Office Construct 101

Design, Construct, Furnish.

Following on from “Office Design 101”, after the Design, comes the Construction phase of your office design and renovation project.  It is time to hire the contractor and watch as your office is transformed!

Select Your Contractor

It is a good idea to get more than one estimate based on the design you choose.  Pay attention to the services each contractor offers, as there can be huge differences between contractors.  And don’t forget that WDI Group can make the transition from design to construction stage seamless by overseeing all the logistics involved in recreating your office space.  When you select WDI Group, we take on the responsibility to tender out the construction project to the different trades to ensure you receive great value on your project.

Establish Communication

Regular communication is imperative. If you haven’t already decided whom within your organization will be the contact point with the contractor, make that decision now. This person, if not the final decision-maker, should at least be the one through whom all changes, questions or concerns (including managing construction budgets), should be channelled to the contractor to avoid miscommunication and misunderstandings. However, remember that if this contact is not the final decision-maker, there could be delays in actioning changes that could affect your completion deadline – it might be a good idea to set up and maintain regular internal meetings with the decision-maker to avoid delays.

Develop Your Schedule

Work with the contractor to develop a construction schedule. Some questions will undoubtedly arise as you work with the contractor on the construction schedule, such as: What needs to be done to ensure the work is completed on time? Is it best to schedule the office renovation to happen after-hours (at night or on weekends)? In fact, a key question to ask is: Can the project be broken down into construction phases? This generally includes relocating existing workspaces during the office renovation: when a project is broken into construction phases, the construction schedule can be kept moving quickly by maximizing working hours on the site.

Remember Safety

Your contractor is obligated by the regulatory authorities to maintain all health and safety standards during the office renovation, including the provision of First Aid kits, and the requirement of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE). Appropriate signage indicating these health and safety standards should be placed in visible locations. The contractor’s project manager should make sure each of the trades are aware of the safety policies before they perform work at the construction site. It is also important for your contractor to understand your established safety policies and convey them to the trades.

Getting the Job Done

And then the action begins (if it hasn’t already!). Permits are acquired from the relevant authorities. Any demolition that needs to be done is done professionally, taking special care if the project is a “live site” (where the office space is still occupied during the construction). Trades are scheduled, and materials are ordered. There’s electrical, mechanical, data, flooring and walls to think about, to list only a few. The project manager is everywhere and coordinating everything to ensure the construction deadline and project budgets for the office renovation are met.

Enjoy!

Then comes the exciting moment as the office renovation transforms your workspace into a modern office environment. It’s time to move on to your next challenge – furnishing the space with trendy new office furniture. WDI Group is well positioned to provide an office furniture consultation for the next phase of your office upgrades. Let us help you out with our Office Furnish 101 solution.