We often get asked the question: what does an office fit out cost? Unfortunately, there isn’t one straightforward answer that we can reply with. It very much depends on the existing condition of the space, the requirements of those working in it and of course, that all-important budget.
For some, money is no object and this leads to high spec design projects with a sky’s-the-limit kind of approach. For others, there are financial limits but still plenty of leniency and these tend to be the mid-level office fit outs which cost around £350-£600 per person. of course, this also depends on the scale of the job – from a furniture fit out to a full refurbishment which might include things like wall demolition and air con installation.
Other businesses are forced to be stricter with their spending and need to take measures to cut unnecessary costs where possible as part of the project planning. However, even when finances are tight, it is still entirely possible to bring a vision to life whilst still combining practicality and comfort…
How to refurbish an office on a budget:
Set out clear objectives from the start – If you embark on a refurbishment project without a clear understanding of what you want to achieve, you risk making mistakes that could be costly to rectify further down the line. Hold plenty of discussions around branding, health & safety, growth plans and staff requirements to establish where your budget would be best allocated.
Enlist the help of a professional – As the saying goes, some things really are best left to the experts and planning an office refurbishment on a budget is one of them. Working with an office fit out and/or interior design partner will ensure you’re making the most of the budget and space available through block planning, layout drawing and product recommendations.
Don’t be afraid to repurpose existing furniture – An office refurbishment doesn’t always necessarily mean starting from scratch. You can build around existing design elements that you like or find useful such as chairs and desks in order to avoid unnecessary expenditure.
Consider an open plan workspace – If you currently work in a segmented workspace divided by doors and partitions, an office refurbishment scheme is the perfect time to think about going open plan. This non-structured setting will enable you to adapt the space more flexibly as trends and requirements evolve, saving you further refurbishment costs in the long run.
Click for our expert advice on how to transition into an open plan office.
Cater for more modern modes of working – The working day is significantly more diverse than it used to be and for your office refurbishment budget, this is great news. Every member of staff no longer needs their own dedicated workstation so taking advantage of things like hot desking, focus pods and collaboration spaces will benefit your bank balance and the efficiency if your workforce.
Make your spaces more multifunctional – Instead of designating spaces with one sole purpose that stay empty when they’re not in use, create more multi-purpose settings that can be utilised for a variety of tasks. For example, installing the Google Jamboard and some modular furniture into your video conference room will allow it to double-up as a great training area or workshop space.
Don’t choose style over substance – When budgets are tight, the last thing you want to be doing is wasting money on novelty office design fads. Knowing when quirky office design becomes a gimmick is an important part of budget allocation and spending control for modern office refurbishment projects.
Last but not least… have you thought about MPS?
As well as considering the actual design of your new office space as part of the refurbishment process, you might also want to think about implementing a cost-saving Managed Print Solution. This helps reduce spending on things like consumable parts (inks, toners etc) and print volume.
If you’d like to find out more about MPS, visit our sister site Datatech Systems where our experts pride themselves on saving customers 30% on print activity which is currently costing the average company 1-3% of annual revenue.