Requirements that shape the design
Some requirements concern the premises themselves: washable surfaces, ventilation, restrooms, space for storing products and for waste. They affect the design and need to be known before you distribute the space.
Others concern daily procedures: handling and disinfection of tools, cleaning surfaces, linens, waste disposal. Those can be organised at any time, but they require space and equipment the design has to allow for.
The specific requirements are set by state boards and by local health departments, and they can vary significantly between jurisdictions. The only reliable way to know them is to request them from your state board and your local health authority before construction starts.
What has to be decided before the work
The chart is qualitative and shows how much each requirement constrains the design of the premises.
What to decide and when
The table separates what has to be resolved at design stage from what can be organised later.
| Area | When | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Ventilation and air change | Design | Hard to correct afterwards |
| Washable surfaces | Design | Determines the choice of finishes |
| Space for tools and waste | Design | Requires dedicated square footage |
| Procedures and logs | Before opening | Can be organised later |
How to set it up
Request the applicable rules
State board and local health department.
Ask what gets inspected
Inspections happen after opening.
Plan the technical spaces
In the design, not carved out later.
Define the procedures
Cleaning, disinfection, linens, waste.
Before designing
- Request the applicable rules from your state board and health department.
- Ask what inspectors actually check at inspection.
- Plan the technical spaces in the design, don't carve them out later.
Technical spaces are the item most often sacrificed when square footage is tight, and it's a choice you pay for daily: tools and products end up wherever there's room, and the area where order matters most becomes the most disorganised.
Speaking to the health department beforehand rather than afterwards changes your relationship with later inspections. An owner who has asked in advance what gets checked arrives prepared, and any observations concern details rather than structural choices.
The service to include in the new salon
Saloria enters the opening project as a consultation tool, not management software. The new salon can use it to guide the first visit, analyze the face, build the look plan and generate a protocol useful to the team. This way technology isn't an accessory: it becomes part of positioning and professional selling.
To consult before deciding
These sources are reliable starting points to verify requirements, procedures and tools. For operational decisions, always run checks with state board, local municipality, accountant and technical advisors.
- SBA: 10 steps to start your business
- IRS: Small businesses and self-employed
- OSHA: Hair salons safety guidelines
- Department of Labor: State labor offices contacts
- USA.gov: State business licenses and permits
- State Cosmetology Boards directory
- FTC: Privacy and security guidance for businesses
- Google: Guidelines for local businesses on Business Profile
- LoopNet: Commercial real estate for lease and sale
- Crexi: Commercial real estate marketplace
Frequently asked questions
Are the rules the same everywhere?
No. They're set by state boards and local health departments and can vary significantly: request them for your own jurisdiction.
What has to be decided before the work?
Ventilation, washable surfaces and technical space for tools and waste: correcting them later means redoing part of the build.
Is it worth contacting the health department first?
Yes. Knowing what gets checked lets you arrive prepared at inspections, which happen after opening.