A commercial fit-out has to be carried balancing cost, time and quality of the work. But this requires careful project management and selecting the right people for the job. There are several stages to achieving a successful fit-out.
Time is a big consideration when it comes to a commercial fit-out as any delays can affect sales or profits of the operation. So you have to make sure that the project is given sufficient time to start. The design stage of the project will take some time. A well-developed design will improve the efficiency of the space. The first stage in an interior fit-out design is the creation of the brief. The client should provide the brief including staff requirements, number of staff members, storage requirements etc. The designer will further refine the brief. Some of the things that will be clarified by the brief are the look and feel that you want for the fit-out, how office spaces will be divided among staff, audio visual requirements, power and data requirements etc.
You will also need to find a commercial space where the fit-out can take place. If this is not already done before the brief stage, you can get the designer involved when selecting premises. This will give you another perspective. They will consider views, accessibility, size, condition of the finishes, condition of services and ease of installation. There are fit-out companies that provide both design services and construction. You need to select the right company so that the project can be completed on time and within the budget. Some of the things you should check before confirming the company are considering whether their previous customers are happy with the workmanship and if they provide aftercare services. Make sure that you check the credentials of the company and the accreditations they have. You can also see the different services offered by Iconic Fit-outs Geelong by checking their official website.
You should be clear on what you are looking for when selecting a contractor. Make sure that you get detailed specifications of the works, breakdown of costs in addition to the fit-out proposal. They should provide a work programme for the project that specifies all the milestones and when these milestones are expected to be achieved. You should check insurances of the company, payment terms and defects liability period. Make sure that you go through the terms of the contract. You can get legal advice for this if there is any confusion. The contract will set out the obligations of each party, timeline, budget, insurances, how disputes are handled, retention, defects liability periods etc. You should make sure that the commercial fit-out complies with the building regulations of the locality.
Once the design is developed and approvals are obtained, construction will commence. There should be a supervisor at site to keep you apprised of the progress and to check the quality of work. There will be regular meetings at site so that you can get an idea of the progress and the company will be able to attend to any issues that come up during construction. There should be an inspection at the end to create a snagging list so that any pending items or rectifications can be attended to.