OTHER CONSIDERATIONS
There are of course a number of other factors that also affect the average cost of an office fit out that should be considered before you begin your office fit out project. Ask yourself questions like: Is the building fully compliant with health and safety standards? Do you require structural changes or just cosmetic changes? Have you factored in dilapidation costs? Have you considered your IT and furniture requirements? To avoid overwhelming you, let’s break it down.
ARE COSMETIC OR STRUCTURAL CHANGED REQUIRED
Structural changes refer to the changes in the physical make-up of the building, such as knocking down walls or putting in new doors. Cosmetic changes on the other hand, are about improving the appearance of a building, such as painting walls or replacing furniture. Structural changes are more complex and therefore more costly, often requiring structural engineers or interior architects to redesign building layouts.
Consider whether your office fit-out requires cosmetic changes or larger structural changes, and formulate a budget based on this.
BUILDING COMPLIANCE
It is crucial to make sure the building you want to reside in is fully compliant, for the health and safety of your workforce. Building surveyors, like the ones in our team, help you understand the condition of the building before you start any work on it. The commercial property surveys they complete alert you to any potential repairs and maintenance required on the building.
The age of a building plays a strong role in its compliance, with older buildings tending to have more wear and tear. Listed buildings often require more planning permissions before an office fit out can take place.
- Minimum Space Requirements
It is also important to consider the minimum space requirements per employee to see if your workforce will fit safely within the office.
Another factor that affects the compliance of a building is ventilation, an issue that has become increasingly important amid the coronavirus pandemic. Having future-proofed ventilation is likely to ensure compliance as well as make your office a more desirable workplace for your employees.
In addition, the energy efficiency of a building is key to its compliance. Older buildings tend to be less energy efficient, making them more costly to run and less environmentally friendly. There are, however, ways to improve the energy efficiency of an office building like utilising renewable energy sources for example.
Mechanical and electrical systems, including the heating, ventilation and power supply, can all impact the compliance of an office. Faults within M&E systems like these can prove dangerous and costly.
Raised flooring allows for power supply and distribution management, enabling all cabling to be hidden underneath the floor. Out of sight as well as harm’s way. If your office space does not have raised flooring, however, you will have to look for other areas to store these supplies – which could lead to increased office fit out costs.
DILIPIDATIONS COSTS
Dilapidations refer to the cost of returning an office space to its original condition once your lease has expired, which can include repairing any damage that was caused during your lease and reinstating any cosmetic alterations made to the building. You are also required to pay rent for the period in which work is carried out on the office space to get it back to the condition it was in when you first moved in.
Qualified commercial property surveyors, like the ones we work with, can help you calculate these costs before you commence your office fit out to help you budget your project correctly and make sure you’re fully prepared for any extra charges that could arise, as well as supporting you in negotiating inflated exit costs. Essentially, before you start designing your office fit out always keep in mind how you plan to return the office space back once your lease ends.
IT REQUIREMENTS
It is also important to consider your IT and audio-visual requirements when planning your office fit out costs. With the rise of hybrid models of working, it is essential that businesses future-proof their offices to enable them to stay as connected as possible – allowing their staff to work flexibly without the worry of technological difficulties disrupting their work. Don’t make IT and AV requirements an afterthought, make them a priority – because in this day and age, you can’t afford not to.
FURNITURE REQUIREMENTS
Once you have considered the compliance of all the above, you can finally start thinking about the furniture you want in your new office. But before getting carried away with the design of your new office space, it’s important to take the time to assess how your team work, and how you want your clients and visitors to perceive you, when planning the furniture requirements of your office fit out.
Furniture solutions can be found for any budget and office size, but you can save costs by maximizing space within an office through the use of collaborative features like informal meeting pods and introducing hot-desking.
IN SUMMARY
Now you know more about how much an office fit out costs, and the considerations you should make before beginning your office fit out project. Whether you’re after a Good Runner, an Executive Saloon or a Supercar – we can project manage your whole office fit out from start to finish, to give you more time to focus on your business.
Get in touch today for a bespoke calculation of your office fit out cost.
