So the boss says “Surprise, we are getting a new office and you get to coordinate the refurbishment and move!”

So you’ve just been given the task of fitting out the new office space, relocating the team seamlessly and keeping everyone happy throughout the project. Oh, and you have to keep on top of your normal workload throughout the process.

Where do you start? – Perhaps 8 Pro Tips from one of Sydney’s fitout specialists might help explain exactly what it takes to get your new office up and running whilst managing the two key denominators of any project time and money.

Pro Tip 1: The Game Plan

Understand the reason why your involved and what outcomes you need to deliver, who it is you will take instructions from (generally your boss) and ensure that all project information is recorded in writing and agreed. Call this your “Game Plan”.

Pro Tip 2: The Timeline

Be very clear on your time frames to complete every task of the project from finding a suitable premises to lease, detailing design, construction period and relocation. Time around achieving specific key tasks should be not negotiable. Ensure that you have developed a suitable project time line graph and planned for regular project meetings with all stakeholders. Don’t keep your planning a secret give it to everyone involved in the project and get everyone on board with the committed dates

Pro Tip 3: The Funds

As the person in charge of the new office you will be involved with money. Besides time, money is the other key denominator that will span the entire project so you must have a clear understanding of the business financial commitment to the project. Get the budget agreed in writing by all stakeholders, have a way of tracking and reporting on the budget throughout the project and obtain written quotations from all providers clearly detailing the cost, product or service that they will provide

Pro Tip 4: The Lease

Leasing commercial office space is an ongoing business overhead payment and usually one of the major budget considerations in any business so when relocating office it is very important to negotiate the best deal possible. Experts known as tenant representatives….”Tenant Reps” are available to assist in these negotiations and act independent from the leasing agents on your behalf to gain the best commercial deal possible.

Pro Tip 5: The Design

Select a designer that has suitable inclusions and exclusions in their fee structure defining exactly what they will provide for that fee. Review website, social media and pay attention to photos and comments, then think about their different personalities and decide which one would work best with you.

Pro Tip 6: The Budget

To get the best from your designer you will need to give them some clues on what it is your looking to build and what budget you have for construction. You should know from planning meetings with management some of the key design items that you want to achieve, broadly described ideas in writing with photos are a great starting point.

A construction budget is very important but might be harder to define if you and management have not fitted out an office before. That said this major cost item should have been addressed while developing your game plan to relocate, even if only based on loose information a figure must have been discussed by management at some point.

It is very important that your designer knows this figure to ensure that they do not OVER design your new premises and instead designs to suit your budget

Pro Tip 7: Dilapidation Report

It’s always important to undertake a Dilapidation Report, in other words a report on the existing site conditions that you are about to lease. Typically you would do this for your own records as at the end of the your lease you will need to return the space back to its original condition. By completing this report and providing photographic evidence of same; you know exactly what is required and will avoid any disagreements with the landlord. You should provide a copy of the report to the landlord for their files.

Pro Tip 8: The Review

If you have reservations about how a particular area of the building is going to look and your not 100% sure that it’s what you want the best time to visit the site is at the start when the stud work has been erected. At this point it is still possible and quite simple to make alterations to the wall frames at minimum and sometimes no cost.

For more advice of your next office fitout project visit (www.officebuilders.com.au)