Renovation Tips For Your Office Space

Renovating your office space can benefit your staff and clients. Employees can be motivated to work harder in a creative environment, and your clients will feel confident they’re working with the right team when they visit a sleek, professional-looking office. Depending on the project’s scope, renovations can be expensive, but the cost is justified if productivity increases and your customer base grows. Although remodeling can disrupt your workflow, a thoroughly researched renovation plan and realistic budget can keep distractions to a minimum. Before committing to a remodeling project, you can use the following tips to streamline the process.

Developing a Plan

Problems often arise when a contractor is frequently asked to alter the renovation process. Experienced contractors allow the original blueprints to be modified by clients, but outrageous requests that may not fit your budget can delay construction and be rejected. For instance, a business owner who decides he doesn’t like the new crown molding may ask the contractor to tear it down and install a new design. This counterproductive attitude can be met with hostility from the construction firm and will inevitably lead to delays. Develop a flexible plan that accounts for contingencies like overtime pay, expert advice, construction delays and structural challenges.

Establishing a Budget

For any construction project, a realistic budget is essential. A contractor will provide an estimate for the project, but the forecast rarely matches the exact cost. When you develop a budget, plan for the cost to rise and expect the completion date to be extended. You can get an idea of the cost by determining the project’s cost per square foot. Next, multiply the room’s length by its width and multiply the result by the cost per square foot. If you have a 17’ by 20’ space and a price of $120 per square foot, the total cost would be $40,800. Expect to add 15-20% onto the total costs to account for unforeseen problems. For massive renovation projects, you may have to contact additional professionals like Mason City crane service.

Hiring Contractors

Several contractors may be interested in completing your renovation, but you should only hire a firm with several years of experience and high approval ratings from their customers. Stay away from companies offering discounts or incredibly low estimates. Low prices are always too good to be true with regards to construction projects. Another situation to avoid is hiring a friend or family member to complete the job. If they’re one of the best in town and trusted by their clients, you can hire them. However, if you’re doing them a favor because they need the work, you’ll probably be disappointed with the results. You may be left with a substandard renovation and a family feud.

Finding Alternative Working Space

When construction begins on the project, you’ll have to accommodate your employees with an alternative workspace to minimize disruptions. If you instruct the contractor to complete the remodeling in stages, your employees may be able to work around the construction. For larger projects that involve entire floors, you may have to rent a building nearby or provide hotel rooms for team members. Another option that’s gaining worldwide acceptance is remote work. You can allow some of your employees to work from home and keep a small group working with you at the office. Online workers can stay up to date with video chats and participate in video conferences when a company meeting is scheduled.

Inspecting the Progress

Although you won’t have time to supervise the entire project, you should make frequent inspections of the job to ensure it meets your expectations. Suppose you identify a potential problem during the early stages of the project. In that case, your contractor may resolve the issue quicker and cheaper than trying to fix the problem as the project nears completion. Respect your contractor’s experience and opinions, but don’t hesitate to correct a mistake or question a decision.

Office renovations can be challenging to work around, but when you plan for disruptions and delays, you can continue your normal operations and look forward to a redesigned office space.