Whether you have renewed your existing lease or have signed a new one, you’ll want to ensure your business space is designed for your company’s success now and well into the future. Not only does your company’s space represent your business to your customers, but it also acts to reinforce your company culture, which in turn affects employee productivity as well as retention. Knowing that your business space is also among your company’s largest expenditures annually, designing it to fully and completely meet your needs is crucial. Here’s how you can ensure satisfaction of the final space during your renovation or buildout.
Choose the Right Team
Now, there are a lot of ways to build your renovation team, after all, there are design, consulting, and construction firms everywhere. So, how do you choose? One of the easiest ways is to find a full service interior contracting firm, like Perillo Construction, which delivers consulting services before your building project development and sees it through to successful completion. You’ll want a firm who takes its direction from your vision and utilizes quality materials throughout the process. It is equally important to choose a firm who designs in styles you like, because while every design is unique, certain components and features may be consistent in their design (classic, contemporary, cutting edge, functional, open flow, etc.). It’s always a good idea to narrow the firms with potential down to a select few, meet with them, and get presentations from each one. Since all will likely have the know-how, look to style, personality, as well as how they work, and problem solve for your current space to make the decision.
Provide Direction
Once you have settled on a great team, you will need to be able to clearly express your vision. When you see spaces you like, take notes, save photos, and share them with your team. Also, detail what you want your space to say when new customers or clients enter. In this case, the more information you can provide, the better your design and construction team can deliver to meet your expectations.
Your Internal Team
You’ll also want to develop an internal team to offer input into the design process. Keep your team small, asking for input from each department as well as each category of employees. Remember sales managers and administrative personal will have completely difference ideas on what works best. In a medical setting the same is true for nurses and administrative staff and insurance coders. Knowing the needs of each department as well as each type of worker will help you plan functional, efficient space for every member of your workforce. This doesn’t mean you incorporate every suggestion, but listen and work with your consulting design and construction team to use ideas which work.
A Clear Vision
When your design is ready, make sure you understand what your space will look like. This means your design team should be clear, and if they aren’t, ask questions and expect answers. You should see test fits, sample boards, material samples, and pricing notes to help you fully visualize your final space. In most instances, your firm should be able to provide a virtual three dimensional tour utilizing today’s innovative technology.
The Budget
Your design team should be advised from the start of your budgetary requirements and work to design your dream space within that budget. If you are moving, the move needs to be a part of the budget, as does the tenant improvement amount provided for in your lease, and any new furnishings or equipment you will need. From there, you can determine how much you actually have for the design and construction phase of your buildout or renovation.
Enjoy the Process
While there will likely be parts of the process which are more enjoyable than others, it is important to keep your eyes on the final space – a place where your company and employees can be positive, productive, and successful in the years ahead.