Creating an office refurbishment checklist

Whether it's for expansion, reorganisation, to upgrade facilities or to make an impression on clients, undergoing an office refurbishment will be one of the biggest investments you make for your business, so getting it right the first time around is crucial.

Creating a refurbishment checklist will help to ensure that you are able to get everything done. Mapping out each step of your project will help to break down everything into manageable phases, allowing the project to run smoothly. But where to start with this checklist?

Creating an office refurbishment checklist

Knowing when the time is right

Firstly, you will need to be certain that the time is truly right to launch into an office refurbishment project. Some of the common signs that a refurbishment is needed include:

Lower rates of/not enough productivity and concentration.
Employees do not have sufficient resources to do their work to a high standard, ultimately holding their (and the businesses') potential back.
The physical and mental health of employees is negatively affected.
The company culture or branding of the business isn't being communicated well.

What are your refurbishment objectives?

Defining what your objectives are for your office refurbishment will not only get the project organised, standing it in a better stead to contain everything you need, it will also save much in the way of cost in fixing any potential issues when completed. Some objectives to think about may include:

Options for agile working and giving more control and choice for workers.
Cater for new, improved technologies.
How collaboration, creativity and productivity can be boosted.
How the office design can help to attract and retain talent.

What's your budget?

When you've pinned down the fact that you need an office refurbishment and what your objectives are, you will need to work out what you can and can't afford. Being realistic with your budget from the outset will help to frame everything you need for your project; let the budget dictate how the project is shaped, rather than you finding out part-way through the build that you need to spend more to incorporate everything you need.

Once you've set a budget, you should explore your payment options. Aside from borrowing the money from a bank, why not research leasing your office refurbishment which may provide more suitable repayment options?

Finding the right office design company

Working with professional office interior designers is an obvious must if you want the project to run on time and on budget, but with so many options available, how do you choose the right one? You should look out for an office design company that is able to offer a client-focused service, as after all, your workplace should be bespoke to you. Any good office refurbishment service should:

Be experienced in understanding issues caused by poor design, and how to remedy them.
Have a large portfolio of work, undertaken for a wide range of business types and have attained testimonials.
Be able to create a diverse range of working areas; from collaboration facilities, attractive reception areas to sleek boardrooms and private working zones.
Have project management skills.
Can handle strict budgets.
Have a great knowledge of office interior trends and be au fait with the industry.

Run your own audit

Any experienced refurbishment company will encourage you to complete your own 'assess and reuse audit', in order to gauge whether there is anything in your current design that can be repurposed into the new one. Not only does this help to save much in the way of cost, saving valuable items and floor space, it's also great for the environment too.

Fitting out your new office – ask the experts

Once your ideal office takes shape, in an effort to save on cost, it can be tempting to undertake the fit out process yourself. Enlisting the skills and experience of professional office fitters will mean that you will benefit from:

Their knowledge of installation and products will have your office operational quickly.
You will not have to manage a network of external sub-contractors.
Any issues that may arise can be handled efficiently, cutting down on the time and cost in putting them right.
They will help to ensure that the entire facility remains compliant with health and safety law throughout the fit out.

So if you are indeed thinking about ticking off your own refurbishment checklist for your office, why not get in touch with the office refurbishment and fit out specialists here at Oaktree Interiors to help you realise your project?

High-quality office refurbishment, by Oaktree Interiors

Throughout the last 30 years, the Oaktree team have been creating bespoke office environments across London and the south east of England; whether it's refurbishment, fit out or relocation, our service is designed to place the thoughts and feelings of our clients first. How can a workplace be bespoke otherwise?

Please feel free to browse around our website to the see the many expert services that we have on offer. To find out more about how we can help your office interiors to reach their full potential, please do not hesitate to get in touch with us by calling 0345 21 86955 or send an e-mail to us at hello@oaktreeoffice.com

Creating An Office Refurbishment Checklist