office refurbishment st Andrews, A tired and outdated office can stifle collaboration, creativity and productivity. An office refurbishment is an opportunity to update workspace design and products in order to achieve the desired business goals.
To ensure the project runs smoothly, it’s essential to have a clear understanding of what to expect from your renovation. Considering 5 key factors before starting can help with seamless planning stages and mitigate unforeseen costs later down the line.
Design
The workplace isn’t just a place to work – it’s an environment that influences the creativity, productivity and wellbeing of your team. An office refurbishment gives you the opportunity to re-imagine your workspace with these key factors in mind, helping you to meet your strategic goals.
The first thing you need to do is define why you need a new workplace and put together a list of objectives for your refurbishment. office refurbishment st Andrews , this list will help you create a comprehensive brief for your refurbishment partner, which will guide them through the process of designing a workspace that will meet your needs.
Once you have your goals in mind, it’s time to select a project champion and put together a cross-departmental team. office refurbishment st Andrews , this will help to ensure that the project runs smoothly and minimises disruption to your business. The team should include your IT director, who will help to plan how systems and data can be moved during the refurbishment and ensure that any issues are resolved promptly.
It’s also important to involve your marketing department head at this stage, as the design will need to reflect the company’s brand image and culture. In addition, the HR department will be able to advise on how the new workspace can support staff retention and recruitment.
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Next, you’ll need to decide how much of your office will be refurbished and how disruptive it will be to your team during the work. It may be possible to work from home or a nearby location during some of the refurbishment works, but in most cases, it’s necessary to move all staff out of the office and into a temporary space. This will be very disruptive, so it’s important to have open lines of communication between all parties and ensure that your office refurbishment partner is clear on what they can and cannot do during the work.
A mid touch refurb is less disruptive than a full strip out and fit out, but it still involves the removal of existing facilities, and their replacement with new components that better suit your requirements. This typically includes new flooring, kitchen areas, meeting rooms, partitions and furniture.
Furniture
A refurbishment can include a wide range of furniture from desks and collaborative tables to meeting room chairs and storage systems. This is often the most visible part of your new workplace and gives you the opportunity to create an on-brand space that really reflects your business.
You can also use this opportunity to update your furniture with more ergonomic pieces that support wellbeing and help increase productivity. Refurbishment can also include upgrades to your technology and introducing more energy-efficient lighting and equipment.
Refurbishment may also allow you to make more room for functional spaces like extra offices or meeting rooms that you simply don’t have the space for in your existing workspace. This will enhance the way your team works and can significantly improve their productivity.
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Depending on the scope of your refurbishment, it can include changes to essential services such as power & data, lighting, fire safety, plumbing and air conditioning. These can add significant unforeseen costs to any refurbishment project and are often underestimated by many contractors. However, careful planning and ensuring the right project management in place can minimise these.
A full office refurbishment is a big undertaking that can involve everything from stripping out and rewiring to installing new kitchen areas, partitions, flooring, decoration, furniture and more. This type of project can be done in stages to limit disruption to your team but is often a much larger and more costly project than a simple reconfiguration or mid-touch refurbishment.
The key to a successful office refurbishment is selecting the right project management partner for you. Ensure your refurbishment partner has a proven track record of delivering high quality projects on time and within budget in the commercial workspace sector. You should also consider if they have the in-house design and project management team you need to work closely with over a long period of weeks or months.
Choosing a supplier that is well-respected in the industry and has a great reputation for customer service is also important. You will want to make sure your refurbishment partner is able to understand and deliver on your vision, as well as provide a clear and concise project plan with transparent pricing. You should also ensure that you have a senior project champion in place, somebody who can oversee the project and manage the project team.
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The fit out stage of an office refurbishment is where the real work takes place. This is when furniture is brought in, decor added and space utilisation techniques applied. It’s also where the bespoke design features are implemented that will give your company that edge and help your staff work more efficiently, creatively and effectively.
It’s a good idea to hire a specialist contractor who can provide all of the services you require for your office fit out, including project management, office design, mechanical and electrical works, decoration and furniture supply. This will ensure a smooth process and minimise any potential issues that could arise.
This is especially important if you’re planning a major refurbishment or fit out, as it’s possible hidden costs can creep in without you even realising. To avoid this, make sure to ask for a detailed quote from the contractor before starting any work. You should also check their accreditations, project portfolio and services they offer to find out what you’re getting for your money.
Once the initial scoping phase is completed, you’ll need to finalise your budget with your design and build partner. This will allow them to prepare a schedule of works that will keep disruption to a minimum and ensure that the project is finished on time.
One of the most crucial things to consider during this phase is the impact on your staff. If you’re undergoing a major refurbishment, it’s a good idea to discuss with your team how they’ll cope with the changes and what the impact will be on their daily tasks and the overall work environment.
A good design and fit out will incorporate elements that have been shown to improve staff productivity, health and wellbeing. For example, the right lighting can reduce fatigue and eye strain while a living wall can bring in fresh air, lower CO2 levels and boost morale. It will also help attract and retain the best talent and cultivate a positive working culture. This will in turn, help increase productivity and boost profits. A well-designed workspace will make it easier for you to achieve your business goals while keeping on top of health and safety regulations.
Installation
Once you’ve defined your reasons for office refurbishment it’s time to put together a cross departmental team and assign a project champion. They should be someone senior who can make decisions and also has experience managing budgets. Getting them involved at an early stage will ensure that the company can still function during the refurb and they can help to create a workplace that truly works for all of your employees.
The next step is to choose a commercial office fit out company who will be your partner throughout the process. A good consultancy will offer a range of services including strategy development, design, furniture supply and installation, as well as after-sales support. You should look for a partner that can provide you with examples of previous projects, and how they have worked to minimise disruption to your business during the works.
This is one of the most important phases in your office refurbishment and can have a massive impact on employee morale, productivity and efficiency. Your space planner will meet with you to discuss your requirements and then find ways to optimise your workflow, increase collaboration areas or simply create a more comfortable working environment for your staff.
At the fit out stage your office will be transformed into a space that’s on-brand and inspiring to work in. This includes Cat B electrical and air conditioning adaptions, partitioning, flooring, decoration, kitchen areas and of course furniture. Many offices also opt to add unique design features that give them a real edge over their competitors.
Refurbishment costs can vary significantly depending on the extent of works and whether it’s a full strip out or reconfiguration. The condition of the building and existing services can also have a big impact on cost – especially if large remedial works or alterations to fire stopping are required. It’s always best to ask your commercial office fit out company for a comprehensive breakdown of the cost at the beginning of the process and a forecast of how it will change over the duration of the project.