A space can look perfect on the first visit. Good road, good front, fair rent. But a kitchen needs a lot of power and water. If the space cannot give enough, you find out late, and it costs you time and money.
Pooja signed for a small café space. After weeks of fit-out, with two ovens and the AC in place, on the first test day, the power kept going off. Her electrician checked the bill. The connection was too small for her ovens and AC. The upgrade from the power company took weeks and cost more than she planned. Her café sat ready but closed, and rent kept going out.
None of this showed up on the day she saw the space.
Opening a café or restaurant? Check the address before you sign. Viabe Location Check shows nearby shops, footfall, fair rent and a clear verdict for one exact address. Full report ₹2,999 + GST.
Simple checks before you sign
1. Ask for the latest electricity bill. Look for the sanctioned load. It is written in kW. This is how much power the space is allowed to use.
2. Add up what your kitchen needs. List your ovens, fridges, coffee machine, AC and lights. Ask an electrician to add up the load and compare it with the bill. If your kitchen needs more, you will need an upgrade.
3. Check if it is a commercial connection. A shop used for food business usually needs a commercial connection. Some spaces still run on a home connection. Ask the owner, and look at the bill.
4. Ask who pays for an upgrade, and how long it takes. It may need forms, a visit, new wiring or a new meter. Rules and costs change from city to city. Ask the local power office or your electrician what is normal in your area.
5. Check the water. Ask how many hours a day water comes. Look at the tank size. A café that washes cups all day uses a lot of water. If supply is short, you may need tankers, and that is a cost every month.
6. Check the drainage. A kitchen sends out oily water every day. Ask where the drain goes. Ask if the building allows a kitchen.
7. Check the gas. Is there a gas line? If not, is there a safe space for cylinders, with air flow, away from the seats? Ask the owner what the building and local rules allow.
Put it in the lease
Talk is not enough. Write these points in the lease:
- Who pays for the load upgrade, new wiring, the water tank and drain work.
- When the work will be done.
- A way out. If the power company refuses the upgrade, or it takes too long, you can leave without losing your deposit.
- When rent starts. Some owners agree to start rent after the power is ready. Ask.
A lawyer can help you with the exact words. It is a small cost next to a long lease.
Why this matters
Every week your café sits ready but closed, rent goes out and nothing comes in. Customers do not wait. They find another café nearby and make it their habit. A few calls and one look at the bill before you sign can save you from that.
Power and water tell you if the space can run. The address tells you if people will come.
Check the address before you sign. Viabe Location Check reads one exact address: nearby shops, footfall, fair rent, risks and a clear verdict. Check your location. Full report ₹2,999 + GST.