Knapp Schmidt Architects provides business planning services that can be integrated with basic architectural services.

Company founder E. John Knapp introduced demographic market studies as a method of selecting locations for veterinary and boarding facilities. KSA has expanded this service to provide financial feasibility analyses. The combination provides improved business direction before project strategy is finalized and design begins. Clients can make informed decisions about locations, sites, and requirements for staffing, facilities, and potential return-on-investment before major dollars are put at risk.

The new planning package has four basic components:

Demographic Market and Competition Analysis

• Identify and analyze the demand and competing supply of veterinarians and/or boarding spaces that a specific market can support.
  
• Project demand for five (5) years.
  
• Calculate income projections for financial analysis
• Owner provides number of veterinary and/or boarding spaces within the studied market area and locates them on a county scale map
  

Facility Cost Analysis

• Owner and architect work together to determine design objectives, limitations, criteria
• Provide space needs analysis
• Prepare preliminary construction budget
• Visit site(s), write report
• Evaluate existing building
• Review zoning ordinances
• Prepare preliminary project schedule
• Provide graphic space/site diagrams
• Prepare summary report

Financial Feasibility Analysis

• Identify cost allowances for:
  • Building construction
  • Land cost
  • Site improvements
  • Other
• Estimate:
  • Fee permits
  • Financing
  • Construction-phase loan interest
  • Other
• Business planning calculations:
  • 10-year revenue estimates
  • Operating expense estimate
  • Income statements, 1-year & 10-year
  • Working capital requirement calculation
  • Refine financial plan until acceptable risk, return, and financing are achieved

Business plan summary

• Organize owner's professional credentials documents
• Review owner's financial statements
• Prepare document for lender review

The combined market and financial studies can be used to help secure the most competitive financing from local and non-local sources. Assistance with securing financing can be provided.

Careful business planning can accelerate project completion because it defines direction early and thoroughly, eliminating costly and time-consuming architectural plan revisions.