New Construction or Remodeling of a Center

The Most Important Factor – Location  

Where you build your new childcare center will determine the total costs, building permits, and how much business you’ll get. However, beyond these basics, the site you pick can also have an impact on the health and well-being of the children under your care, so choose carefully to give yourself and the children at your center a center that benefits everyone.  

Follow the Need  

Where you open your center will determine if you have business. If you are in an area that already has dozens of childcare options, a new center likely won’t get much business. However, if you open in a childcare desert, you’re likely to fill a strong need for childcare in your area and have plenty of business. Search the map on Children at Risk to find out whether the area you want to open a childcare center in is in a childcare desert.  

Research existing childcare in the area with the help of a Child Care Resource and Referral Agency, such as Collaborative for Children or Early Childhood Texas. Child Care Aware has a workbook that you can fill in as you learn about the current childcare environment of your area. This workbook also has exercises to help you in planning your business operations, such as the age ranges of children you can accept, number of children, and the rates.  

Finally, check with your town’s zoning maps to be sure that you can have a commercial operation at your proposed site. Refer to the local resources page to find links to area government sites to see if your town or city has zoning requirements. Some cities, such as Sugar Land, have strict zoning laws while others, such as the City of Houston, have none. 

You are ultimately responsible for ensuring that you can open a childcare center or home-based childcare operation at a given site in your area.  

Is It Safe?  

Even if the area seems prime from a business standpoint, you want to check that the site has a healthy environment for the children who will be at the center.  

The Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR), part of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), has a Set It Up Safe: Planning Tool for what you should look for when evaluating sites for your childcare center.  

This tool takes you through researching important questions about the site:  

• What was the site formerly used for? 

• What activities happen nearby? What other locations are nearby?  

• Is there any naturally occurring contamination to the site?  

• Does the site have a source of safe drinking water?  

The answers to these questions will let you know if the site is clean and safe from environmental contaminants for children to play and learn there.

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Do Your Research on Childcare Building Requirements for Your Area 

You need to conduct some research on your area’s building and inspection requirements. Contact your county and city’s building and inspection departments to find out what types of forms you need to complete before you can use your expanded, remodeled, or newly built childcare center.  

Be careful when researching because even if you live in the greater Houston metropolitan area, you may be under the jurisdiction of a smaller town. For example, the City of Bellaire, has its own inspections and forms to complete for businesses within its boundaries.  

Refer to the local resources page for links to area building and inspection departments or forms you need to complete for inspections.  

While researching, check with your city’s and county’s governments to find out if you need health, fire, or safety inspections once your building is completed.

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Find a Trusted Builder to Work With

One of your most important relationships during the construction process will be with your architect and general contractor in charge of orchestrating the construction or remodeling of your center. The architect will design your new building while the general contract will work with subcontractors to complete the construction.  

For both types of professionals, you should find individuals familiar with Subchapters T and U of the Minimum Standards for Childcare Centers. These subchapters cover the basic requirements for the physical facilities, in subchapter T, and the indoor and outdoor play areas in subchapter U.  

During construction, make sure that your builder continues to adhere to these minimum standards without deviating. If they don’t meet the minimum requirements, you won’t be able to have your center licensed.

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New Construction and Licensing

Whether you expanded your existing facility, moved to a new location, or opened a completely new site, you need to let Licensing know about any changes you make. 

If you intend to remodel, you need to notify Licensing before you start construction work. Child Care Regulation (CCR) will send out an inspector within 30 days to approve your plans.  

Similarly, you must let Licensing know 30 days before you move if you intend to switch to a new location.  The new site will need inspections from Licensing before you can get the address for your license updated and start operations at the new site.  

If you are building a new center and don’t already have a location, you need to follow the process for opening a new childcare center. Part of the process is submitting an application form that includes the floor plan with the interior and exterior dimensions noted. Licensing will inspect your new center and approve your license. Once you have the license for your new location, register online for a Child Care Regulation Account.

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