When you’re fitting out an office, or getting an unfinished space ready to move in, you want the process to be seamless. This process can often be just as stressful as finding the right space or building from scratch. There are ways, however, to make the process smoother so that you can meet your goals without getting frustrated. 

SET YOUR GOALS

The first thing you can do to help the process is spend as much time as possible planning. And to do that, you should first set goals. Think about whether you’re rebranding your office, making room for employee growth, or even making the commercial office space more productive for your employees. 

Many times, it’s helpful to have one person in your organization in charge of managing the project. This person can be the liaison between your company and the contractor. While you will probably still have internal discussions regarding the project, it will be helpful to have only one point of contact with the contractor. If your contractor has multiple opinions coming from different people, the project will become even more stressful for everyone. 

PLAN YOUR FIT OUT

After you establish your goal, use those objectives to plan everything in advance. Spend time looking at any changes to the office layout and work with your commercial contractor to ensure that the architects know your vision as well as the goals – the architect or an interior designer will probably have additional ideas that can help you meet those goals even while sticking to a budget. Work with your contractor’s team to ensure that you’ve planned all of the details in advance. When you spend more time planning, there will be fewer delays for a contractor asking you questions about how you want things. This is the most important step in the project. 

When you’re planning, be sure to plan for every detail. Your contractor and designers will help you think of everything that will need to be done. You may need to apply for permits. Your contractor will likely take the lead on the permit process, but you will still need to be available to review and sign paperwork. Paint colors, flooring, and even wall measurements all need to be planned in advance. You’ll also need to decide what furniture, lighting fixtures, and other objects need to be reused or replaced, and some of that may depend on productivity or office safety. 

LET YOUR CONTRACTOR DO THEIR JOB

It’s tempting to check on the contractor often to look at everything’s that’s been done, or just to stay updated on progress. While it’s a good idea to make sure everything is on track, keep in mind that your contractor needs time to work. Excessive check-ins can delay progress. A good contractor will keep you updated often. Work with your contractor to establish a timeline for status reports, good times that you can walk through to check on the work, and everything else. When you work these things out in advance, your commercial contractor can plan for this in a way that doesn’t delay work on your office fit out. And with Buildrite Construction, we’ll make sure you’re satisfied with the timing and through every step of the process. 

Want more? Read about Buildrite’s roll out construction services.