Your office space reflects your psychology and personality. A renovated office has far more benefits than a dingy and cluttered one for employees. Besides, such an office also propels business growth by attracting top talent and, in other instances, by attracting new clients.
A spick and span, modern-looking office enhances the client experience. Additionally, refurbishing interior design improves an employee’s mood and energy. Better workplace design will reflect how much the company cares for its employees. It will, in turn, encourage them to stay longer and increase their productivity.
However, deciding on various factors related to office remodeling can be overwhelming. So, here is a quick roundup of things to be considered while renovating your office space and keeping your budget on track.
Why Opt for Office Renovation?
As businesses grow, their workforce and operational needs also increase. As a responsible business owner, it is essential to provide a safe and conducive workspace that encourages employee growth. As you adapt to these changes, it may be an opportune time to consider an office renovation to meet your expanding requirements.
Expanding your office space to create separate rooms that cater to specific work requirements can significantly enhance productivity and efficiency among employees. The interior and exterior of the office must reflect the company’s mission and values. In the following sections, we will discuss the steps involved in renovating an office.
Steps to Renovate Your Office
Step 1: Identify Your Requirements And Set the Parameters
Before starting the refurbishing work, it’s important to identify the project’s goals and set a timeline. Prepare a list of what you wish to accomplish, and rank it in order of priority. Make sure you have a realistic plan for your office upgrades to easily choose the right projects to focus on if you need to narrow the list down.
Once you know the upgrades that need to be completed, set timelines. It will help you to gain a sense of the project and its completion time. Listing down all the shortcomings in the current design is an important aspect of this step. With a limited budget, renovations need to be planned.
Also, it’s a good idea to research online to find the best prices and deals, and lay out a systematic plan to take things ahead; this will save both—your time and investment. Divide the entire project budget in the ratio of the ‘most-needed’ to the ‘least-needed.’
Pro Tip: Online portals and imageries are a great way to visualize your design plan and implement those ideas effectively. Don’t go scratching out all the old. Think about the elements that can still be retained and re-designed. Review your floor plan design and think of overall functionality. For a small office space, circulation and functionality are a priority. Get that right!
Step 2: Choose the Right Office Renovation Contractor
Hiring a reliable office renovation contractor and designer can help you organize and manage the renovation process seamlessly while enabling employees to continue working without disruptions. Here are some tips to consider while hiring a contractor and designer.
- Go Through Their Past Projects
While hiring an office renovation contractor, enquire about their projects similar to yours. You can also visit the office properties with matching interior and exterior designs to your project and then approach the contractors who worked on them. Apart from the cost-effectiveness and timeliness of their work, they look for positive feedback from their previous clients.
- Hiring professionals to Assess the Structure
Hiring an interior designer and a general contractor for the project can have several benefits. Since most general contractors are aware of building codes and any structural limitations, they might be able to assess the impact of the design efficiently.
- Look for Licensed And Insured Professionals
Search for contractors and designers licensed by your state and jurisdiction who have the legal rights to work on your project. Check for their knowledge of permits, zone regulations, building materials, hiring of subcontractors, project management, etc. Licenses are also specific to certain locations, so verify every minute detail of the contractor’s license certificate.
- Ensure Safety Measures Are Followed by the Contractor
Ensuring the office renovation contractor maintains safe sites becomes even more important, especially when your employees are working on the site. You should keep the electrical wires and appliances safe from common passages.
Worksites should be sealed and barricaded with warning signs to caution employees and visitors. Additionally, you must schedule the noisy tasks after working hours to ensure cleanliness.
Pro Tip: It is always recommended to ask for references from previous clients and visit those buildings to see their work beforehand.
Step 3: Get the Building inspection Done
Once you have the conceptual design and team in place, get a building inspection done by a certified and licensed professional. A thorough building inspection is essential before an office renovation project as it ensures you get the best work done while also abiding by the laws or building codes.
When you get a building inspection done, you’re sure to get the best quality output while being safe on the legal side and the overall architectural integrity.
Other areas to evaluate and check lifespan include:
- Major building systems such as fire safety systems, building alarms, etc.,
- Roofing,
- Structural integrity,
- Electrical and mechanical rooms,
- Plumbing,
- Heating, ventilation, and cooling (HVAC).
Pro Tip: Always have a local building inspector present for the building evaluation. They will provide unbiased and clear information about the building’s condition that’s needed to make the right decision.
Step 4: Planning Your New Office Space
This is the part where you sit with your designer to decide on a plan for how the office will look. Meet with your staff to develop creative ideas to add visual elements to the office space.
Pro Tip: Ask your designer to prepare a few potential mockups of the new space based on suggestions from the employees. Select a final plan based on what will suit all your needs and budget.
Step 5: Communicate the Plan to Employees
Office renovation plan is an inclusive process and hence, should be communicated to your employees at every phase of it. Even if you don’t plan on shutting down the office during the renovation process, let them know when and where inspections and construction will occur so they know how to manage their work accordingly.
Important points to communicate to employees during the renovation work:
- Reasons for the renovation and benefits it will have,
- Office working hours and timings during which a certain facility may be affected, such as internet connectivity or blocking a particular passageway,
- Point of contact in case of any concerns,
- Estimated timeline for the renovation work.
Step 6: Get started with the Renovation Process
Your design is planned, the contractor is hired, inspection has been done and approved. Now, it’s time to begin with the office renovation. Remember to keep everyone in the loop, from the internal project manager to contractors, designers, and employees, for a seamless flow of communication.
Reap the Rewards of Your Hard Work
Creating a healthy, safe, and pleasant office atmosphere is an important aspect of office design. It sets the tone for a positive work environment that boosts employee morale and enhances productivity and team attitude.
You can sigh in relief because Impressions Kitchens USA is here to make your office renovation painless and successful.
