Specialist veterinary architects and animal hospital contractors delivering ground-up construction, interior remodels, and exterior renovations across Middle Tennessee, one team from first sketch to grand opening.
Nashville Veterinary Construction & Design Build Architects
Veterinary Hospital Design Architects
Design Build Partners is proud to have designed and built numerous veterinary practices such as Carothers Parkway Veterinary Clinic in Brentwood TN and Richland Animal Clinic in the Belle Meade area of Nashville. We are both commercial contractors and architects with experience in animal facilities. Whether it is an animal clinic, veterinary surgery facility, hospital, pet resort, dog and cat food store or emergency care facility, our architect team has the expertise to design a unique custom space with your needs at the forefront.
Our architects provide a comprehensive approach to veterinary surgery design and facility construction. We are a true design build firm that takes an integrated approach to projects from the initial idea and planning stage to design, breaking ground, and constructing your new animal facility.
Reviews
What Veterinary Practice Owners Say
Experienced Animal Hospital Construction, Architect & Builder
The veterinary practices we have worked with have told us that experience matters. It is our goal as commercial contractors to design veterinary hospitals and build a long-lasting functional space that is ideal for the animals left in your care as well as your staff. The veterinary hospitals and surgical facilities we have built in the local area offer a safe and comfortable space for owners and their pets. We have learned from experience things that come from building several facilities. Example:
- Size and location of animal and owner waiting rooms/areas
- Ideal boarding/kennel area design and location
- Best layout options for exam rooms, storage areas, break rooms, pet food sales, and cleaning spaces
- Adding architectural design options from our architects based on how land/lot is shaped and positioned
- Adding interior or exterior design elements based on needs of the clinic and anticipated growth
- Animal surgery room location & design
Design Build Partners create design options that maximize your hospital/clinic space and offer custom design ideas. Our architects keep future growth in mind as we design and listen to your specific needs. We are committed to staying within budget if you choose to have us build your facility.
Your Vision Delivered
Over 30 years of expertise bringing your ideas to creation.
Services Include
- Architecture
- General Contracting
- Real Estate Development
- Planning
- Historical Preservation
- Commercial Code Compliance
- Cost Analysis
Awards From
- Tennessean
- Nashville Scene
- American Institute of Architects (AIA)
- Associated General Contractors
- Metro Historic Commission
- Excellence in Development
Veterinary Services We Offer
Our veterinary design and build services include reviewing locations, planning, getting approvals, building, and supporting you after opening. Whether you need a new veterinary building, a remodel inside, or updates outside in phases, one team handles planning, costs, and construction from start to finish.
Veterinary Ground Up Construction
We guide you in creating new animal hospitals on raw or cleared sites, from initial feasibility and site planning through to an exciting grand opening. Our team is with you every step of the way, handling civil, structural, MEP, and seamless vet-specific systems integration.
Veterinary Interior Remodel
Rework existing veterinary clinic interior layouts, exam rooms, treatment areas, surgery, and boarding, often phased so the practice stays open during construction.
Veterinary Exterior Renovation
Give your facility a fresh, inviting look with a refresh, welcoming signage, easy ADA-compliant entries, separate dog and cat doors, redesigned parking, and calming landscape work, each detail thoughtfully supporting your patients and clients.
Veterinary Hospital Design Plans
Our schematic and construction-ready hospital design plans welcome you from the start, offering clear, permit-ready solutions that include detailed layouts, efficient MEP systems, and personalised finish specifications.
Veterinary Clinic Interior Design
We help you select finishes, lighting, millwork, and materials for your clinic that look great, feel inviting, and stand up to the wear and tear of busy veterinary life.
Animal Surgery Center Design
Together, we create surgical suite ventilation, scrub-up zones, post-op recovery, and equipment rooms to foster a safe, welcoming space that meets the highest clinical standards for veterinary surgery.
Our Veterinary Construction Process
Our veterinary construction process moves through six structured phases: discovery, schematic design, permitting, pre-construction, construction, and closeout. Each phase has defined deliverables, budget checkpoints, and client sign-off, so practice owners always know what is happening, what is next, and what it will cost before work proceeds to the next stage.
Frequently Asked Questions About Veterinary Construction in Nashville
How much does it cost to build a veterinary hospital in Nashville?
Veterinary construction in the Nashville market typically ranges from $300 to $550 per square foot for new ground-up builds and $150 to $300 per square foot for interior remodels, depending on finish level, medical equipment integration, and site conditions.
We provide an itemized cost analysis during pre-construction so that practice owners see exactly how the budget is allocated before breaking ground.
How long does veterinary construction take from design to opening?
A typical Nashville veterinary ground-up construction project usually takes 12 to 18 months from contract signing to grand opening. You can expect about 3 to 5 months for design and permitting, and 8 to 12 months for construction. Veterinary interior remodels generally take about 3 to 6 months. Design-build delivery often helps shorten these timelines compared to traditional design-bid-build.
What is the difference between design-build and traditional contracting for vet clinics?
In design-build, a single accountable firm handles both veterinary architecture and construction under a single contract, compressing timelines and eliminating the architect contractor finger-pointing common in traditional design-bid-build. Traditional delivery splits design and construction into separate contracts, which can extend schedules and create scope gaps that surface as change orders mid-build.
Can you remodel a veterinary clinic while it stays open for patients?
Yes. We routinely phase veterinary interior remodels so the clinic remains operational, sequencing work zone by zone, scheduling noisy demolition outside patient hours, and maintaining infection-control barriers between active treatment areas and construction zones. Phased remodels add some duration but allow practices to keep generating revenue throughout the project.
Do you handle permitting and zoning for veterinary clinics?
Yes. Our team manages Metro Nashville zoning verification, site plan approvals, building permits, health department coordination, and commercial code compliance from start to finish. Because we have practiced in Middle Tennessee for 30+ years, we know which submissions trigger longer review cycles and how to sequence permitting so that it does not delay the start of construction.
Do you design veterinary exterior renovations or only interiors?
We handle both. Our veterinary exterior renovation work includes façade updates, signage integration, parking redesign, ADA-compliant entries, separate dog and cat entrances, and landscaping that supports patient calming. Exterior work is often paired with interior remodels to refresh the entire client experience within a single coordinated project.
How much square footage should I plan per veterinary exam room?
Industry-standard veterinary exam rooms run 80 to 120 square feet, with 100 sq ft a common target for general practice. Specialty exam rooms, orthopedic, ophthalmology, and behavior typically need 120 to 160 sq ft to accommodate larger equipment and a second handler. We size exam rooms during programming based on your case mix and projected patient volume.
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Ready to start your veterinary construction project in Nashville or Middle Tennessee?
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Updated on May 24, 2026