Frequent Questions About Office Fitouts
Undertaking an office fitout can be complicated and confusing, especially if it’s something that you’ve never done before. It’s only natural that you have some questions that you want answers to; everyone does when they’re taking this task on for the first time, so don’t feel the need to go it alone.
We’re going to provide you with answers to 7 of the most common questions that people have, so read on now to learn about these FAQs and the answers to them. The information you’ll learn will help you to improve your chances of success when the time comes for you to complete your office fitout.
- Do I Need an Office Fitout?
The first question anyone should ask themselves when they’re considering an office fitout is do I really need it. You should think about the needs of your business and how they’re currently being met, or not being met. To ensure your business is getting the most out of its workplace, you should consider a fitout if you feel you’re currently being limited or held back in any way by the shortcomings of the workplace. But don’t make changes for the sake of it.
- What Are the Key Benefits of a Fitout?
There are some key benefits of a new fitout that should be aware of before pushing on. For a start, it can improve employee satisfaction if the space is made more efficient and makes their daily lives easier. It can also optimise your space, ensuring less of it is being wasted. And you can even make your workplace safer and less risky for the people working in it. Those benefits are just the tip of the iceberg too.
- What Kind of Permission or Regulations Will I Need?
It’s important to ensure you have the right permission before going ahead with any changes to your office. If you are making large changes, planning permission might be necessary, but it’s not normally the case. It’s more common for building regulation permission to be needed, so make sure you look into that. Of course, you will also need to talk to your landlord if you have one to make sure you don’t do anything that they don’t want you to do to their property.
- How Should I Prepare?
Preparing for the fitout is something you will need to do carefully. There should be a team working on the plans for the fitout, and you might also want to start working with an external company from this early stage. You should also research the plans so that you don’t miss anything that could help your workplace to thrive in the future.
- How Should I Approach Budgeting the Fitout?
Budgeting is a vital part of the early process because you don’t want to run out of money or end up spending more on this office fitout than you can really afford. You should start by creating a budget that you set in stone and don’t break in the future. That, you can make the process fit around your budget, rather than the other way round. Plan out the likely expenditures and be prepared for all the costs that might come your way. Budgeting and financing your project is easier said than done, so contact our commercial fitout finance team if you need any help.
- How Long Will it Take?
Of course, there is no definitive way of answering this question without knowing the specifics of your situation and the scale of your fitout. Each task is unique, and the timescale of your fitout will be specific to you. However, we can generally say that they typically take between 4 and 6 weeks depending on the office. But some can be completed quicker than that and others can take much longer. Much of this is dependant on what stage you’re in with design, planning and approvals.
- What About Health and Safety?
There are a couple of ways in which health and safety matter. For a start, you need to make sure that you approach the work in a safe way, using the right protective equipment and hiring qualified people to do any risky work. On top of that, you need to think about how you can make changes to your office that will make it safer for the people working in it going forward once the fitout is complete.
Now that you have some answers to some of the most pressing questions most people have regarding office fitouts, you can get started with yours. It’ll be a process that will often feel long and complicated, but it’s worth getting it right because it will massively benefit your business in the long-term.
Get Started Today
At Total Fitouts we specialize in office fitouts, so whether you’re starting from scratch, relocating, building your dream space or up-sizing, we’re here to help. We have experience in small businesses, display offices, corporate office, legal and accounting firms and more. Learn more about our office fitout services here and get started on your dream office today!
