What needs to happen before someone breaks out the hammer and nails? Here are a few things to consider for a smoother office renovation.

1. Gather input from your employees

Your employees work in the office with you. They know the layout and the flow of the space, and (most likely) have thoughts about elements they would change if they were in charge of the design. Talk to them about what your goals are for a renovation, gather their suggestions, and find a way to incorporate their ideas into the design.

2. Don’t mess with the existing infrastructure (unless you have to)

Tearing out walls creates the popular open design concept, but one question you need to ask yourself is how expensive it will be to rework the existing infrastructure. Plumbing, ductwork, and electrical systems are costly to relocate, so look at ways to achieve your design goals without moving infrastructure.

3. Create a realistic timeline for renovations

What areas of the office are you remodeling? What needs to be shifted around to complete renovations? Take these questions into account when determining a renovation schedule that balances a quicker completion date with enabling your employees to continue their work.

4. Find a healthy balance between what you want to do and what needs to be done

There are many amazing ideas for office designs floating around in magazines and on the internet. Creating a grand vision of what the office could look like once renovations are finished is important, but staying within your budget is important. Before you commit to a potential budget-breaker, look at the cost of something that would be more practical, and decide where to invest the difference.

5. Don’ hire the first general contractor you find

Just like in other lines of work, most general contractors have areas of construction they specialize in. Speak with several general contractors who specialize in office renovations before committing to work with one of them. Reputable contractors will be happy to discuss your renovation plans and answer questions. They will probably have some suggestions for optimizing your space based on work they have done in the past, too.

Preparing for an office renovation is not always easy, but having a detailed plan beforehand makes the process smoother, helps keep the budget in check, and creates an office space you and your employees will be happy to work in. We specialize in office renovations, so contact us for more information about our services.