Veterinary practices depend on accurate construction budgeting, which becomes nearly impossible when the landlord’s work letter doesn’t match the reality of the space. In this episode, Art and Hailee review a case where a tenant discovered—after signing—that the space lacked HVAC, electrical, drywall, and even a concrete slab.

Those missing items pushed contractor budgets well beyond the tenant’s expectations.

You’ll learn:
• How incomplete landlord delivery impacts veterinary construction budgets
• Why bidding from design drawings without MEPs leads to unreliable numbers
• The true cost of missing concrete, HVAC systems, and demising wall drywall
• What veterinarians should confirm before signing a retail lease
• How proper negotiation can secure TI funds to offset major omissions

A valuable episode for veterinarians looking to avoid expensive surprises in the build-out process.

Veterinary renovations are complex — and without complete drawings and a thorough contract, costs escalate quickly. This episode examines a real medical renovation in which the owner relied on a drawing set missing engineering detail, manufacturer specs, contractor phasing, and key contractual protections. The result was a bidding spread of nearly a million dollars and a project likely to climb far above budget.
Art and Hailee outline the critical red flags veterinary owners should recognize and the planning steps that prevent costly change orders, unclear scope, and construction delays.

Topics include:
• How vague drawings cause inconsistent contractor pricing
• The importance of exact specifications for lighting, flooring, cabinetry, and equipment
• Why shutdown plans, phasing, and site-visit language must be defined upfront
• What every veterinary contract should include to protect the practice
• How investing in full drawings saves time, money, and frustration during construction

In this installment of “Whoops, It Can Happen to You,” Art and Antonis unpack a scenario that applies directly to veterinarians in leased medical spaces. A provider attempted to finalize a small expansion—only to miss major implications tied to lease term extensions, renovation opportunities, and long-term assignment rights that affect eventual practice exit or sale.
This episode highlights why expanding your practice is never just about square footage. It impacts leverage, build-out funding, contract structure, and the financial health of your practice for years to come. The conversation underscores the importance of involving a real-estate professional early and approaching any facility change as a full-picture negotiation.

Many veterinary owners start their projects off track because of one simple misunderstanding with their bank. Art and Antonis break down how to handle early-stage lending requests, what to provide when a bank asks for a “bid,” and how to manage contingencies so you’re not paying more than you should. This episode will help you navigate financing with clarity and confidence.

When it comes to veterinary medicine, what really determines your return on investment? In this episode, Hailee, Art, and Antonis dive into the question every practice owner faces: Is ROI driven by your clinic’s look and feel, the equipment you use, or the quality of care and service you provide? From online reviews and client trust to accessibility and community presence, the discussion uncovers how pet parents choose where to go — and how those choices translate to growth and sustainability for your practice.

Veterinary startups face unique challenges when deciding whether to secure a loan first or a lease. This episode unpacks how the order of these steps affects budget, lender approvals, and build-out timelines—plus why making the wrong choice can stall your practice before it even begins.

In this “Whoops” episode, the team unpacks a real startup’s challenge: trying to launch with two associates, a space requirement that doesn’t fit, and a budget lenders won’t support. The discussion reveals how misplaced trust and poor advice can derail a project, why contractors aren’t the ones to guide your business plan, and what happens when ambition outpaces financial reality. The takeaway? A bad plan—or no plan at all—can leave your practice dead in the water before it even begins.

Even new veterinary offices can face climate control issues that disrupt daily operations and patient comfort. In this episode, we explore two common post-construction pitfalls — missing key HVAC components and reusing outdated systems — and how they lead to uneven temperatures, inefficiency, and costly fixes. We cover the importance of proper design coordination, the risks of low bids that exclude critical work, and why ongoing oversight is vital from the first plan review to project closeout. You’ll also learn how small mechanical oversights can snowball into larger operational challenges and how to avoid them by asking the right questions early.