The Commercial Coffee Site Survey

Survey a working station, not an empty rectangle

A machine footprint describes only part of the space it uses. Your site survey should show how the station operates when someone fills beans, removes a tray, replaces milk or cleans the counter. Start with a measured plan and photographs from the front, sides and approach route. Include nearby doors, cupboards and equipment.

Use tape or a cardboard outline to represent the proposed machine and accessories. Have the future operator rehearse opening panels and carrying supplies. This simple exercise often reveals that a visually generous counter has poor refill access or that an open cupboard blocks the person collecting a drink.

Record exact equipment and clearances

Identify the proposed model, regional version and accessory list. Ask the supplier for current dimensional drawings and the access requirements for normal use and service. Keep cabinet width, depth and height separate from the extra working space the installer specifies. A countertop opening based only on a sales photograph is difficult to correct later.

JURA publishes technical documentation alongside the US GIGA X8 product page. Such model specific material is a useful starting point for a coordinated survey. Have the installer confirm that the documents match the exact equipment being supplied, especially when a cooler, payment device or other accessory changes the arrangement.

Follow the delivery and service route

Walk the route from unloading point to final counter. Record door openings, stairs, lift access, booking restrictions and the hours when delivery is permitted. Confirm who receives the equipment and where packaging can be removed. Include the future route for service removal, not just the first installation.

Ask facilities to assess whether the counter and proposed arrangement are suitable for the complete installed setup. That review should use actual equipment documentation. Avoid guessing from appearance or relying on a nominal machine weight that excludes accessories and the operating contents.

Document utility questions for specialists

Mark the intended power points, water supply and drainage arrangements on the plan. Photograph their positions without dismantling anything. Ask the installer and relevant qualified trades to confirm suitability, required changes and responsibility for completing them. The survey should collect information and resolve ownership; it is not a substitute for professional installation design.

For a tank supplied station, show where water is collected and where trays are emptied. For a connected machine, request the applicable inlet, treatment and drain requirements for the exact configuration. Also record where cleaning supplies and replacement consumables will be stored so service work does not take over the guest counter.

Close the survey with named decisions

Create a short action register listing each unresolved question, its owner and its due date. Typical items include outlet verification, counter modification, milk cooler placement and a delivery booking. Mark the point at which the supplier can confirm the final configuration and installation date.

Share the same survey pack with purchasing, facilities, the installer and the operating team. Before the order is released, ask each party to confirm its responsibilities. A successful survey leaves very few surprises for installation day and gives the staff a station they can actually refill, clean and use comfortably.

Build a survey pack another person can actually use

Label photographs with the location and viewing direction, and pair them with a simple measured plan. Include the proposed machine, cooler, grinder and storage spaces as separate items rather than drawing one anonymous equipment rectangle. Record what is known and what still needs confirmation. A marked photograph showing an obstructing cupboard is more useful than an unqualified statement that the counter is large enough.

Run a practical access rehearsal before approving cabinetry. Place a temporary outline where each piece of equipment would sit and ask the future operator to explain how beans arrive, milk is replaced, waste leaves and cleaning supplies are collected. Then ask the installer what service access the exact configuration requires. Keep operator access and technician access as separate checks; a station that is easy to use from the front may still require additional space for planned service.

Use an acceptance checklist that names who signs off each category: facilities for site readiness, the relevant trades for utilities, the supplier or installer for the equipment arrangement, and the operating team for everyday access. Record the revision date of the drawing each person reviewed. If the chosen model or an accessory changes, circulate the revised arrangement rather than assuming the old approval covers it. This simple version control prevents a late cooler or grinder addition from appearing for the first time on installation day.