An office remodel is more than just a change of aesthetics. It is an investment that can play a significant role in impacting the growth and success of your organisation. Hence, it is imperative that you process each aspect of your design and renovation flow strategically in order to maximise the improved returns on your investment.
Additionally, a well-executed office renovation design comes with the added benefit of optimising your employees’ full potential. As one of the leading commercial interior design firms in Singapore, OSCA draws on decades of experience to offer award-winning commercial office designs. Check out our step-by-step guide to ensure that you get your remodelling flow right on schedule.
1. Identify your remodelling objectives
The first step to completing your office renovation on time and successfully is to begin the process with a clear objective. Are you looking to keep up with changing times, create a more sustainable workplace, boost your organisation’s branding to the next level, or improve workflow and productivity? Perhaps you want to remodel your office with a more functional layout plan that will better accommodate today’s hybrid work system of remote and in-office employees.
Identifying what you want to accomplish with the remodelling of your office will impact the planning and design process. Additionally, if your office lease is ending soon, you will also need to consider whether you are moving to a new space or staying in the current space.
Reasons to move
Before deciding to renovate, assess if moving to a new space could be a wiser decision. Whether it be upsizing due to an increased number of employees or downsizing due to not needing too much office space, relocating to a new office space might open up more opportunities for different designs. From an economic perspective, you might not need to spend much on renovation, too.
Reasons to stay
If you have got an ideal rental rate at your current address and the office space is sufficient for your employees, then staying might be a wise choice. You can then just focus on renovating and reconfiguring the space to improve the overall well-being and flow of the company. Alternatively, you might want to consider Addition & Alteration (A&A) work. So, rather than conducting a total renovation of the space, you just need to make minor, non-structural changes that will elevate the overall visual appeal and functionality of the space. It is a more economical approach.
2. Outline your office needs
Once you have identified your remodelling objectives, you need to consider your office’s functional needs. Your considerations should include non-negotiable details, such as your company’s trajected growth plans and the size of your current workforce. Also, list down every existing furnishings and office items that you currently have and would like to keep after the renovation.
Once you have gotten your non-negotiables details locked, you can then put together a list of ‘wish to have’ features, such as recreational spaces, movable partitions, and ergonomic furniture. It also is a good time to understand your employees’ preferences and needs; perhaps they want a collaborative space to bond with their team or require quiet zones for more private meetings or high-concentration work.
3. Establish the project’s schedule
The ideal timeline for completion of an office renovation is approximately four months. During the renovation period, which most will conduct outside the lease term, landlords will offer a rent-free period, also known as the fitting-out period, for refurbishing a bare space, which is a month-long for most premises and up to three months for spaces larger than 30,000 sqft, which can be extendable.
Other factors that might prolong your office renovation process include:
Newly-TOP buildings usually take a longer time to get approvals from relevant Qualified Personnel before the renovation process.
When your delivery mode is Design-Bid-Build, the tendering of the renovation can only take place after the design is finalised. In such a situation, you might consider going for design and build, where your office designer has the flexibility to tweak the design as the renovation moves along if time is an issue.
Suppose you are renovating in a live office environment; you might have to split your renovation timeline into several phases to reduce any disruption to your employees.
4. Determine your remodelling budget
A rough gauge for a complete overhaul of the office space interior design averages at approximately $100 to $300 psf, involving a variety of factors, such as fixtures and finishes, partition works, furniture, custom carpentry, M&E services, electrical works, and other miscellaneous services. The higher the quality of your materials and the more elaborate your interior design, the more you will have to consider in your remodelling budget.
In some cases, it might be cheaper to renovate a larger office space as you enjoy the advantage of lower fixed costs, such as M&E services. Smaller offices generally incur more renovation costs as they require more acoustic insulation and built-up spaces, which puts a more significant dent in the psf cost.
5. Search for a commercial interior design firm
While we have listed this as step 5, you can search for a commercial interior design firm as early as possible so that you can involve your interior designer in the planning process. Not only will you be able to get a better grasp of the overall budget and schedule, but doing so can also help you make more informed decisions regarding your remodelling or whether to relocate to a new space. They are also able to save you from any regulatory oversights that may compromise the project’s schedule and cost.
When searching for the right interior design firm, you are essentially looking at engaging construction specialists, interior designers, and project management. These three key elements may be engaged as a complete design and build solution or separately. Whatever decision you have made, it is crucial that you conduct your duly research on the design company and its relevant contractors.
6. Design and build your new workplace
Once you have chosen your office renovation company, it is time to decide on your design concept. Generally, this involves a site analysis in which the interior designer will assess your space and come up with a design proposal that suits not only the space but also your design plan. To speed up the process, you can provide a visual board of examples of your style preferences to help the designer nail down the feel and look of your office space, preventing unnecessary rounds of drafting that will delay your timeline.
Do note that this does not mean the end of your renovation process. Along the way, you will have to work with the designer on more detailed renovation decisions, such as choosing materials and working with necessary site-related adjustments.
Conclusion
With that being said, it is vital to enjoy every step of your office renovation. Ensuring each step is properly planned out will minimise the risk of delaying your design and renovation flow. And if all that sounds like a lot to handle, you can just engage an all-in-one interior design firm, such as OSCA, to guide you through the journey.
No matter how major or minor your office renovation project is, we provide end-to-end solutions that will guarantee you a fuss and stress-free remodelling journey. With decades of experience serving clients across various industries and nations, our team is experienced in designs that reflect your brand and serve the needs of your employees and anybody else who steps into your office. Contact us for a tailored design today!