Restaurant Remodeling & Construction in San Antonio, TX | Licensed Contractor

House FX is the restaurant remodeling contractor San Antonio operators trust to deliver on the metrics that matter – speed, fixed-bid pricing, and an immovable opening date. Licensed, insured, Texas Department of Licensing & Regulation–registered, and a Better Business Bureau accredited commercial contractor for 6+ years, House FX has built and remodeled 75+ restaurants across the San Antonio market: from Pearl District chef-driven concepts to Stone Oak family restaurants, from Southtown bars to Boerne Hill Country dining rooms. We deliver restaurant construction services that pass health inspection on the first walk, hit the Fire Marshal’s requirements without rework, and open on the date in the contract. Call 210-853-3651 for a free site walk and fixed-bid restaurant remodel quote in San Antonio today.

Restaurant remodeling in San Antonio typically costs $185 to $425 per square foot depending on whether you’re refreshing front-of-house, gutting back-of-house, or building from vanilla shell. Permits run through the City of San Antonio Development Services Department, the San Antonio Fire Marshal, and the San Antonio Metropolitan Health District. Most full restaurant build-outs complete in 14 to 22 weeks.

Restaurant Remodeling Services We Offer in San Antonio

Restaurant remodeling has its own physics. Health code, fire code, hood and exhaust engineering, grease management, walk-in coordination, ADA compliance, and lease-driven opening dates all collide in every project. House FX runs a dedicated restaurant construction services team built for exactly this scope of work.

Full Restaurant Build-Outs from Vanilla Shell

New restaurant construction in San Antonio starting from white-box space. House FX builds the entire restaurant – kitchen, dining room, bar, restrooms, host stand, exterior signage permitting, patio – under one contract.

Front-of-House Remodels

Dining room refreshes, host stand replacements, banquette installation, lighting and ambiance upgrades, custom millwork, flooring, and finishes. Front-of-house remodels can often be staged during off-hours to keep your San Antonio restaurant operating during the project.

Commercial Kitchen Remodels

Back-of-house kitchen remodeling including new hood and exhaust systems, suppression upgrades, grease trap relocation, line equipment installation, walk-in cooler and freezer placement, NSF-compliant finishes, and floor sink coordination. Built to San Antonio Metropolitan Health District requirements.

Restaurant Bar Builds & Remodels

Custom bar construction including back-bar coolers, glycol systems, ice wells, dishwashing, three-compartment sinks, and Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission (TABC) compliant layouts. From craft cocktail bars in Southtown to sports bars on the Loop 1604 corridor.

Patio, Outdoor Dining, & Sidewalk Cafe Construction

Permitted outdoor dining space – a major revenue lever for any San Antonio restaurant, given the year-round patio season. House FX handles deck construction, awnings, drainage, lighting, and any required City of San Antonio sidewalk-cafe permits or right-of-way approvals.

ADA Title III Restaurant Accessibility Upgrades

Accessible entryways, restroom modifications, counter heights, table clearances, and signage to bring San Antonio restaurants into current ADA compliance – increasingly enforced and increasingly important.

Restaurant Refreshes & Concept Conversions

Converting an existing restaurant space to a new concept – including replacing finishes, reconfiguring the kitchen line, rebranding the dining room, and re-permitting under a new occupancy classification when required.

Our Restaurant Remodeling Process & Timeline

Restaurant remodel timelines are unlike any other commercial construction. Lease economics, opening-date marketing, staff training schedules, and supplier orders all hinge on a contractor who delivers when promised. Here is how House FX delivers.

Phase 1 – Concept Walk & Lease Review (Days 1–7)

Site walk, lease review for TI allowance and operational restrictions, and a discovery session on your concept, menu, seating count, and target opening date for your San Antonio restaurant.

Phase 2 – Design, Engineering, & Equipment Coordination (Days 8–35)

Space planning, kitchen line design, MEP engineering, hood and exhaust calculations, ADA route verification, and equipment-vendor coordination. House FX works with all major San Antonio restaurant equipment dealers and refrigeration specialists.

Phase 3 – Permitting (Days 36–60)

Three permit tracks run in parallel: building permit (City of San Antonio Development Services Department), health permit (San Antonio Metropolitan Health District), and fire / hood suppression permit (San Antonio Fire Marshal). House FX handles all three. Commercial restaurant permit review in San Antonio typically takes 15–30 business days.

Phase 4 – Construction (Days 61–140)

Demolition, framing, MEP rough-in, hood and exhaust installation, kitchen finishes, dining room finishes, millwork, bar construction, equipment set, and final commissioning. House FX coordinates equipment delivery windows directly so your line and refrigeration arrive when the space is ready – not before, not after.

Phase 5 – Inspections & Soft Opening Prep (Days 141–155)

Building, health, and fire inspections – sequenced so any minor finding is corrected before the next inspection. House FX restaurant projects in San Antonio routinely pass health inspection on the first walk because we build to the inspector’s checklist, not around it.

How Much Does Restaurant Remodeling Cost in San Antonio?

Restaurant construction services pricing in San Antonio is most accurately quoted in dollars per square foot, adjusted for scope. The 2026 ranges below reflect current House FX pricing across the San Antonio market.

Project Type	Typical Scope	San Antonio Cost / Sq Ft
Front-of-House Refresh	Dining room finishes, lighting, banquettes	$55 – $110
Mid-Range Restaurant Remodel	FOH + light BOH updates, finishes, fixtures	$120 – $200
Concept Conversion	New layout, partial kitchen rework, full finish refresh	$165 – $275
Full Vanilla-Shell Restaurant Build-Out	Complete kitchen + dining + bar + restrooms	$285 – $425+
High-End Chef-Driven Concept	Custom kitchen line, premium finishes, bar program	$425 – $650+

The single biggest cost driver in any San Antonio restaurant remodel is hood and exhaust scope. New hoods, longer duct runs to the roof, makeup air units, and Ansul suppression upgrades can swing a project by tens of thousands of dollars. House FX field-verifies hood and MEP feasibility before issuing the fixed-bid quote – no surprise overages mid-build.

San Antonio Restaurant Districts & Service Areas We Cover

House FX is a restaurant remodeling contractor serving the full San Antonio metro area and Bexar County.

• The Pearl District & Broadway Corridor – chef-driven concepts, craft cocktail bars, and contemporary dining
• Southtown, King William, and South Flores – independent restaurants, bars, and creative-district concepts
• River Walk & Downtown San Antonio – high-traffic tourism restaurants and historic-building remodels
• St. Mary’s Strip – nightlife venues, bars, and music-driven concepts
• Stone Oak & 1604 North – family restaurants and casual dining
• Alamo Heights & Olmos Park – boutique restaurants and neighborhood cafes
• La Cantera, The Rim, and Northwest San Antonio – corporate-adjacent dining
• Boerne, Bulverde, and Helotes Hill Country – destination restaurants
• New Braunfels, Schertz, Cibolo, and Selma – Northeast Bexar County restaurant corridor
• Historic Market Square & West San Antonio – Tex-Mex, traditional, and heritage concept restaurants

Why San Antonio Restaurant Operators Choose House FX

• Opening-Date Discipline – House FX schedules restaurant remodels backward from your opening date and contractually commits to it. Daily credits apply on any controllable delay.
• First-Walk Health Inspection Pass – House FX builds to the San Antonio Metropolitan Health District inspector’s checklist. {Most} House FX restaurant projects pass health inspection on the first walk.
• Hood, MEP, & Suppression Expertise – The right hood and exhaust engineering is the difference between a restaurant remodel that finishes on time and one that overruns by months. House FX has in-house expertise in commercial kitchen MEP design.
• Fixed-Bid Pricing – Your quote is your contract value. Overages happen only for owner-requested scope changes.
• Equipment & Vendor Coordination – House FX works with every major San Antonio restaurant equipment dealer and refrigeration specialist. Your equipment lands when the line is ready, not weeks before or after.
• TABC, ADA, and Fire Marshal Knowledge – House FX has navigated TABC bar layout requirements, ADA Title III restaurant compliance, and San Antonio Fire Marshal requirements on every kind of food and beverage concept.
• Lease & TI Allowance Coordination – House FX works directly with landlords and brokers on tenant improvement allowance management, common in San Antonio’s restaurant lease market.
• 75+ Restaurants Built Across San Antonio – A verifiable portfolio of completed restaurants you can drive by, eat at, and verify.

Real Reviews from San Antonio Restaurant Operators

Chef Marco D., Pearl District Restaurant Owner We needed to convert an existing Pearl District restaurant to a completely new concept on a 16-week clock. House FX delivered on day 109 – three days ahead of contract. The kitchen passed health inspection on the first walk. I have already engaged them for our second location.

Lauren K., Owner, Stone Oak Family Restaurant House FX remodeled our family restaurant in Stone Oak between Sunday close and Tuesday open for the front-of-house phase, then handled the kitchen remodel during our two-week shutdown. We never lost a service we didn’t plan to lose. Highly recommend.

James R., Co-Owner, Southtown Bar Building a craft cocktail bar in Southtown is not for a generalist contractor. House FX understood TABC layout requirements, glycol systems, and the historic-district permitting we had to navigate. On-time opening, fixed bid honored, no drama.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

How much does it cost to remodel a restaurant in San Antonio?

Restaurant remodeling in San Antonio typically costs $120 to $275 per square foot for mid-range remodels and concept conversions. Front-of-house refreshes start at $55–$110 per square foot. Full vanilla-shell restaurant build-outs in San Antonio run $285–$425 per square foot, and high-end chef-driven concepts can reach $650 per square foot. Hood and exhaust scope is the largest single cost variable.

How long does it take to build out a restaurant in San Antonio?

Most full vanilla-shell restaurant build-outs in San Antonio take 14 to 22 weeks from contract signing to opening. Front-of-house refreshes can complete in 4–6 weeks. Concept conversions typically run 10–14 weeks. The largest schedule variable is the three-track permit process (building, health, fire) which adds 15–30 business days in San Antonio.

What permits do I need for a restaurant remodel in San Antonio?

A San Antonio restaurant remodel typically requires three permits: a building permit from the City of San Antonio Development Services Department, a health permit from the San Antonio Metropolitan Health District, and a fire / hood suppression permit from the San Antonio Fire Marshal. Restaurants serving alcohol additionally need Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission (TABC) licensing. House FX handles all building, health, and fire permits.

Can House FX remodel my San Antonio restaurant while we stay open?

Often, yes. House FX phases restaurant remodels to keep the dining room operating during front-of-house work and during early back-of-house phases. Full kitchen remodels typically require a short closure – usually 7–14 days – to safely complete hood, MEP, and equipment work. We will engineer the closure window around your slowest revenue period.

Does House FX handle restaurant kitchen hood and exhaust systems?

Yes. Commercial kitchen hood design, exhaust ductwork to roof, makeup-air sizing, and Ansul suppression installation are core in-house House FX capabilities. We engineer hood and exhaust to current International Mechanical Code requirements and the San Antonio Fire Marshal’s standards on every restaurant remodel.

Does House FX build restaurants in Boerne, New Braunfels, and the Texas Hill Country?

Yes. House FX is a restaurant remodeling contractor serving the full San Antonio metro area including Boerne, Bulverde, Helotes, Schertz, Cibolo, and New Braunfels. Hill Country destination restaurants are a regular part of our portfolio. Service radius extends approximately 45 miles from downtown San Antonio for restaurant projects.

Does House FX work with restaurant equipment vendors and refrigeration specialists?

Yes. House FX maintains active working relationships with every major San Antonio restaurant equipment dealer, walk-in cooler and freezer specialist, refrigeration company, and commercial dishwashing supplier. Your equipment delivery is coordinated to land when the space is ready to receive it – not weeks before, not weeks after.

Can I get a fixed-bid quote for my San Antonio restaurant remodel?

Yes. House FX issues a fixed-bid itemized quote for every restaurant remodel and restaurant construction services project in San Antonio. The quote is your contract value. Change orders are issued only for owner-requested scope additions, never for items in the original scope.

Get a Free Site Walk for Your San Antonio Restaurant Remodel

Your concept deserves a restaurant remodeling contractor who treats your opening date as a non-negotiable, your fixed-bid quote as a contract, and your health inspection as a first-walk pass – not a punch list. House FX has built and remodeled {75+} restaurants across San Antonio, from Pearl District chef concepts to Stone Oak family dining to Boerne Hill Country destinations, and we are ready to deliver yours. Site walks are free, quotes are fixed-bid, and we put your opening date in the contract. Call House FX at 210-853-3651, email our restaurant construction team, or complete the free quote form on this page. The San Antonio restaurant remodeling contractor your peers already recommend is one conversation away.