5 things you need to know about budgets when hiring an office design company
5 things you need to know about budgets when hiring an office design company
There comes a time in the life of every business where they feel the need to call up an office design company for that inevitable office redesign.
Let’s face it, the 1980s and 1990s are nostalgic, but carpet from those periods isn’t. But before you reach out to an office design firm, there are a few things you’re going to want to know.
All to many times we’ve seen grand ideas crushed by budgets that were less grand. In this article, we are going to break down a few key budgeting tips you’ll need to think about if you want your redesign project to go according to plan.
1. Construction costs add up
Construction costs quickly add up when completing an office redesign. Every wall that needs to be demoed, floor that needs to be changed, and pipe and electrical wire that needs to be added to the cost.
All of these things require additional labor to complete. Whatever office design company you work with will have these connections and be able to help. But – these services will cost extra as it adds more time and additional complexity to the project.
If you are planning to make substantial changes to your office, you will have to pay for material, equipment, labor, and count on a few unforeseen items that always seem to pop up. Premium features are great, but they come with a price tag. Don’t be afraid to ask your office design company questions when pricing out a project. They’ll be able to tell you if you’ll have a big enough budget for construction, furnishing, and everything else that you need.
For companies on small budgets, we always recommend that you keep construction to a minimum.
2. Furnishing can be flexible
When building that perfect office, it’s easy to get caught up at the moment and overextend. We’ve seen it time and time again.
Every company approaches the design process differently. As an office design company, we recommend thinking hard about what your office really needs to stand out.
Let’s look at two examples.
The law firm
A law firm should heavily invest in quality, commercial-grade furniture in any rooms that clients will use. This means investing in quality chairs, a durable boardroom table, and other features to make the office look good. Of course, this will cost more, but you want your business to impress your clients and enjoy the longevity of quality products.
The startup
A startup should have fewer meetings than a law firm and their clients and investors do not expect designer furniture. Most startups are looking for a lean approach to workspace design, and because of this, we recommend investing in good quality office chairs and desks for their employees, that will keep the team comfortable day in and out. And if your budget permits, stand-up desks are a great option to invest in as well, both for their performance and health benefits.
Saving on furniture
There are still ways you can save money though. If you want to reduce costs when it comes to your furniture, cut costs where it makes sense. Put an everyday couch in the break room, invest in cheaper chairs in the cafeteria, and look to save money where it doesn’t impact performance or comfort.
Every business will approach the furnishing of their office differently. If you are unsure of your options, just ask your office design company for help.
Remember, most of your budget will be used on furniture (unless you’re planning large construction as well) and it pays to set a large enough budget, and then some, to make sure you cover everything. The last thing you want is for your employees to feel cheated because the office is only half furnished.
Here at Space Refinery, we have developed some great connections with furniture companies all throughout Europe. If you’re unsure of how much to budget for furnishing, just ask us.
3. Acoustics are important
When designing on a budget, something like acoustics is easy to overlook.
Don’t do this.
The acoustics in your office play a really important role. If you’ve asked your office design company to build an open concept office, you better prioritize the acoustics of it.
According to a report by CertainTeed, 62% of workers are bothered by the lack of privacy in their office and 57% of them often do nothing to solve it. The most common nuisances in an office include ringing telephones, employee conversations, and sounds from other teams. In most of these situations, acoustics can solve the problem, removing the need for intervention and reducing the chances of distraction.
When your office has bad acoustics, it affects productivity, focus, and can stress your employees out. Some employees thrive in chaos, but most don’t. In fact, many of your employees need a quiet space to be able to focus at work. That doesn’t mean they don’t enjoy the social aspect of an open concept office. Instead, it means that they need a quiet place to focus when it counts.
While designing with acoustics in mind it can be expensive, but it doesn’t have to be. Simply installing carpet in the right spots can do wonders for the acoustics of your office. And if you have the budget, adding strategic sound barriers and absorbing pads will dramatically improve your acoustics.
4. The office is the key
This step isn’t one that every company will be able to do. If you are looking for your first office, or about to scale up, talk with your office design company.
One of the easiest ways to save money is to pick an office with good fundamentals.
What does this mean exactly?
Simply put, you need to pick an office that can properly accommodate your company. That office you’ve been eyeing may look great, but it may not be worth it if you need to completely gut the place, create new rooms, install lighting, plumbing, and upgrade electricity.
It might be difficult to envision what it will take to create a space perfectly fitted to your company’s needs. If you need an expert’s opinion, we’re more than happy to help – feel free to reach out to us for a free consultation.
5. Your office design company can answer all your questions
Designing and updating an office can be intimidating if you are unfamiliar with the process. We mentioned it above, but you really need to ask your office design company questions. It’s their job to teach you the process, to tell you about the costs, and to make sure you understand the entire design process.
Don’t be afraid of the design process. Once you understand how it works, it’s fairly straightforward. The biggest piece of advice we can give you is to set a budget, leave a little flex room, and don’t wait until the last minute to reach out to experts. When time is short, you’ll have fewer choices and pricing goes up. In general, except furniture orders to take around 8 weeks to complete, depending on the size and scope and a couple of weeks to a couple of of months for construction.
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