The brand handed you a beautiful prototype. Then you looked at your actual site.

The parcel is an odd shape. The tenant space has a column right where the counter goes. The county wants something the prototype never mentions.

A prototype is a starting point; site adaptation is what gets it permitted and open.

Extensive franchise experience

We’ve worked with franchise brands and franchisees across restaurant and QSR, retail and service concepts. That includes prototype site adaptation, brand-standard compliance and tenant build-outs.

We work with three groups:

• Franchisees who need a local franchise architect to take a prototype from brand package to permit.
• Franchisor development teams who need a Florida partner that understands brand standards and local review.
• General contractors building franchise units who need the drawings handled. See our architectural services for contractors.

What site adaptation means

Brands provide prototype plans and brand standards. A local architect site-adapts that prototype to the real world:

• The actual parcel or tenant space
• Local zoning
• The Florida Building Code
• Accessibility
• Utilities
• Signage rules
• Health department requirements

The result is a permit-ready, signed and sealed set. Commercial buildings like franchise restaurants and retail generally require a Florida-licensed architect, with engineers for structural, MEP and other disciplines. Our studio holds architecture license AR100677.

Brand standards without the back-and-forth

Every brand has its own playbook for finishes, layout, signage and equipment. Our job is to hold those standards while making the building work on your site and pass local review.

When something in the prototype conflicts with local rules, we flag it early and document the change for brand review. That keeps surprises out of the permit process and out of the punch list.

Florida code and accessibility

Franchise locations must meet the Florida Building Code, plus the 2010 ADA Standards for Accessible Design and the Florida Building Code, Accessibility.

Conversions and remodels have an extra wrinkle. When you alter a primary function area, the path of travel to it must be made accessible, up to a disproportionality cap. Cost over 20% of the alteration is considered disproportionate, but the owner must still spend up to that 20% on path-of-travel items in priority order.

Some jurisdictions use disproportionality worksheets. Dunedin is one example. Requirements vary by jurisdiction, so we confirm the local process early.

Timing matters too. The 9th Edition of the Florida Building Code takes effect December 31, 2026. Applications submitted before that date are generally reviewed under the 8th Edition; on or after it, the 9th. If your opening date is tight, plan your submittal date with that in mind.

Restaurant architect work: state plan review for food service

Restaurants carry one more layer of review. Food service establishments require plan review by the Florida DBPR Division of Hotels and Restaurants, in addition to the local building permit.

That means kitchen-equipment layouts, fire protection and MEP have to line up with the architectural set. We coordinate those drawings so state plan review for food service and the building department are looking at the same project.

Tenant improvement vs. ground-up

Many franchise build-outs are tenant improvements in shell or second-generation spaces. A second-generation space, one that already housed a similar use, can often save time and cost because some infrastructure is already in place.

Ground-up units add site plan coordination with civil, utilities and a full building design. Both paths are common. We help you understand what each site will require before you commit. Before converting an existing space, you will usually want as-built drawings of what is actually there.

The site-adapt workflow

Stage	What happens	Typical deliverable
1. Discovery and due diligence	Review the prototype, brand standards, site or space, zoning and jurisdiction	Scope and fixed design fee
2. Existing conditions	Field-measure tenant spaces or coordinate site data	As-builts or base plans
3. Site adaptation	Fit the prototype to the site, code, accessibility, utilities and signage	Adapted floor plan and site plan coordination with civil
4. Brand review	Submit adapted design to the brand’s development team	Brand-review submittal
5. Construction documents	Architectural sheets drawn; MEP, structural, kitchen-equipment and fire-protection drawings coordinated	Permit-ready, signed and sealed set
6. Permit and plan review	Building department and, for restaurants, state plan review for food service	Comment responses and revised sheets

Pricing

Design projects start around $3,500, and larger or complex work typically runs about $8,000–$40,000+. Outside disciplines such as structural, MEP, geotechnical, survey and energy calculations are not included automatically; we coordinate them. The fixed fee is quoted after a discovery call.

See how franchise work fits into the rest of the studio on our Architectural Design page.

Frequently asked questions

What is franchise site adaptation?

Site adaptation takes a brand’s prototype plans and adapts them to the actual parcel or tenant space, local zoning, the Florida Building Code, accessibility, utilities, signage rules and health department requirements, then produces permit-ready, signed and sealed documents.

Does a franchise restaurant in Florida need a licensed architect?

Commercial buildings, including franchise restaurants and retail, generally require a Florida-licensed architect, with engineers for structural, MEP and other disciplines. TomCo’s Design Studio holds architecture license AR100677.

Do restaurants need state plan review in Florida?

Yes. Food service establishments require plan review by the Florida DBPR Division of Hotels and Restaurants in addition to the local building permit. We coordinate the drawings for state plan review for food service.

Is a second-generation space faster to open?

It often can be. Many franchise build-outs are tenant improvements in shell or second-generation spaces, and a second-generation space can save time and cost. The savings vary by space and jurisdiction.

Do you work with GCs building franchise units?

Yes. We work for other GCs. The GC keeps the client and the build, and our Design Studio provides the site-adapted drawings and coordination.