Thank you for those replies. "RicodJour"
said:
Post a picture. If they're that damn fine, you might get someone on
here to do it for you!

LOL, now that is funny. I appreciate any humor in these forums where
you are just as likely to get flames and insults. I posted to a forum
called sci.engr.heat-vent-ac and got a very disrespecful reply. Now
I'm kind of sorry I said anything about the women of the co-op but I'm
telling you I get a woody every time I go in there. I don't have any
pics but I wish I did.

He also said:
You will need to look up your state's mechanical code and read up on the
exhaust hood requirements.
http://www.doli.state.mn.us/bc_minne...ding_code.html
You'll need to get a permit and there will be probably be at least one
inspection to verify the air flow.

Thanks for the link. I searched that site and am unable to find any
information specific to exhaust hood requirements. If you can find
this specific information, I would be most interested and grateful.

He also said:
You'll need to get a permit and there will be probably be at least one
inspection to verify the air flow

Now I know it's not right but here's the deal. I'm pretty sure this
guy wants to do this job "under the table". Up here in the northwoods
folks do thinks differently than anywhere else I have ever seen. Our
population is thin and money is short. While it is true that the
health department is requiring this hood to be installed, it is not
like you think.

This health department guy has given us a year to install the hood.
The year is almost up. He is a good friend of the co-op and a very
nice guy and probabley just needs to see a hood to cover his ass. He
is unlikely to be concerned with a lot of details like codes and
inspections.

It may not be right, but such things are routinely ignored in our area
for practical reasons. Since there is no budget for inspections and no
enforcement people build whatever they want and sort out any problems
after. Having said that, I would surely want to do a good job that
would stand up to whatever the applicable codes and requirements may
be, within reason.

He also said:
Tell the manager that he should check with a used equipment or
restaurant supply house. It's obviously important to know what you
need before he goes out and buys something. Venting into that side
alley may or may not be a problem, depending on
whether there are windows on your building or the neighboring one and
whether your code/inspector will allow it. Good luck with it

Yea, he is looking into it. There is a company in our rural area which
deals in used equipment. I'm guessing the main things which need to be
known are the size of the hood, size of the fan, and whether it is wall
venting or roof venting. Does that sound right? The wall vent would
not be venting into an alley but into a small space between buildings.
There are no windows on either building in that in that in between
area. Thank you.

"SQLit" also gave a helpful relpy. He said:
Better start with your health department instead of asking general questions
to the world. Then call some licensed contractors in your area. This
might be bigger
than your talents

That is a good idea. See my above rant for my thoughts in this area.
This deli is very,very small. There is only a small (electric) stove
like you would find in a residential kitchen. They only use it a few
hours each day.

It can be hard to hire someone in our very rural area. There are only
a few contractors in our area and they seem to fall into two
undesirable categories. Those who want the work but are drunk all the
time and those who don't need the work and may not even have the time
to answer calls. I would be happy to leave the job to a pro but Greg
the manager seems to have ruled that option out. You are correct to
say that this might be too big a job for me but I have good skills and
all the tools. With that said, I am planning to make a careful
analysis of the job requirements before accepting this challenge.

he also said:

Some hoods required by the Health Dept require make up air on the roof,

something like 3 times the exhaust volume. Commercial work where I live
is done with conduit and wire NOT Romex. Your
location will probably be the same when you enter into the health
department
rules. You have not even mentioned the tile for the floors and the
stainless steel for the walls.

As stated above, this kitchen is very, very small. They only use the
stove a few hours each day. There is no grill. The health department
guy just wants to see a hood. It sound like you are saying that two
holes might be required by some health departments so that an intake
would be provided. That sound reasonable for a true commercial kitchen
but may be more than is neccesary or required in this situation.

Having said that, I still would want to do the job in such a way that
it would fulfill any codes or requirement that may exist, within
reason. The co-op doesn't have much money. I have not mentioned tile
on the floor or steel for the walls because we have not been asked to
do these things by the health department and have not considered them.
Do you think it would be neccessary or desireable to make these
improvements if they are not required? Using conduit is an affordable
option and probably easier to install than Romex but there are unlikely
to be any permits or inspections of these items.

In summary, I'm pretty sure the health guy just wants to see some kind
of hood and is unlikely to be concerned with a lot of details like
codes or inpections. It may be a good idea to ask him for the actual
requirements but more likely that he will be satified with whatever we
install. If we were to ask for the requirements in advance he might be
obliged to actually enforce such requirements which might be a
situation worth avoiding. Thanks.