State licensing has rules about how much outdoor play area you need per child, and most buildings don’t have anywhere close to enough. We’ve seen owners get all the way through design and permitting before realizing their playground is too small – worst case… it’s an unsolvable licensing mistake that limits your kid-count or best case… an operations nightmare.

 

• What we do:

  We review your site plan and tell you exactly how many square feet of playground your state requires for the number of kids the building can hold, and whether your site can deliver it. We also flag accessibility within the playground, fire truck access around the playground, and the parking implications as well.

 

• What you get:

  A one-page report with a clear yes/no on the outdoor space, and what we recommend you do if the answer is no.

 

• How to start:

  Online purchase coming soon – meanwhile, email rebecca@childcaredesign.com with your site plan or property address.

• Is the ground under this property even buildable, or are you about to find out the hard way?

  The property listing may show you a pretty flat piece of land, but what’s under the grass? Is it solid soil, fill dirt, or solid bedrock? Is there bedrock 2 feet down (cheap to build on) or 20 feet down (very expensive)? Is the water table high? Are there underground utilities you’ll have to move? The property plat will tell you the size of the property, but will not include any necessary details like easements and setbacks.

 

• What we do:

  We work with soils engineers and surveyors we’ve used on dozens of childcare projects. We know exactly what to ask for and how to get the answers fast without paying for tests you don’t need.

 

• Why this matters:

  Bad soil can mean your foundation will be expensive and this can add $50K–$150K to a project as well as months to the schedule. Better to know now and plan for it.

 

• How to start:

  Contact a local surveyor first. Your bank will require the survey to be an ALTA Survey, so ask specifically for that.

  If there are significant trees on the property, you’ll also need a Tree Survey and any tree over 18″ DBH located and species labeled.

  After you have a survey completed, contact an environmental company and ask for a Phase I Environmental Report and Soils Test. They’ll ask you where on the property you want the soils tested. Draw on the survey (or ask us to do it for you) the approximate location where you plan to build the building and tell them to test that area.

• How do you turn a piece of dirt into a playground that kids love and the state approves?

  This is more than just sticking a swing set on the lawn. The playground has to be the right size for your enrollment, it has to have the right mix of equipment for each age group, it has to be shaded, fenced, accessible, and drained properly so kids can play on it the day after a rainstorm. And it has to be designed with your building, not bolted on as an afterthought.

 

• What we do:

  We design the outdoor space as part of the whole project. We plan the equipment zones, the fall-surface areas, the shade structures, the fencing, the gates, the access from the classrooms, down to the drainage. We also help you pick playground vendors – and because we don’t sell equipment, we help you compare vendors instead of locking you into the first one who calls you back.

 

• The cost trap we help you avoid:

  Most playground vendors will sell you a $200K playground whether you need it or not. We help you figure out what you actually need, get three bids side by side, and pick the right one.

 

• How to start:

  There are two different times we help childcare owners with their playground design.

  The first is as part of the overall design of the property while we are the Architect of Record for the project. The second is if the owner has an existing playground that they want completely remodeled.

  Online purchase coming soon for playground remodels — meanwhile, email rebecca@childcaredesign.com to get started on your complete building and site design.

• How do you lay out a building so teachers can actually do their job?

  This is the question 99% of architects never ask, and it’s the question that determines whether your staff stays or quits. A bad floor plan means your teachers can’t see all the kids at once, they’re walking extra steps all day, and they’re stuck in awkward spaces during nap time and lunch. A good floor plan means supervision is easy, transitions are short, and the best part… your teachers want to stay.

 

• What we do:

  We design floor plans around how a daycare actually operates. Sight lines from every teacher position. Straight, wide hallways (we don’t curve them just because curves look better in photos). Age-appropriate classroom sizes that match state licensing to the square inch. Bathrooms placed where they’re convenient, not where they look balanced on a plan. A kitchen that flows to the classrooms, not one that bottlenecks the hallway during lunch.

 

• The thing most new owners don’t know:

  Most new owners don’t actually know what they want in a floor plan, because they’ve never run a daycare before. That’s fine – we do. You don’t have to teach us how a daycare works. We already know. We take what we know and offer you choices on what you like best.

 

• Why this matters long-term:

  Good floor plans save you money on staff (fewer steps = less fatigue = less turnover), keep incident reports low (better sight lines = better supervision), and pass licensing on the first try.

 

• How to start:

  Email rebecca@childcaredesign.com once you’ve got a building or site picked out.

• How do you pick materials that look nice, hold up to kids, and don’t blow your budget?

  Materials matter more in a daycare than in almost any other building type. Walls get kicked, bathrooms get splashed, kitchens get greasy, and playgrounds get muddy. Pick the wrong material and you’ll be replacing it in three years. Pick the right one and you’ll barely think about it for twenty.

 

• What we do:

  We help you pick materials that hit the right balance for each space – durable where they need to be, easy to clean where they need to be, and good-looking where it counts (because your enrollment photos will live online forever). We walk you through the actual samples in person or by video so you can see and touch them.

 

• What we avoid:

  Materials that look amazing in the showroom and fall apart the first time a kid throws a toy at them.

 

• How to start:

  Materials selection happens during design. Email rebecca@childcaredesign.com to get on the schedule.

• How do you make a building that people notice, recognize, and want to bring their kids to?

  Your facade is the first thing families see, and the first thing they decide about. We’ve all driven past a strip-mall daycare with no sign, no color, no personality, and we don’t even register it. We’ve also all driven past a daycare that looks like a place where kids have fun – and we remember the name.

 

• What we do:

  We design a facade that fits your brand, your neighborhood, and your budget. We work with your colors, your logo, and any architectural style you’ve been wanting. We also help you think through things like monument signs, entry canopies, drop-off canopies, and window placement that lets in natural light without letting in glare or heat.

 

• What we don’t do:

  Over-design. We don’t add expensive angles, towers, or rooflines just because they look cool in renderings. We design a building that’s easy and cheap to build, and looks great doing it.

You’re about to sign on the dotted line, but wait!  Do you know if this building is up to code?

Don’t get caught up in the excitement of signing the dotted line and planning to move in.  Even if you are leasing or buying a building that was originally designed for the same use as you plan to use it for, for example, a daycare to a daycare, or a restaurant to a restaurant, there could still be code issues that will need to be addressed and remediated before the Fire Marshal will allow you a certificate of occupancy.

Have our architect’s perform a Code Compliance Check to verify any outdated building elements that do not meet current building and fire codes.  Then use this information for negotiating leverage with the seller or landlord.

Please email Rebecca@CalbertDesign.com to request a Code Compliance Check, it will pay for itself in the long run.

• How do you show your family, your lender, or your business partners what the finished building is going to look like?

  A floor plan is hard for most people to read. A 3D rendering is not. We do both, because each one has a job.

 

• 2D plans:

  2D plans are for the contractor (they tell him exactly what to build) and the city (they tell the permit reviewer you’re meeting code).

 

• 3D renderings:

  3D renderings are for everyone else. Your spouse, your business partner, your lender, your staff, your future families. Renderings help everyone understand what they’re paying for and help them to feel good about the investment.

 

• Specifically Lenders:

  We’ve used renderings to help owners get financing approved. A lender is much more willing to fund a project when they can see what the finished building will look like, instead of just trusting a square-footage estimate.

 

• How to start:

  Renderings are an additional service to our full building design package.

Included with our building design services and also available as a separate service, an “Interior Brand Refresh”

 

• How do you make the inside of the building feel as good as the outside?

  The inside of your building is where families spend time, where kids play, and where your staff works an 8-hour day. It needs to feel warm, clean, and intentional – not like a doctor’s office.

 

• What we do:

  We pick the finishes, the lighting, the colors, the flooring, the ceiling treatments, and the details that make a daycare feel like a place kids belong. We work with your brand colors if you have them, and we pick materials that hold up to kids without looking institutional.

 

• What we won’t do:

  We won’t make cheap choices that look amazing on day one and look terrible by year three. And we’ll speak up if we think you’re selecting something that is going to be slippery when wet, hard to clean, or over-stimulating for both kids and adults… we’ve seen it all.

 

• How to start:

  With new projects, interior design happens alongside the floor plan and building design. We also help childcare owners redesign the interiors of their existing schools. This service is called an “Interior Brand Refresh”. Online purchase coming soon – meanwhile, email rebecca@childcaredesign.com with your floor plan attached.

• Why do construction documents matter more than anything else we hand you?

  Construction drawings are the instructions your contractor builds from. Get them wrong and you’ll pay for it in change orders, schedule delays, and arguments on the job site. Get them right and your project goes smooth.

 

• What we do:

  We write drawings that are complete, coordinated, and buildable. Every door, every outlet, every piece of equipment is shown. Every structural, mechanical, electrical, and plumbing detail is worked out ahead of time.

 

• The hidden value:

  Good construction drawings are how we keep your project on schedule and on budget. The drawings are how we catch problems on paper instead of in the field, where they cost ten times more to fix.

 

• How to start:

  Construction drawings are the last step before permitting.

• Has anyone actually filed the paperwork with the city yet?

  Permitting is where projects slow down if no one is paying attention. Reviews can take weeks, comments come back that need responses, and the clock keeps ticking on your construction loan.

 

• What we do:

  We file the permit application with a complete, code-compliant drawing set. We respond to city comments quickly and accurately. We’ve worked with so many building departments, many times we know what they’re going to ask for before they ask it.

 

• Why this matters:

  A clean first submittal saves you 4 weeks of review time. A messy first submittal costs you an extra 1-2 months and a lot of stress.

 

• When it starts:

  Permit submittals happen at the end of design and before construction begins.

• Do you know what this building is actually going to cost before you commit to building it?

  Most owners get a single bid from a contractor and just trust it. That’s how owners end up $100-$500K over budget with no warning.

 

• What we do:

  We give you estimated cost data throughout the process. We give you cost comparisons when offering you design choices during the design process, so you have some concept of whether you are choosing a more or less expensive feature. Because no one like’s sticker shock!

• Are you about to pick the first contractor who gives you a number?

  That’s how projects go over budget. You need at least three bids, side by side, and you need someone who knows construction reading them who can tell you which one is missing scope.

 

• What we do:

  We help you get real bids from qualified contractors, and we help you compare them apples-to-apples. Low bid isn’t always the best bid – sometimes the low bidder forgot to include something, or doesn’t know childcare construction, or is just desperate for work.

 

• What we look for in a bid:

  Are they including everything? Are they using the right materials? Is their schedule realistic? Have they built daycares before? Do they have the crew to actually do the work?

 

• How to start:

  We put together the bid package, send all communications and clarifications in a fair way so that all bidder have the same inforamtion at the same time and no one gets preferential treatment.

• Are you over budget but not sure what to cut without wrecking the building?

  Value engineering is what you do when the bids come in higher than expected. Most owners panic and start cutting the wrong things – usually things that don’t show up in photos but matter a lot to operations.

 

• What we do:

  We go through the drawings with you and find the places to save money without hurting the building. Sometimes it’s swapping a more expensive material for a similar one. Sometimes it’s simplifying the roofline. Sometimes it’s reducing square footage in a place that doesn’t affect operations. We have a few aces up our sleeves on where to save the budget, but we usually catch these things early on during the design process. Either way… we never cut things that affect childcare licensing, ADA, or fire safety.

 

• When to start:

  Value engineering occurs while you are in permitting and after the Contractors have bid the project. We can supply you with rough price estimates during design, but only the actual contractors can give you exact costs on the day of the bid.

• Do you have a real schedule, or are you just hoping it all works out?

  A construction schedule isn’t “we’ll start in March and be done by August.” It’s a real document that says when each subcontractor shows up, when each inspection happens, when each material is delivered, and what happens if something slips.

 

• What we do:

  We hold your contractor’s feet to the fire and go over his schedule before construction ever starts, and we review updates at every weekly construction meeting. We track who’s late, who’s ahead, and what it’s going to mean for your opening date.

 

• How to start:

  Once you’ve picked a contractor, he will begin preparing a schedule while we’re finalizing your building permit. That way he’s teed up to get started as soon as the permit is in hand.

• How do you pick a contractor who will actually finish your building on time and on budget?

  Most owners pick the lowest bid, or the guy their cousin used, or the guy who buys them lunch. None of those are good reasons to pick a contractor.

 

• What we do:

  We help you interview contractors, check their references, look at their past projects, and figure out whether they actually understand childcare construction. A contractor who builds houses doesn’t necessarily know how to build a daycare. We’ve seen what happens when you pick the wrong one.

• Is anyone actually tracking where your construction money is going?

  If you don’t track it, your contractor will. We run weekly cost reports, approve monthly pay applications, and make sure you’re not getting billed for things that weren’t done, weren’t done right, or weren’t in the contract.

 

• What we do:

  We review every pay application, every change order, and every invoice. We sit in on the weekly contractor calls. We visit the site (in person monthly, by video as needed). We catch the small problems before they become big ones.

 

• When to start:

  This service is required for all SBA loans, so as soon as you have selected a lender, you introduce use. We will monitor your contractor’s spending from the day he puts down his first deposit for materials to 30 days after construction is completed. For the entire length of the construction loan.

• Has anyone explained to you what your warranty actually covers – and for how long?

  Most owners sign a warranty at the end of construction and never look at it again. Then something breaks two years later and they find out it wasn’t covered.

 

• What we do:

  The contractor will walk you through every warranty at project closeout, and organize them in a digital folder. Construction warrantees extend to the first 12-months after the Certificate of Occupancy. That’s why we follow up with you at the 10-month mark to walk your building and property with you. We help you come up with an appropriate list of warranty items so that by the 11-month mark you are sending a list of warranty items to your contractor.

 

• When to start:

  Warranty management happens at the end of construction and extends for 12 months post construction.