Having an excellent office fitout has a number of benefits for your business and employees. It can be a stressful project, however, given the amount of time and budget you will need to allocate to it. The first step for successful office fitouts is to plan carefully. Here are some tips on how you can plan and save for this project:

Planning and Saving for your Office Fitout Project

Set your project goals

You need to determine what exactly you want to achieve with the project. Is it for reinforcing your businesses branding? Is it for your employees’ increased motivation and productivity by giving them a better work environment? List down your project goals so that you can discuss these with us in the early stages of the design and quoting of your commercial fitout project.

Keep a checklist

List down all the requirements that you’ll need along with their corresponding timelines. Do you need a new office with new fixtures? Do you need to consult an architect regarding your office’s design or can our designers do this for you to save costs? You need to list all the things that you need to do to keep your project organised. You need to include in the list all the schedules and timelines of jobs and tasks so that you can be sure that all aspects of the project are done on time. Of course if Urban Group are running the project for you we take care of all this to save you the worry.

Don’t compromise on quality

Furniture and fixtures that are available in the market today vary in quality and cost. There is nothing wrong in finding items that cost less, however, this can lead to also finding ones with poor quality. It is best to check the quality first before considering price. You’ll find that buying high quality furniture and fixtures will help you save on costs later on, since these items will not need replacement or maintenance for a much longer period.

If you need to cut down on your project costs, find high quality furniture in your current office. If they fit the design, layout and theme of the fitout, keep them.

Include items such as IT infrastructure in your budget

IT infrastructure, phone and power outlets, storage cabinets should be included in your budget. It is very cost-efficient to include updates to these systems in with your new office fitout. You can consult with our electricians, designers and your IT manager to make sure that all of the elements are positioned correctly.

Do your research

There are various trends and innovation that you can choose from for your office fitout design. There is ergonomic and modern furniture that will let you maximise your available workspace. It’s best to do your research to make sure that you’re getting the best pieces for your project and that you’re making an informed decision in all aspects of the project.

Safety first

Prior to starting the actual fitout project, make sure that all safety concerns and requirements of the building are addressed. This includes the proper placement of fire extinguishers, sprinklers, exit signs, smoke detectors, and other equipment for safety. You should also consider placing non-slip floor surfaces as well as glass partitions. This measure ensures that both your employees and contractors are always protected.

Consult with a professional

Most businesses that want to save on cost often try do the project themselves. However, they end up blowing their budget and timeline, making costly mistakes, and creating a whole lot of stress for themselves. Having a professional fitout company such as Urban Group can help you maximise your office space and give it a professional look. The team will be able to help you make good decisions.

Tips to Save Cost on Office Fitouts

Now if you really are on a limited budget, you can still do an office fitout by following these cost-saving tips:

For walls and ceilings

• Minimise partitions and keep an open plan as much as possible.
• If partitioning is indeed needed, make it a solid one and use fewer glass panels.
• Use a T-bar ceiling grid instead of a solid plaster ceiling. A lot of premises already have this installed.
• Use paint on wall surfaces instead of using wallpaper, acrylic, panelling or timber. Using paint is the cheapest and easily changed finish that you can use.
• As much as possible, make use of natural light to save on power costs. Avoid placing furniture, shelving, or partitions over windows.

For floors

• For floor finishes, use carpet tiles. Carpet tiles give pattern and colour and can be easily replaced when damaged.
• If you are considering vinyl, ask our fitout team on how the floor will look. There might be a need for floor levelling to take the vinyl covering, and costs might increase.
• If you are considering timber, opt for a “click in” flooring is the most cost-effective since you can save on labour installation cost. You can also take it with you on your next fitout.

For lighting and power

• Using LED lights can be costly upfront, however, it will help you save in the long run.
• If you have a grid ceiling and it has lots of Fluorescent lights, only replace the tubes.
• Use equipment that has less power load.

For storage cabinets, shelving, and kitchen

• You can ask your fitout team for the use of pre-laminated boards instead of hand laminated ones for your cabinets.
• Instead of having a large kitchen, have a kitchenette. A microwave, a fridge and a sink may be all that you will need.
• For storage shelving, use loose furniture instead of built-in storage.

These tips will help save money on most office fitouts in Brisbane. For more information, don’t hesitate to contact the design and construct team at Urban Group today.