Hi everyone,

I’m looking for honest feedback from people who’ve gone through this in Florida.

My wife and I are moving to the US to open a **small bakery café** (sandwiches, quiches, pastries — no heavy cooking). We just got our visa approved and will be on-site very soon.

The space:

* \~800 sq ft

* Already in **very good condition**

* Not a full build-out

* Equipment already purchased (ovens, etc. — not included in quotes)

The two main constraints:

* Electrical upgrade from **single-phase to 3-phase** (I understand this part and budgeted for it)

* **Mandatory exterior grease trap (concrete)**

Here’s where I’m struggling:

I was told I *need* a **General Contractor (GC)** to pull permits and handle the project.

So I got quotes from 3 GCs (again, excluding kitchen equipment):

* GC #1: **$180,000**

* GC #2: **$240,000**

* GC #3: **$360,000**

For an 800 sq ft café, this feels completely insane to me.

On top of that:

* Grease trap alone is quoted around **$30k–$35k** (exterior, concrete, under…