When is it best to plan for an office fit out?

There is no one-size-fits all answer to this question as it depends on the type of business and the circumstances.

Your business may be at a point where an office fit-out is necessary, such as moving premises or expanding your staff numbers, however you need to consider what would be best for both your employees and customers.

If your company has recently moved or expanded and you plan on staying at these new premises/locations for a long time, delaying an office fit out could save you money and allow you to build up funds so that any modifications can be completed to your satisfaction. Furthermore, if there are changes made later down the line which require office fit out services such as having different flooring put in place or new equipment installed, this would be much more expensive than getting the work done at the beginning.

On the other hand, if your company is just starting up and you need to spend as little as possible on initial office fit out costs and modifications because you simply cannot afford it, it makes sense to start off in a smaller space, but one that can easily be adapted to meet your needs as you expand. When considering the best time for planning an office fit out, perhaps waiting until you have made enough money from sales or other sources so that even minor changes such as changing flooring or furniture will not put too much of a strain on your finances could be a good option.

What will the new office be used for?

Define why you need the new office fit-out and what your new office will be used for. For example, if you need to carry out meetings with clients frequently and you do not already have enough space for this, it would be worth considering an office fit out that enables your potential clients can feel comfortable during their visits.

If your business is expanding and there are just one or two new roles which will be based at the new office, then perhaps a simple re-organisation of existing furniture might be enough to accommodate the changes. On the other hand, if there are several new staff members joining who require desks and chairs of their own, it would therefore make sense to go for an office fit out in order to get what you need.

You should also consider how likely it is that your company will stay in these offices for a long time or perhaps even permanently. If you are not necessarily planning on staying in the same place for more than a couple of years, it would simply be a waste of money to get extensive work done.

Deciding on a budget

When deciding on a budget for your office fit-out, it is important to make sure that the room you are planning on refitting is capable of accommodating all your new furniture and equipment.

If you have a budget which you cannot stretch to fit in all the necessary changes, then perhaps go for smaller modifications at first which can be built upon with further, more extensive work down the line. Filling out an office space does not necessarily require ripping everything out and starting again if it can be achieved by simply getting rid of unnecessary furniture pieces or moving things around.

Don’t rush into any decisions without consulting professionals who are familiar with office fit outs. It might be difficult for someone who is not professionally trained in this area to know exactly what they need without receiving some expert guidance so ensure you speak to some office fit out consultants.

Get multiple quotes

Getting quotes from multiple contractors will give you a more clear understanding of the time and costs involved in your project. Not only will this help you to get an idea of the amount of money you need for your office fit out, but it can also give you a better understanding about who would be best suited to doing the work and if there is anyone more competitively priced.

Knowing what changes are required in order to make the most from your new office space is important when deciding on a budget. This could be something as simple as getting rid of filing cabinets which are no longer necessary because everything has been digitised or adding extra sockets so that each desk has access to its own power point.

While minor changes such as these might not require much effort or money they can nevertheless have a big impact on how efficiently people work in their offices and contribute towards a successful office fit out.

Taking into account all these different circumstances, which would affect when it may be best to plan an office fit out, there is no easy answer as it can be very much down to personal preference. Remember that you will still need to factor in the cost of planning and consulting for your office fit out project so that you do not end up with a budget which is too small.