It doesn't matter whether you're the architect, developer, fuel station owner, or contractor; managing a fuel station project can feel  overwhelming, messy, and stressful. 

Unlike other construction or remodeling projects, fuel station and convenience store designs come with their own set of unique and complex challenges. 

From securing planning permits and overcoming regulatory hurdles to the sheer number of moving parts to keep track of, if this is your first fuel station rodeo, you're in for a heap of issues if you don't know what to watch out for.

KE Design is here to help! We are sharing our wisdom gained from 30+ years of designing and managing fuel stations projects across the U.S. 

In this article, you'll learn how to avoid the most common pitfalls associated with gas station projects for a more efficient, smooth, and successful design and construction process.

Keep reading to learn:

• The 5 most common problems with fuel station projects
• 5 tips to help you avoid these problems
• How having a good project manager is essential to project success

The 5 Most Common Problems When Designing & Building Fuel Stations

So, what are the most common problems we see coming up during gas station design and construction?

Problem #1: Scheduling Setbacks

Without intensive upfront planning to get all your labor, materials, and timelines in order, you can experience significant scheduling setbacks. Products going out of stock, equipment not arriving on time, and construction team scheduling clashes can crop up and delay the opening of your gas station. 

Problem #2: Busted Budgets

If you don't design your gas station and convenience store with enough detail initially, you'll end up fixing errors and changing the design during construction. And the more things you change or have to correct, the higher your overall cost will be.

Problem #3: Communication Chaos

Not having an organized, efficient, and centralized communication system on your fuel station site will cause utter chaos. If people on your team aren't communicating well, vital information will slip through the net and lead to errors, backtracking, and damaged relationships. 

Problem #4: Permitting Panic

Every town in the U.S. has its own set of building codes and regulations. These laws become even more complex with fuel stations and convenience store designs because harmful gasses and hazards are at play. Not having solid permitting processes and knowledge can cause huge delays and design disasters.

Problem #5: Flawed Finish

You might end up with a fuel station that looks and feels nothing like what you originally wanted if you don't follow the right processes.

With the problems above leading to change orders, delays, and expensive fixes, you could end up with a project that doesn't match your final vision in many ways—from a bad design to a building that needs too much regular maintenance or creates a poor experience for your customers.

How to Avoid these Problems and Deliver a Successful Gas Station Project

Now you're aware of the most common problems that creep up during fuel station design and construction, how do you avoid them?

#1 Get a great project manager

Having an experienced project manager who knows the fuel industry will help you avoid all these problems above. A great manager is your secret weapon to staying on track, holding onto your sanity, and overseeing the installation while you handle other areas of the gas station construction and maintenance process.

#2 Set deadlines, stay organized

If you don't create a comprehensive plan of each activity, timeline, employee, and cost associated with your gas station, you'll quickly lose track of deadlines and encounter delays. Make sure you, and the owners, have a clear view of your gas station project at every stage, keep track of progress, and stay incredibly organized.

#3 Avoid unnecessary changes

Avoid changing people on your team, the design, or your construction partners If you're having issues - sometimes the devil you know is better than the devil you don't. Make an effort to make things work rather than make things worse by prolonging the schedule and adding unnecessary costs. 

#4 Centralize communication

If you don't have clear-cut communication guidelines, processes, and tools in place, you're not going to make it very far in your fuel station project without essential information falling through the cracks. The more centralized, documented and streamlined your communications, both on and off the construction site, the better.

#5 Make informed decisions

Ensure you have all the right people on your team to feed you the expert information you need to make timely, strategic, and well-informed decisions. This sets you up to be able to make decisions with confidence; going back and forth will only confuse everyone and cause delays.

Why You Can't Skimp On a Project Manager

Whether it's a remodel or a new construction site, project management is not an aspect you should look to save money on when it comes to your fuel station project.

Finding an excellent project manager who also knows gas station design and related construction services is like finding a needle in a haystack. We have our own experienced project manager on the KE Design team to provide that expertise and knowledge to every project.

Your project manager is essential to protect you from unnecessary issues!

A capable project manager will help you:

Identify risks and roadblocks

At the beginning of your project, your project manager will identify what issues, risks, and roadblocks may come up throughout the construction and design of your gas station, so they can quickly nip them in the bud and prevent them before they even happen.

Design a schedule and stick to it

Your project manager is in charge of mapping out all future activities, timelines, and schedules to help keep things moving along at a nice pace and help you stay on track from the time construction starts to when it's completed. 

Manage multiple projects

If you're managing multiple projects at once a project manager is non-negotiable. They will always know how things are progressing, track permits, manage teams, and do much more, so you can be as hands-on or off as you like. 

See the forest from the trees

Your project manager can focus on all services and activities associated with your gas station project and take a more birdseye, top-level view at the same time. We describe this as "seeing the forest from the trees" to catch any problems before they complicate something else in your project.

Oversee cost and performance

Your project manager is responsible for taking note of all incoming and outgoing costs related to your project. They're your trusted eagle eyes on location and off, noticing any budget issues and making sure your project/permits are progressing as needed, things your design team won't always catch.

Prevent These Problems: Work with a Project Manager