Whether you’re going through a renovation or looking to move your office, chances are you’ll be doing some sort of office fitout. Office fitouts can range from a simple re-painting of the walls, to a complete internal rebuild and refit out with all new furniture, partitions and decor.
Doing an office fitout can seem daunting, but by being aware of common mistakes made during this process it will become much easier for you as the client. Here is a list of some things that people have done wrong in their office fitout processes which could save you money if worked around accordingly:
If there was one major lesson learned from past clients who have engaged in large 15+ person office relocations – it’s simply not to rush the process, as it will only result in frustration and ultimately more time and money spent.
As a client its important to ask yourself – “do i really need 5+ different workstations for my employees?” before you sign the dotted line on your new office fitout price quote. It’s surprising how many times people have been quoted a high price for their office fitout just because they’ve asked their contractor to provide them with too many options that were not necessary for their business operations. If there is a good case for needing lots of individual spaces then go ahead, but if not then don’t be surprised when your fitout costs are close to $1500 per person (or at least that has been our experience).
The mistakes companies make when it comes to office fitouts:
– asking the contractor to quote individual desks/cost per desk instead of shared work spaces where possible (if you can get away with it)
– providing too many different types of “team” areas for solitary workers and not having enough communal space for employees who like to bounce ideas off each other
– providing too much storage & supply space, particularly in cost conscious environments. This is one area that we see people consistently over provide in and usually leads to a waste of space and ultimately more money spent on fitout costs. Generally an open plan design with no closed off offices is preferable unless they are private meeting rooms, especially if paying by sqm.
– allowing contractors to come up with creative new designs that don’t fit the branding of the company or who aren’t on brand
– not thinking about how people will access different areas of the office. There are many creative ways to overcome this issue but if space is limited then consideration must be given early in the planning phase to ensure productivity isn’t lost because employees can’t get where they need to go quickly enough
– not providing for effective communication between departments/business units within a company. This includes things such as good video conferencing equipment and infrastructure, especially in an open plan design
These are just some examples that we have seen over our 20+ years working with various businesses across all industry sectors . The main point is that no matter what type of office fitout you require, you need to consider all possibilities and provide for them accordingly.
The cost of an office fitout can vary greatly depending on a number of things.
1. How much space is required?
Most fitout companies will offer you a price per square meter to fit out your new office or business premises, so the larger the area you occupy, the greater the fit out costs will be.
2. What type of company are they going to be working from?
If your company wishes to have a lot of natural light coming into their work area then window fittings and skylights may need to be installed. This will increase your prices because more materials and equipment needs to be used in order for this to occur.
3. Will they require any specialist equipment such as lifts or furnaces?
An elevator will need to be installed if your company would like their employees to have an easy way of travelling up and down between floors. A furnace is another additional cost that needs to be looked at as you need to make sure your building has the appropriate heating elements.
4. Is there any special technology required for the office fit out job?
If your company requires cables, wires or pipes running through their office then this installation work can become expensive because it has to be done by licensed professionals. This also applies to air conditioning units requiring ducting installations or plumbing within an office fitout .
5. Will they need phone lines installed?
Phone lines are usually provided service providers but sometimes some offices require their own private phone lines for special order equipment.
7. Will there be any additional fees that are not mentioned in the initial quote?
Most of the time an office fitout job’s costs are clear and all-encompassing but you cannot ignore the importance of anything extra that pops up during your renovation or construction work. For example, if they need to hire outside experts on parts of your building project – such as electrical engineers or heating technicians, this can come at a cost which was not mentioned beforehand. We hope this article helped you get started with coming up with some ideas about price factors involved when creating an office fit out within your business premises!
The usual process for most companies is to consult some type of fit out specialist and then learn about what they offer at their disposal as well as the price. A quote is then given that includes all factors such as expenses for construction, costs involved in creating a business space and so on.
Once you have had an initial look at everything put forward by your chosen company, firstly go back and look through them carefully before coming up with further questions if something isn’t clear enough or doesn’t sit right with you. This way, when it comes to actually thinking about prices, you will have already thought about every factor involved because it has been done over time rather than all at once being handed down to you across a single table.
So, how much is a good price for an office fitout?
The prices provided by companies tackling your commercial space will most likely be between the range of $20 per square metre to as high as $75 per square metre. Bear in mind that it is important to look at any contracts very closely before making a decision. A few questions you might want to ask yourself are:
How long do I have to sign this contract for? Is there a penalty if I terminate early? What does each figure include and exclude? Do I have the rights after the contract expires to take away what has been installed or moved into my business with me? This would be ideal if they tell you yes because then you’ll have saved money from being spent on things you won’t need anymore.
Your landlord will most likely require that you also pay for the cost of installation, which can amount to many thousands depending on how large your office is and what’s being installed. Furniture usually cannot be installed without labour costs attached. Bear in mind that furniture companies are not always to blame for this price increasing because it is often up to the owner or building manager who decides how much they want to charge you for installation. Sometimes, if you negotiate well enough with the furniture company, they might agree to take away their installation fee completely! This can be a great way of saving money when buying new furniture!
So there you have it – the 3 types of fees associated with an office fitout. It’s worth knowing what each is, as it enables you to ask relevant questions and negotiate the best price for your office fitout. The more knowledgable you are about this process, the better chance you have of getting a good deal.
Please remember, don’t be afraid to ask questions! For everything you want clarified make sure to include it in your written agreement and ensure there will not be any misunderstandings down the line. Also try to get an itemized list detailing every cost component before signing off on any work or payment – this has saved many people considerable amounts of money during their office fitout! Happy designing!