outline sketch of a interior pantry area

4 Things All Office Interior Build Out Projects Must Be Prepared To Face

Unexpected issues are sure to crop up during any interior office build out project, knowing of their potential before they arise is key to not letting anything set back deadlines or push you over budget.

PCI is skilled and proven to provide superior general contractor services for interior office build out projects. Over the years we have learned exactly what sorts of issues most commonly pop up. Meaning we also know exactly how to plan for and avoid these issues, keeping your project on track in regards to timeline, budget and overall goals.

We know good and well that creating a detailed plan before any work begins is adamant, but even the most well thought out plans can include loop holes that take your entire project for a run—a costly and time-consuming run at that.

Here are 4 common issues all office interior build out projects should be prepared to handle.

1. Tenant Issues

First and foremost, you may experience issues with your current tenant depending on what type of build out approach you take, turn key build out or stated dollar amount build out.

Turnkey build out is when the Landlord pays for all remodeling expenses. As a result, the tenant pays a pre-agreed rent due to upgrades in building.

Stated dollar amount is when the Landlord gives the tenant a specific dollar amount to use towards office build out, this generally includes both architectural and engineering fees.

If you go with the turnkey approach the most common issue is that your project estimates could go over by 20-30%, and then you’re still stuck with the same tenant agreement. If you assume, for instance, the build out will cost $40 per square foot you will create a new rental agreement based upon these numbers. What happens if the project actually ends up costing $50 per square foot? Now you are going to be waiting a lot longer than expected to make money back on your investment. Not to mention, certain efforts to decrease costs could be mistaken as “short cuts” that the tenant is not happy about.

Regardless if you go with the turnkey approach or stated dollar amount, working with tenants is crucial to creating an end result that everyone is happy with. That’s much easier said than done. Allow us to take care of tenant related issues so that you can breathe easy and maintain a cordial relationship with your tenant(s). 

2. Unexpected Issues Regarding Plumbing, Electrical, Etc.

Once you start tearing up walls and ripping out ceilings and floors you never know what you are going to find. If you uncover an issue related to electrical or plumbing you will need to hire an expert in that field, which is going to cost a pretty penny per hour, not to mention the parts required to fix the issue.

Even if your building is somewhat newer and you are not expecting to find electrical or plumbing issues behind the walls, be prepared for it anyways. Being prepared for worst-case scenarios prevents a worst-case scenario from actually unfolding.

Your unexpected issue might have nothing to do with electrical or plumbing, instead it could be just about anything. That’s why at the start of every project when you create a budget you should include at least 10% extra for unexpected surprises. This drastically reduces your risk for going over budget.

3. Flaky Contractors

An office interior build out includes so many working parts and different industry professionals. Therefore, it’s fairly common for one or two of your hired contractors to turn out to be less than the best. Perhaps you discover one contractor in particular can’t stay on time and is holding up the entire project, or maybe they completely disappear halfway through the job. If contractors don’t hold up their end of the deal your entire project could fall into jeopardy, so how do you prevent this?

Hiring a proven general contractor with a good track record in your area is key to preventing flaky contractors from messing with the success of your project. This is where PCI comes in very handy; we already have an entire Rolodex of contractors that provide reliable, high quality work, time and time again. Our extensive knowledge and experience in the industry reduces your risk as well as the amount of research you have to do to find contractors that may or may not do a good job.

Another way to make sure everyone remains in line is to have regular meetings with all contractors involved. This provides a chance for the general contractor to check on progress and make sure the project is in line to be completed on time and within budget. The sooner issues with particular contractors are identified, the less chance they have of actually interfering with the success and total cost of your office interior build out.

4. Building Code Regulations

Local building code regulations are a common headache during interior office build outs. Having someone on the team that is highly versed in local regulations and laws will prevent wasted work from taking place. Historic buildings will come with even more regulations than newer construction, but no matter what you do it must meet with local regulations otherwise you’re wasting time, money and efforts.

Perillo Construction is here to make sure your interior office build out project runs as smoothly as possible. We micro-manage every last aspect of your project, working with everyone on the team, from the architect to the floor installers. Our vast oversight, industry connections and extreme attention to detail help prevent unexpected issues with budget and timeline, while simultaneously saving you a great deal of stress. Contact us today to learn more!