Design-Build vs. Hiring an Architect for a Convenience Store
The real question is who makes sure the equipment fits the plan. Here is how the two routes compare, and why many store projects end up using both.
- Stores Built
- 2,500+Stores Built
- Years in Business
- 24+Years in Business
- First Store Built
- 1996First Store Built
- States Served
- 50States Served
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Quick answer
With an architect plus separate equipment suppliers, the owner is responsible for making sure the equipment fits the drawings. With design-build, the company that draws the store also supplies the equipment, so the plan and the equipment schedule are checked against each other before anything is ordered. Many new builds use both: an architect or engineer of record for the building and permits, and a c-store design-build firm for the store interior and equipment.
Every store project needs someone to design the building and someone to supply the equipment. The difference between the two routes is who connects those jobs, and so who carries the risk when they do not line up.
The two routes
Architect plus separate suppliers. An architect designs the building. The owner, or the contractor, buys refrigeration, shelving, food-service equipment and fixtures from different suppliers, each of whom delivers what was ordered. The owner is responsible for making sure it all fits the drawings.
Design-build. One company designs the store layout, selects the equipment, produces the electrical and refrigeration layouts from that equipment, then delivers and installs it. The plan and the equipment schedule are checked against each other before anything is ordered.
Side by side
| Architect + separate suppliers | C-store design-build | |
|---|---|---|
| Who checks equipment fits the plan | Owner or contractor | The design-build firm |
| Electrical and refrigeration layouts | Drawn from estimates or supplier cut sheets | Drawn from the actual equipment package |
| Number of contacts | Architect plus each supplier | One company for design and equipment |
| Change orders for equipment conflicts | Common | Resolved before ordering |
| Store-specific knowledge | Varies; many architects rarely design c-stores | Core business |
| Building permits and stamped drawings | Architect of record | Usually still needs an architect or engineer |
| Best fit | Unusual buildings, large mixed-use projects | Convenience, liquor, grocery and travel center stores |
Why many projects use both
For a new building, most jurisdictions require stamped drawings from a licensed architect or engineer. That does not mean the architect has to design the store interior or pick the equipment. A common setup is:
- Architect or engineer of record: the building shell, structure, code compliance and permit drawings.
- C-store design-build firm: the floor plan inside the building, the equipment package, the electrical and refrigeration layouts for that equipment, cabinets, shelving and graphics, then delivery and installation.
The two work from the same base plan, and the design-build firm tells the architect what the equipment needs: power, drains, hood penetrations and walk-in locations.
Where the separate route goes wrong
Most problems show up at installation, when it is most expensive to fix them:
- A cooler wall that is a few inches short for the doors that were ordered.
- A kitchen without the power the cooking equipment needs.
- A walk-in placed where the refrigeration lines cannot reach the condenser.
- Shelving that blocks the path the floor plan assumed.
Each one is solvable on paper and costly in a finished building.
How JayComp works
JayComp is a c-store design-build firm. We follow eight steps on every store: floor plan, equipment package, framing layout, electrical layout, walk-in coolers and freezers, cabinets and shelving, color and graphics, and the store delivery package. Then we deliver and install the equipment. We work with your architect and general contractor, and we have built more than 2,500 stores since 1996.
If you already have building drawings, send them with your quote request. See what to send for a quote.
How a JayComp project runs
The same eight steps on every store, from the first drawing to installed equipment. See the full service overview.
- 1Floor plan design
- 2Equipment packages
- 3Framing layout
- 4Electrical layout
- 5Walk-in coolers and freezers
- 6Cabinets and shelving
- 7Color and graphics
- 8Store delivery package
Frequently asked questions
Do I still need an architect if I use design-build?
Is design-build more expensive?
What if I already have architect drawings?
Who is responsible if the equipment does not fit?
Planning guides
Related services
- Package vs. buying onlineOnline prices are real, but they price the box, not the store. Here is what a lower sticker price leaves out, and when buying online is the right call.
- First-time store ownersYour first store is the one where a design mistake costs the most. We walk new owners through the plan, the equipment and the install as one project, so nothing is ordered before it fits.
- What to send for a quoteA good quote starts with good information. Here is what to send us, what our quote covers, and how to compare it fairly with another firm's.
- Travel centers & truck stopsA travel plaza is a convenience store, a restaurant, a restroom block and a parking plan on one lot. We plan the building around all four, then supply and install the equipment.
Planning a store? Start with a conversation.
2,500+ stores built since 1996, from Ravia, Oklahoma to all 50 states. Call (877) 843-0183 or send the form.
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