A Comprehensive Guide To A Renovation Project Timeline

A Comprehensive Guide To A Renovation Project Timeline

A Comprehensive Guide To A Renovation Project Timeline

No matter the scale of your office renovation project, you have several aspects to consider, from the final design to the materials you wish to use for your office space interior design. However, the most critical element you have to be aware of is the project timeline.

Knowing how long a typical office renovation might take is critical to help you achieve timely design and renovation flow, saving you unnecessary renovation expenses and time.

In this article, we have broken down a typical office renovation timeline into three key stages to help you digest the various aspects of a renovation project better.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Stage 1: Planning

The initial stage involves critical planning of your office renovation project. In this stage, you will be considering various processes, from preparation to choosing and finalising, to help you kickstart the renovation. This critical stage should be conducted even before you research the commercial interior design firms in Singapore.

Preparation process

Budgeting (Estimated time: 1 – 4 weeks)

Before you start your renovation, you need to plan your prospective budget. Knowing your budget’s upper limits will help you determine what is essential and what is not. There are other alternatives to upgrading your office without having to conduct a complete renovation process, such as A&A works, that might be more cost-effective if budget is a concern. 

Crafting a design brief (Estimated time: 2 – 4 weeks)

A design brief is a document that outlines the scope of the renovation and the deliverables, such as the estimated timeline and budget, as well as the desired aesthetics and functions of the commercial office design. With a well-crafted design brief, you are able to convey your ideas to your interior designer in a much clearer manner, saving not only your interior designer but also yourself significant time in the next stage.

Choosing your interior design firm (Estimated time: 1 – 3 weeks)

Once you have envisioned your office design, it is time to find the right office renovation design provider, which can be divided into contractors and ID firms, depending on your budget, timeline, and needs. However, you can save yourself significant renovation time by engaging an end-to-end provider, such as OSCA.

Choosing process

Pitching and tender (Estimated time: 4 – 9 weeks)

This is where your design brief comes in handy! During this process, you will be meeting various ID firms and contractors that you have shortlisted for your renovation project, communicating your needs and expectations using your design brief. They will then pitch their design proposals. From there, you will pick the one that best fits what you are looking for.

Finalising process

Preparation of downpayment and contract (Estimated time: 1 – 2 weeks)

After picking the renovation provider, you would have to prepare the relevant documentation, such as a contract and down payment. This is the last step before commencing the renovation. The documentation usually involves various parties, such as various authorities, departments, service providers, and building management. Hence, you need to set aside sufficient time to coordinate with them.

Design development and confirmation (Estimated time: 2 – 6 weeks)

Once all documentation has been approved, it is imperative to fine-tune and confirm the final design details, such as wall positions and floor materials, as well as minute ones, such as furniture colour and size.

Items such as loose furniture and carpentry might require longer lead times as they are usually made to order. Hence, it is vital that you spend as little time as possible confirming the details to avoid pushing back the delivery timeline.

Stage 2: Renovating (Estimated time: 4 – 14 weeks)

Once you are done with the planning stage, you are ready to begin your renovation stage. This stage is also where delays will occur potentially, but you and your interior designer will be able to mitigate them with careful planning. Apart from long lead-time items and the size of your office space, some potential factors that might lead to longer renovation are:

Building management’s or landlord’s regulations

When renovating, each building comes with its specific set of regulations for contractors and tenants, such as permitted renovation hours.

Typically, noisy renovation works are allowed to occur only during office hours, from 9 am to 5 pm on weekdays. However, depending on the location’s regulations, the contractors might require more time to complete the renovation, especially if they have shorter permitted working hours.

Site accessibility

The accessibility of the office makes a significant difference. For example, if the site does not have a cargo lift access, it might require more time to transport larger items and materials. This is because passenger lifts are usually much smaller than cargo lifts. In addition, access to a convenient loading and unloading bay also boosts accessibility. They allow contractors to park and unload large quantities of materials more efficiently.

Mitigating delays

While there are many delaying factors, you can mitigate them with your designer and contractors easily by examining the tenancy guidelines thoroughly and sending a copy of it to your designer before you commence the renovating stage. Additionally, you should also arrange a site visit with both your designer and contractor present, allowing them to take note of certain conditions and features that might not be reflected in the initial drawing.

Stage 3: Handing over (Estimated time: 2 – 4 weeks)

The handover stage commences as soon as your renovation process is completed, during which most time is spent conducting inspections, such as building management and fire safety authorities. Of course, you will be conducting your own inspection, too, to identify any defects, allowing you to rectify them immediately!

After everything has been settled, the handover process will involve passing over items, such as aircon remotes, user manuals, access cards, cabinet keys, and door keys. You might also want to use this time to train your employees on certain office features, such as office access and the use of certain furniture.

After which, you are now ready to receive, process, and sign any relevant handover documents, invoices and certifications. With that, you have finally completed your office renovation project. Do note that for most renovation companies, such as OSCA, you will be given up to 12 months post-renovation period for any additional rectification of defects and maintenance at an added cost.

Conclusion

Now that we have shared an estimated timeline of an office renovation project, we hope that it has provided you with a rough estimate for your own project. If you are looking to renovate your office, look no further than OSCA. Whether big or small, OSCA offers award-winning end-to-end design and renovating solutions that will make your office as comfortable as home. Visit our website to find out more!

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