One of the most common occurrences in a hotelier's career is the responsibility to fulfill PIPs and complete hotel renovations. While this can be a stressful and sometimes time-consuming journey there are resources to help hoteliers learn more about managing their hotel renovations and PIP fulfillment.
At Amerail Systems, we’re dedicated to providing hoteliers with guides to help them prepare for and navigate their hotel PIPs and renovations the best they can.
In this guide, we have compiled a list of the most frequently asked questions we get regarding PIPs, hotel renovations, and our services.
Frequently Asked Hotel Renovation Questions:
Q: How long has (Amerail) been around?
A: Amerail Systems has been one of the top hotel renovation companies for over 36 years. Fun fact: We began as a hotel railing company and then expanded into exterior and interior hotel design and renovations.
Read more about us here.
Q: Who else have you worked for?
A: Over the last 36+ years we’ve been lucky enough to provide PIP fulfillments, hotel repairs and renovations to many hospitality companies and brands.
Some hotel brands included are:
Hilton
Marriott
IHG
Choice
Wyndham
Hyatt
Best Western
Some hospitality companies included are:
Driftwood Hospitality Management LLC
Kinseth Hospitality Companies
Meyer Jabara Hotels
The Manor Group
Global Hotel Group
ZMC Hotels
Roedel Companies
First Hospitality Group
Orchid Global/Galaxy hotels
Pacific Inns
Aimbridge Hospitality/Litt Group
Q: What states/locations do you offer hotel renovation services in?
A: We offer hotel renovation services in the continental United States.
Q: Are you licensed in (Hotels Location)?
A: We are licensed/able to obtain licensing in every state in the continental United States.
Q: How long does the average upgrade take?
A: On average a hotel renovation once construction begins will last approximately 3-5 Months. But if you consider the time for everything that comes before construction (design approval, permits, etc.), an average hotel renovation in total can take 7-12+ months from when a contract is signed.
Because the entire process can take 7-12 months, it's important to get started as early as possible.
Read more on this here.
Q: How many rooms does your crew need once we get started?
A: For a typical hotel upgrade we would need 4-7 rooms for our crew.
Q: What do you warranty?
A: All labor.
Q: How long is your warranty?
A: 1 year, plus the owner receives any manufactures warranty.
Q: Would you use one of my subs on this project?
A: We prefer to use our crews because of their extensive experience. They have been with us for over 20 years, and are highly skilled and proficient in their field of expertise.
Q: How much of a deposit do you need?
A: Typically 20-25%
Q: How long does the hotel design take?
A: Hotel design timelines can vary, but on average it takes about 2 weeks to reach a design agreement, 4-8 weeks to come up with a design concept, and 3-4 months to reach a final design and approval.
Read more on this here.
Q: Will there be photos of my hotel renovation that I can use?
A: Throughout your renovation, our team will take photos of each stage of the project. We post these photos on our social media platforms and once a project is completed, on our website.
If you’d like to use any photos taken by our team we would be more than happy to share them with you to post on social media or your website with appropriate credit given to Amerail Systems.
Example of appropriate credit when using a photo provided by us:
“Photo and renovation credit to Amerail Systems”
Q: Are you on social media?
A: We are active on nearly every major social media platform including Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook, YouTube, and Twitter.
We share project updates and announcements, free educational guides for hoteliers, relatable content, and industry news.
Here are some links so you can follow us!
Q: Will you tag us on social media?
A: We love connecting through social media and we always try to find the hotels we’re renovating on social pages. We now offer an easy way for you to get tagged on social media!
Click here to submit your hotel's social media information to make sure your hotel is tagged on all your platforms!
Q: When can our hotel renovations begin?
A: Before we mobilize our crews and begin your hotel renovation, we will discuss a timeline that works best for you and your hotel to make sure your guests stay as undisturbed as possible.
Once a contract is signed and a deposit is received, we will begin to mobilize our crews and equipment to get started on your hotel renovation as soon as possible.
Q: How can I keep my guests happy during a renovation?
A: As experienced renovators in the hospitality industry and also people who stay in hotels often, we understand how important it is to keep guests undisturbed so they can enjoy their stay.
Our crews are all guest sensitive and we plan around a timeline that is best for you and your guests. We also suggest adding signage around your common areas and entrances that alert your guests of the renovations.
Click here for free downloadable renovation signage.
Q: How long do the plans take?
A: Hotel plans are a part of the pre-construction phase and can take 3-4 months to complete once a hotel design concept is agreed upon.
Q: How much does (*insert hotel renovation or service*) cost?
A: Once we receive a PIP and as-built drawings we can accurately determine a cost per key for your hotel renovation.
Q: Is there a way to lower my renovation cost?
A: With 35+ years as a top hotel renovation company, our team at Amerail Systems is able to provide our clients with value-engineered solutions to keep costs as low as possible.
Q: Would rebranding/reflagging be cheaper than fulfilling our PIP?
A: Sometimes rebranding/reflagging your hotel is more cost-efficient than fulfilling your current brand's PIP.
If you’re wondering whether to rebrand or renovate your hotel we would be happy to complete an analysis based on both brand's current PIPs for you to make the best decision.
Wondering whether to rebrand or renovate? Contact us today
Q: What percentage of my hotel will/won’t be operational during a renovation?
A: For an exterior hotel renovation we can keep 100% of your hotel operational with our guest-friendly crews and top-tier communication.
For Interior hotel renovations, we typically renovate one floor at a time starting from the top floor. This usually means that 75% of your hotel will be operational at any given time while 25% of your hotel will not be operational while we renovate your hotel guest rooms.
*These percentages are based on an average hotel renovation and may be either higher or lower depending on the scope of work.
Q: Do you offer smaller renovation/repair services for hotels?
A: Yes! We are happy to offer services outside of full scale hotel renovations.
Some of our most common hotel renovation/repair services are:
Hotel EIFS repair
EIFS water damage repair
Painting
Hotel room front renovations
Hotel window replacement/Energy efficient window installation
Hotel railing Systems
Hotel Porte Cochere Reconfiguration
If you don’t see a hotel renovation or repair service that you’re in need of, please contact us to see if we can help!
Q: How long does a window replacement job take?
A: On average, a hotel window replacement job can take 2-4 months to complete but the time for completion can vary depending on the hotel property.
Q: Do you provide hotel lighting and roofing services?
A: We can provide hotel lighting and roofing services with a hotel renovation.
Have a hotel renovation/PIP question but didn’t see it here?
Contact us today and we’ll be happy to answer it!