What’s the Difference Between Retail and Commercial Construction? 

At Alpha Omega Contractors, we’re often asked questions regarding the difference between retail and commercial construction or if commercial and retail are the same? People often use the terms interchangeably, so we understand where your confusion lies. As your Southern California construction industry experts, we enjoy fielding your questions and helping you better understand the answers to these important topics. So what’s the difference between retail and commercial construction?

What’s Considered Retail Construction Space?

Since online shopping has become such a big industry, new business start ups are seemingly going live globally on the internet every millisecond. In contrast, in-person retail businesses that are not online are called brick and mortar, which refers to a physical presence of business in a building. Brick-and-mortar businesses require an optimal location to attract foot traffic or customers. 

Retail space is a ‘location, location, location’ type of business. You’ll need to choose one in a convenient location with enough parking for your customers, which can be hard to come by in some prime locations in Los Angeles like Beverly Hills and Santa Monica and in Orange County hot spots like Newport Beach and Laguna Beach have parking issues. 

It’s also a good idea to procure a location by well-known anchor stores to draw traffic into your space. However, it can be difficult due to competition and inventory. Overall, traditional retail space tends to be a bit more expensive than commercial space. 

What’s Considered Commercial Construction Space? 

Commercial space is most widely understood as office space. At Alpha Omega Contractors, we understand the importance of creating a workspace that sparks creativity, encourages collaboration, and promotes a safe and healthy environment. 

Much of this can be established with an interior design that puts the employees’ needs first. Our team makes tenant improvements and long-lasting repairs that add value to your commercial property.  

But commercial space is more than just offices; it’s used for medical facilities, call centers, and industrial spaces, used as fulfillment centers for online businesses, most notably Amazon and other big-box retailers. Because of the locations near ports and major cities, Los Angeles and Orange County both boast a vast amount of industrial spaces.

What Space Does My Business Project Need? 

Now that you understand the difference between retail and commercial properties, you might still be trying to discern which one would be optimal for your specific business needs. Depending on the type of business you have, there’s even the possibility you might even need both to better serve the various purposes of your company.  For example, if you own a retail business that needs a storefront, you might also need a commercial space for your business headquarters and executive offices.

AO Contractors is Experienced at Retail and Commercial Construction

When it comes to retail and commercial building construction, at AO Contractors, our collective team expertise goes far beyond design and functionality. We are highly experienced in California Title 24 and ADA compliance, building codes throughout all Southern California jurisdictions and helping buildings achieve LEED certifications. We also have an in-depth knowledge of material costs and lead times for optimal cost and time savings. Our competitive pricing, fast timelines, and great customer service have helped us establish lasting relationships with repeat clients and trusted partners.

Have AO Contractors Help You with Your Next Construction Project Today!

With over four decades of collective experience in retail and commercial construction, Alpha Omega Contractors is your go-to construction company in Southern California to help you improve the value of your specific property. Our AO team helps bring your building projects to life with locations in both the Orange County and Los Angeles areas. 

Our experienced team of commercial contractors, designers, and design-build experts will collaborate with you from the initial stages of pre-construction through to putting the finishing touches on your next commercial or retail project on time and within budget. For more information, contact us by filling out this form or calling us at (714) 616-0417.