Potential Pitfall:  Not having in place the correct people prior to opening- The build out is the most expensive part of your project- your most time consuming and usually the area in which you know least about. The people in your Development Team are extremely important. You cannot offer a flawless service if your facility is flawed. Here is a breakdown of the people you need to hire and why you need them.

Spa Consultant
This is your right hand person, from beginning to end of the project. They complete your Spa Financials (Business Plan, Capital Expenditure List and Financial Forecast). They fine tune your concept, create menus, and recommend products and equipment accordingly. They work closely with your Architect and your Designer to make sure the facility is functional and the concept shows throughout the design. They implement your business infrastructure, recruit, hire and train your staff and help you open the doors and generate revenue.

Architect and Designer
Creates a layout of your facility that is functional, beautiful and in conjunction with the concept.

Structural Engineer
Determines if the facility has the capacity to bear heavy loads. For example, can the floor bear the weight of hydrotherapy tubs, tanning beds, flotation tanks, whirlpools, and heavy laser equipment? (Note:  It is your duty to get the weight of the equipment for your Structural Engineer.)

Hydraulic Engineer
Reviews whether your facility can meet a Spa's plumbing requirements. Wet rooms, Multi-Purpose rooms and Locker rooms need showers, steam units, toilets etc. Your Hydraulic Engineer will ensure the facility's water pipes can take both inflowing and out-going waste, that pressure is strong enough to remove materials such as clumpy, clay-like seaweed, that pipes are large enough and unable to erode from certain materials, and their location is inconspicuous so that clients are not disturbed by the noise.

Electrical Engineer
Determines if your facility can meet a Spa's electrical needs. Most Spa equipment requires a singular phase power source; however, your lasers require three times this. Check to see if your site can handle this. Wax Pots, Sterilizers, Hot Cabby's, Steam Units, Facial Units, and Beds all utilize electricity.  The Electrical Engineer makes sure there are enough outlets, that they are located in the most discreet places and that it is functional for the staff. You do not want patients tripping over chords nor staff walking back and forth from bed to equipment.

Mechanical Engineer
Can the location meet a Spa's heating and air-conditioning needs? There is nothing worse than sweating during your massage for both the patient and the therapist! Steam rooms, Wet rooms, Laser rooms, and Locker rooms get very hot and very muggy. You need to be able to ventilate these rooms properly. These rooms require different ventilation and temperature from the Manager's office, the refreshment area, and reception area. Temperature controls and ventilation must be planned accordingly!

The build out of your facility is crucial to the smoothness of the operation. Even the cleverest of concepts can backfire if the facility is designed incorrectly. For example, a combination of an Oncologist, Plastic Surgeon and Spa is a fantastic idea to help a suffering breast cancer patient who has recently had a mastectomy. Under one roof she can have her reconstructive surgery, energy work, scar management and be fitted for a wig.

However, this scenario drastically changes if she has to walk through the main lobby to get to the location where she tries on wigs, or she needs to undress in a locker room that doesn't have the privacy she needs at this difficult time. With a strong development team on board, they can foresee these problems and, in advance, create a separate entrance for women who need discretion or create a separate waiting room that is patient specific.  An experienced development team builds a facility that enhances your concept, not spoils it.

By Alexis Ufland,  Director at Lexi Design www.lexidesign.com

A respected authority in the Spa industry, Alexis Ufland has developed premier Spas across Europe, Asia and the United States. With a unique combination of creativity, development and operations, Ms. Ufland will create and implement a proven turnkey operation that guarantees success. Ms. Ufland has written numerous articles on Spa development and has been quoted in the top industry trade magazines as well as lectured at national trade events. She is currently pursuing certification in Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design. (LEED).