Having a pleasant working environment is a key to getting the best out of your office staff. With the economy in its current state, many businesses are choosing to update their existing office space rather than move. This can be a less disruptive and lower-cost solution, but it needs to be done right. If you’re planning on refurbishing or changing your office space, then it’s important that you select a contractor who can not only do a good-quality job but also one that is sensitive to your needs and requirements.
If you have an in-house facilities manager, it’s reasonable to expect them to manage the logistics of the project, but for smaller businesses this isn’t always an option, so you need the refurbishment contractors you select to be able to do this too.
Spoiled for Choice
There are many different firms of office refurbishment contractors around, so choosing the right one for your job can be a daunting task. So how do you go about choosing between them?
You need to find a company that will deliver your refurbishment on time and within budget and that will do a professional-quality job. But what’s also important is their approach to the job and their attitude to doing the work.
What to Look For
When choosing a contractor, the process begins with planning. They should work with you from the early stages of the project to determine what you want and to turn your ideas and requirements into reality. At this stage, and indeed throughout the refurbishment, customer relationship skills matter as much as technical and project management skills.
When considering contractors, you should look for things like membership of recognised trade bodies. Find out who else they’ve done work for too, but don’t rely just on testimonials on the company’s website: look for independent reviews or see if they’re willing to provide a list of previous clients that you can talk to. A good contractor will be happy to show you examples of previous jobs and let you talk to customers.
Find out what services they’re able to offer too. A good firm of office refurbishment contractors will be able to handle the full spectrum of tasks, including building work, plumbing and electrical tasks, data cabling, decorating and finishing. Find out too whether they use their own workforce or whether any work is sub-contracted. If sub-contractors are used, you need to ensure that they’re managed effectively and the work is carried out to a high standard.
If you’re not completely vacating your premises during the work, then you need to ensure that the job is planned around your working needs. You also need to ensure that your staff continue to have a safe and secure working environment as the job progresses.
When you choose a contractor, ask yourself some key questions. Are they responsive to your needs? Are they flexible? And will they keep you fully up to date with progress on the project?