What I wish I would have known when we first started this process was all of the different costs that are associated with just the planning phase. We um did not have to have the site approved because again it was already an existing commercial building. However, um we did go to the planning commission to um to request the OPRA. We applied for the OPRA program and that is a program where it allows you to cap your um taxes based on where they are when you purchase the building.
So, as we made improvements and we increased the value of our building, our taxes did not increase for a set time that the commission set for us. So, um, that was when we went to the commission meetings and we went in front of the board and, um, explained what we were doing and why this was going to be of value to Battle Creek. Red flags in design and construction estimates. Really, just educate yourself.
Educate yourself as much as possible and hire people to know the things that you don't know. When we looked for our second building for our production facility, uh we didn't know we had a budget for those things until they were coming. So then we had to do some quick adjustments to our um financial situation, financial package. But those things add up and those are before you even get to purchasing a building or getting a lease out there.
It helps when you're if like for the construction side that your general contractor has done work in Battle Creek or wherever the city that that you're building your business and that they understand uh how the inspectors work, the codes that are required in that city if they're different. Um that really helps uh the process a
