A commercial kitchen needs to be completely refitted after 10 to 15 years. However, the time frame depends on the usage of the kitchen and the way it has been looked after.
The Age of the Original Fit-Out
Using the date of the original Commercial Kitchen Installation for planning the refit of your kitchen is the most obvious place to start. For example, a kitchen that was installed 12 years ago and has been subject to heavy daily use could now be overdue for a refit, whereas a similar kitchen that is used only occasionally could have several years of life left in it.
High Volume Shortens the Cycle
High Volume kitchens (over 100 covers per day) will wear out surfaces and shorten the life of equipment and related products. Stainless steel worktops develop surface pitting after 10-15 years of service and catering equipment will reach end-of-life after 8-12 years of service.
Watch for Regulatory Pressure
New laws surrounding issues like gas safety, kitchen extraction, and how food hygiene ratings are issued could force a commercial kitchen to have a full refit years before it’s due to be updated. Even the smallest issues with surfaces and the kitchen’s layout could see a commercial kitchen’s hygiene rating plummet. Often problems of this nature are not solvable via repair.
Phased Refits Buy Time
However, by replacing the worst sections first, the life of the rest of the areas in the kitchen can be extended by several years. Replacing sections of the kitchen on a phased basis can also spread the costs of the new fit out over a number of years.
When Repair No Longer Makes Sense
If a single piece of equipment has been repaired 3+ times in the last 2 years, it will likely cost less in the long run to replace than to continue to service it.
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Developing a realistic refit schedule will help to save you money in the long run and ensure your kitchen is left in compliance.
