When renovating an office, you are improving the space for functionality and aesthetic appeal. The aim is to create an office space that is a welcoming and productive place for you and your staff to spend time. But what considerations do you need to make when you are renovating? Read through our guide to office renovation considerations to find out for yourself and make sure that your renovation goes smoothly.
Before You Start the Renovation
Before you start to renovate, there are a few things to consider. Are your staff still going to be working while the renovations are taking place? Will you hire out a temporary office space to host your business or will your employees work from home? Do your employees all have the appropriate resources to work from home efficiently and comfortably? Alternatively, does your business have the finances to give your employees time off while you renovate the space?
Consider what you will do with the things that are currently in your office. Determine if there is space to move everything into another room while the office is being renovated, or if it would be better to put things into storage. Storage lock ups can be a great way to keep all the office furniture safe and together without having it take up space in the way the building works.
Work out as well what the objective of this renovation is. There are several reasons to undergo an office renovation, including to accommodate more staff, to increase productivity, or even just to update the space from a design perspective. Decide what the most important things are to you and make an effort to prioritize these throughout the whole renovation process to ensure you end up with the results you are wanting.
The Renovation Itself
When it comes to the actual renovation, pick contractors carefully. Do your research and find contractors with good reviews and experience, and expertise in the kind of job you are undertaking. Talk to friends and family as well as other local business owners to find trusted and reputable contractors to take on your project.
Of course, the main aspects of the renovation are yours to decide, however involving your staff in slightly smaller decisions such as paint colors and detailing features can be a great way to involve your employees and make them feel like a part of the process. This will make them more excited about the project and help to make their voices feel heard, resulting in a more positive relationship between you and your staff. They are also likely to understand the space a bit more intimately than you, as they work there all day every day, so they may be able to come up with some good ideas on how to make the space more efficient.
When you are planning your renovation, it is important to remember that unless you absolutely have to, it is not a good idea to make changes to the infrastructure of the building. This is because these kinds of changes can be extremely expensive and take significantly more time to complete. The longer your renovations take, the more money you will have to spend on staff holiday wages or renting out that temporary office space. Where possible, work with the space you have to make it the best it can be.
All in all, an office renovation can be a great move for a business, assuming it is well-planned and efficiently executed. There are important considerations to be made, but all in all an office renovation can be a wonderful way to refresh and update your space for more efficient working.
