While there are many aspects and elements of a successful office renovation, among the most important will be your overall office renovation plan.
This plan – which is typically comprised of several supporting documents, appendices and so on – captures scope, workflows, personnel, materials, budget, risk management, and more.
Naturally, no two office renovation plans look the same, since each business is unique and has specific variables and factors to consider. However, regardless of whether the office renovation is relatively minor or a comprehensive “re-invention”, the starting point is always to identify goals.
To point you in that direction – and give you a preview of what is ahead as you begin to work with your interior solutions partner – here are 4 key questions that will help you identify your unique goals:
1. What are the motivations for the office renovation?
Start by identifying the problems you aim to solve through your office renovation, such as enhancing workspace for employees, improving IT and communication infrastructure, reducing energy and electricity costs, boosting brand image, and so on. This insight ensures that you will focus your attention and resources on what matters most vs. getting distracted by “nice-to-haves” that will not materially address and solve some/all of your problems.
2. What is our budget for the office renovation?
It is very important to identify your available budget early in the planning process, since this information allows you and your interior design partner to focus on viable, affordable options – and avoid wasting time on possibilities that may be compelling and exciting, but are simply not within budget and therefore cannot be part of the project at this time.
3. What are our preferences for scheduling – and what are our requirements?
It is also important to distinguish between scheduling preferences and scheduling requirements. Preferences are important, but not essential. For example, you may wish to have the office renovation take place during a two or four-week window in the summer when many employees (and customers!) are on vacation. Requirements, however, are not negotiable. For example, it may simply be unacceptable for you to shut down your operations for a few days (or longer) while work is taking place. Identifying this kind of requirement allows your interior design team to build a multi-step schedule that will ensure your business is not closed to employees or customers during the office renovation.
4. What are our regulatory and compliance obligations?
Most office renovation projects do not involve architects – and therefore architectural-related permits – since no changes are being made to the office/building structure itself. However, there may be other permits that are required, such as those related to HVAC systems, environmental controls, electrical work, plumbing, and so on. Since applying for and ultimately receiving these permits can take anywhere from a few days to a few weeks (or even sometimes a few months!), it is important to identify what is needed early in the process.
Learn More
To learn more about developing a robust, realistic and results-focused office renovation plan, contact the Key Interiors team today. Your consultation with us is free.
