Careful planning is key
Office refurbishments can be a profitable investment for many reasons. As well as giving your employees a new lease of life, a sleek new office space is bound to boost business and make you appeal to potential new clients and investors. There’s no doubt that a fresh lick of paint and layout reshuffle comes with numerous benefits, however, it’s also inevitably going to cause disruption. Whether you’re redecorating one room or an entire building, a certain level of disarray is unavoidable, but what can you do to make the process as streamlined as possible?
For a manager or director, planning an office refurbishment comes with countless responsibilities and important decisions. From decor and colour scheme to furniture and layout, a lot needs to be finalised before any work begins. With so much to consider, it’s no surprise that certain details often get overlooked amidst the chaos. When it comes to any sort of renovation, organisation is crucial. However, in the event that you’re orchestrating your first office fit out, it’s often difficult to know where to start.
At DSP (Interiors) Ltd, we specialise in transforming office interiors and fitting out workspaces to meet your requirements and expectations. We understand that it can be daunting to dive into a refurbishment project without guidance. With this in mind, we’ve put together our top tips on how to plan a smooth and stress-free office refurbishment.
Ascertain why your office needs a revamp
So you’re looking to update and renovate your workspace, but it’s crucial to establish why? Perhaps you’re looking to modernise the office to make your business more current, or maybe the rundown interior of the office is having a negative impact on your employees. A refurbishment offers the best opportunity to reflect on your layout, how efficiently your offices are utilised and if new working practices like Agile working should be adopted. If you’re running out of space, rather than looking for new premises look at installing a mezzanine floor to maximise you offices potential. Whatever your motivations are for implementing this change, it’s important to be clear on what they are so that you can make plans accordingly.
Giving your office a fresh new look is as much about your employees as it is about you, so why not enlist the help of your team? Finding out how your staff members regard their workspace is a great way to identify the areas that need the most improvement. Also, they may be able to highlight aspects of the design or layout that you had never even considered. A business wouldn’t be able to function without the staff it employs, so planning a refurbishment with your colleagues in mind is of the utmost importance. Perhaps you could distribute a survey as an efficient way to gather ideas and inspiration or a confidential suggestions box if staff would prefer to remain anonymous.
Research modern office design trends to ensure your new workspace stands out for the right reasons and explore new working practices that could revolutionise your business. This will give you clarity on what you want to achieve so that when it comes to liaising with office fit out companies, you’ll be able to communicate your vision clearly and concisely.
Agree on a budget for your commercial fit out
The scale of your office renovation is going to be largely dependent on your budget, so it’s important to keep this in mind during the planning process. You should also be completely transparent about the financial limit you plan to set on the project as this will help to manage expectations. A reputable office designing firm will be able to ascertain whether your requirements match your budget and if not, alterations can be made accordingly. The importance of having these discussions early on should not be underestimated as any changes that need to be implemented further down the line could disrupt or delay the project.
Hire a reputable company that’s up to the task
Now that you’ve got some good ideas in place, it’s time to combine them with the knowledge and expertise of professionals in the field. Choosing the right firm to transform your vision into reality is an extremely important task that mustn’t be taken lightly. Your new office is going to define who you are as a business and give your employees the motivation they need to succeed. With this in mind, it’s pivotal to hire a company with extensive experience and a wide range of skills. However, first and foremost, it’s important to hire a company that is equipped to take on your project. For example, if you’re looking to renovate a large scale office building, a company that specialises in small office fit outs is unlikely going to cut the mustard. Be sure to look at a few different companies to help you make an informed decision and check out their websites thoroughly to ensure they have the right level of experience.
Whilst a website is a good indicator as to a company’s capabilities, it may also be worth asking about designer qualifications. A company that has credentials is likely to adhere to specific standards of quality and professionalism, giving you peace of mind that your project is in the best hands possible. Be sure to ask about their achievements and what makes them stand out from the crowd, i.e. recognition within their field via Awards, a proven track record of clients and examples of successful past projects with references.
Another good way to discern whether or not a firm is worth working with is to read some reviews and testimonials. This is a great way to delve into the finer details and find out how the business has been received by customers and clients in the past. Finding a firm that’s up to the task at hand is of course crucial, but it’s also important to hire a team that delivers on customer service as well. Testimonials will indicate how the team of designers interacted with the client throughout the process, so it’s important to read up in order to get the best service possible.
Inform employees and clients
As previously mentioned, an office refurbishment is likely to cause disruption to the natural order of things, so it’s important to notify the relevant parties as a matter of priority. Informing clients of the renovation in advance will ensure that appropriate contingency plans can be made and hopefully, your business or clients will not suffer.
Similarly, you should also inform staff of the changes that are being made so that they can cooperate with any preparations. Perhaps some office equipment needs to be packed away? Or maybe certain pieces of furniture need to be put into storage? Enlisting the help of your team to prepare your office in advance of the redesign will undoubtedly make your life easier and is the key to a smooth, stress-free workplace fit out.
Oversee the design and fit out work
So the day has finally arrived for your brand new office to be created. Everything is ready and your hired contractor is getting to work, so what is there left for you to do? It may seem as though it’s now your turn to take a back seat but this is not necessarily the case. Whilst you’re unlikely to be present throughout the entire renovation process, it’s important to check in with your team to receive updates on progress. For example, if it becomes apparent that the time-frame for the project needs to be extended, it’s important for you to know sooner rather than later so that you can act accordingly. Further to this, overseeing how the remodel is progressing will reassure you that your requirements are being met and your vision is coming to life as you’d planned.
Although it’s important to let the professionals do what they do best, remember that this is your project. You should be able to communicate any concerns or queries to your team throughout the process so that the appropriate amendments can be made. Overseeing your office fit out will guarantee that you’re completely happy with the finished product, ensuring a positive and seamless end to your project.
An experienced professional contractor will be well versed in this process, having dedicated staff assigned to projects that regularly involve you, keeping you up to date and ensuring you’re fully comfortable with the fit out. The added benefit of a design and fit out contractor is that nothing will get lost in translation from your initial design concept through to final fit out.
