When you are planning a new clinic space, it’s important to comply with the American Disabilities Act (ADA) rules for restrooms. When you first begin to design an ADA Compliant Restroom, you must refer to various Code Manuals to gather the requirements. The International Building Code will help you assess the building type and occupancy load and the number of restrooms you need to design for your project. The International Plumbing Code will give you information to determine the number of fixtures that are required per your building type per restroom. The ADA standards are the American Disab ..read more

Student Clinic - Life University CHALLENGE  This space had been the former location for the Public Clinic, and was now unoccupied. The existing space was comprised of small adjusting rooms, inadequate lighting, poor HVAC, and dated and drab finishes, none of which were in keeping with the University’s new teaching style and desired image. The new student clinic space was needed quickly, but the renovation window was small to minimize impact to the University’s academic schedule. SOLUTION  After extensive meetings with Life University’s staff and instructors, it was deter ..read more

This article was written and published for ChiroEconomics. See it here When you have a practice that is focused on families and primarily Pediatrics, what do you need to consider in the design of your office to increase your success? Parents are looking for safe and effective ways to support their children’s health and development. Chiropractic care has been shown to have many benefits for kids. However, as a pediatric chiropractor, it’s not just about providing the best care possible, but you also need to create an inviting and comfortable space for your young patients and their parents ..read more

Lighting: An often overlooked element of office design that can make an incredible impact. Light affects people physiologically and psychologically and therefore has a huge impact on the atmosphere of your space. Light can set a mood you are trying to create and promote a sense of well being. Curious about what atmosphere your office is portraying? Download our 5 Point Designer Checklist to evaluate your image!  1. Types of Light There are two main types of lighting: daylight (natural) and artificial light (man-made). Of the two types of light the healthiest and most important type of li ..read more

When planning your next Chiropractic or Holistic Healthcare office, location is one of the major decisions you will need to make. If you are starting a practice, adding an additional office, or considering moving locations, you will need to do some research to find the best site. There are a few city-planning factors to consider first. In general, start your location search high level, such as defining what city/town you wish to be in, and then progressively get into more details. Here are some questions to ask yourself to determine where the best general location for your dream office! Inter ..read more

“I just can’t fathom how much money and time it would save a new practitioner to have a clear vision of what they need and want from their space.” Dr. Lacie Guy, of Valdosta GA, in her interview with the Georgia Chiropractic Association. Dr. Guy saved time and money by hiring CrossFields to help her build her second office. When she came to us, she wasn’t sure which way she needed to go and was wasting her valuable time by not having a clear direction. CrossFields worked with Dr. Guy through her goals and vision for her practice to find out what she really needed. Based on her now-clear visio ..read more

A topic that often confuses and concerns most doctors is what they need to know about codes and building permits. They are right to be worried since this affects the ability to get a business license and open your practice. The number one mistake is not understanding the process. You do not need to personally know all the codes and permits that will govern the construction and/or renovation of your office, but you need to be aware of how they will impact the timeline, design & implementation of your space. Building Codes Each state, city, town, or designated area within a city will have ..read more

Your move into your new space is complete and furniture is in place, but your new office space is still missing that certain energy or atmosphere you desired. You should budget for art and accessories. Just as the perfect dress needs the right necklace and earrings, or the perfect suit needs the right tie, your office needs the right art and accessories. The finishing touch to your new office space cannot be an afterthought. Just as your office space was carefully developed, your finishing touches are as well. How much money do I need for art? The art and accessories for your office do not ha ..read more

What are As-Builts? As‐built drawings are drawings that represent the existing conditions of your space.  They are the built structure as it actually is today, not as the building was originally designed. Buildings don’t always get built per plan, so even if you have an existing set of drawings, it helps to prepare as‐built drawings. Nothing can substitute for these actual measured and field-verified sets of drawings. Why Do We Require As-Built drawings? As‐built drawings are important for two primary purposes:  We can start with the best current floor plan of your space, so the fin ..read more

This second interview with Scott Boldt, President and CFO of CrossFields, Inc. is designed to answer the questions we hear from many doctors when planning the budget for the build out of their office space. For more answers, read our first blog in this series. How to get a floor plan construction estimate? The first phase of designing a space is called Schematic Design.  The cost can be free to the potential lessee as a lost leader cost to the lessor. It can also cost up to $5000 for extensive interviewing and option consideration process. The more the cost, the closer you can get t ..read more