office fit out and refurbishment

Every workplace has a life cycle. At the start everything feels fresh and exciting and this leads to your team being productive but overtime as your team and company grows the space that you are in can start to feel restrictive. This is normal and is part of a company’s lifecycle, but when it happens you have to decide if you want to invest in an office fit out or carry out an office refurbishment.

While the two may seem the same, understanding the difference is important if you want your project to run smoothly. Both while similar have a huge impact on how your office looks and feels, both require planning, budgeting and self storage can even help the process to run smoothly.

The path you choose will shape how your team feels about coming to work every day and how smoothly your business operates for years ahead so choose wisely.

What sets office fit out and refurbishment apart

An office fit out creates a new space from the inside out. It usually begins with an empty building and ends with a functioning office that reflects your industry and unique needs. The fit out process involves space planning, interior design, construction, furniture and technology installation and all the essential services that make a workplace complete. It gives you total control over your layout, your branding and the experience your employees and clients have when they walk through the door. For companies expanding into a larger London office or moving to a better location, a fit out is the chance to design everything exactly as you want it.

An office refurbishment on the other hand focuses on improving the existing space you already occupy. The building, the core structure and the majority of the layout stay the same. What changes is the quality of the environment. Refurbishment allows you to update tired areas, refresh interiors, add more desks or upgrade facilities to match modern working styles. If your current office has the right footprint but needs better design to support collaboration or new technology, refurbishment will help your office feel renewed without leaving the address that already works well for your business.

Fit out is about creating a new space. Refurbishment is about renewing one. Both options can transform the way your company operates. It simply depends on your stage of growth and how much change your workplace needs.

Why companies choose an office fit out

A fit out project is commonly chosen by businesses moving into a new building. When you take a blank office, you need everything from lighting to flooring to furniture before your team can begin work. The benefit is complete freedom. You are able to plan every detail of the office design around your business goals.
If your company relies on creativity and communication like many businesses do then you can build collaboration areas, open plan layouts and breakout rooms which can help get those creative juices flowing.

If on the other hand, you need privacy and focus, you can include more enclosed spaces, meeting rooms and acoustic solutions so that privacy can be achieved. A fit out is the opportunity to express your company culture through the space itself.

Another advantage is planning for the future. A fast growing company does not want to move into a building that is already too small.
During the consultation stage you will consult with designers and project managers to help you forecast how many employees you expect to have in the coming years. They can then design the space to support that future growth rather than reacting to space issues later.

This makes a fit out a long term investment.

A new London office can also play a big role in employer branding. Employees are motivated when their workplace feels modern, purpose built and comfortable. Clients take notice too. The design of an office communicates quality and professionalism before you say a single word.

Why companies choose an office refurbishment

Staying in your current location offers strong benefits if your existing space still matches your business strategy.

When the walls, electrics and core infrastructure are working as they should you should look at a refurbishment as it is a cost effective way to refresh your workplace and improve the quality of the environment while keeping your costs lower.

A refurbishment also is beneficial as it usually causes less disruption than a move because your team does not have to relocate to another part of the city, not only can this cause disruption but it can make some of your staff angry and less motivated to work for you.

Working around refurbishment can be challenging at times too, yet with clear planning and minimal disruption strategies, your company can keep operating while changes take place.
Refurbishment is useful when a company wants better facilities or a more efficient layout for the place. You may choose to convert an unused area into a colab space or it could be a good opportunity to replace that old furniture with ergonomic alternatives.

Differences in scale and budget

An office fit out is typically a larger project. Since you are starting with an empty shell, every part of the interior has to be designed and installed. The construction phase, the design work and the number of contractors involved naturally create a higher budget. However, because the space is empty, the work can be completed without affecting your day to day business. That alone can make the investment worthwhile.

Office refurbishment has more flexibility in cost. A smaller refurbishment might involve a change in colour scheme, new flooring and improved lighting. A larger refurbishment might include removing walls, upgrading kitchen facilities or installing new air conditioning systems. Even with lower costs than a fit out, the improvements in quality and comfort can be significant.

Planning ahead with project management expertise

Whichever route you choose, the planning phase is where successful projects are made. A fit out project or refurbishment requires timeline planning, space planning, budget control, design coordination and clear communication between everyone involved. When experienced project managers oversee the construction and design teams, you protect the schedule and reduce unexpected disruption.

Early consultation is also important. Designers will take time to understand how your teams work, how departments interact and what frustrations exist in the current office. This ensures the new or improved office space is tailored to your unique needs. Every workplace is different. The best solutions are created when designers and companies collaborate closely from day one.
Supporting company culture through design

Your workplace influences how your people feel and how well they perform. Office design is more than furniture and décor. The layout affects communication. The materials and lighting impact wellbeing. The flow of the space shapes how easy it is for teams to focus or collaborate. When people enjoy being at work, productivity increases.
A fit out gives you the ultimate opportunity to design around company culture. A refurbishment can refresh that culture and make it visible again. In both cases, your office becomes a physical representation of your values.

Keeping disruption to a minimum

One concern that businesses often have is disruption. When a project is handled correctly, disruption does not have to derail productivity. With an office fit out, most of the work happens before your team moves into the new space which allows business as usual until moving day. With an office refurbishment, the contractor may complete the project in phases so your team can continue working while parts of the office are temporarily closed. Minimal disruption is possible with a clear plan, temporary arrangements and close coordination with your designers and project managers.

How self storage supports both fit out and refurbishment

Whether you are building a new space or refreshing your existing space, one thing is always certain. There will be furniture, files, technology and equipment that need to be moved out of the way. Storage becomes essential.

Self storage can help businesses carry out both projects smoothly and during your project you can move your office furniture from the construction area so they don’t get damaged or misplaced. It also allows less clutter in the area so that the workmen can get on with their work more efficiently too.
Using storage as part of the project management process keeps your furniture protected and organised. It allows you to move items in stages rather than all at once too so there is less stress involved.

At this point you may also discover how much unused equipment has been taking up space in your office for years. By placing it into storage, you have time to decide whether to reuse, donate or recycle it once the project finishes.

Storage supports construction, reduces disruption and gives companies more freedom to manage their project without stress. It is a simple service that plays a powerful role in keeping your business moving forward.

Making the right call for your business

At the end of the day choosing between an office fit out or a refurbishment comes down to your goals and where you see your business growing over the next few years. If your existing space is limited and can not support your business anymore or you need to relocate to a new location then a fit out is a good choice.

On the other hand, if your business location is ok but just needs an update then refurbishment is often the smartest option. It’s more cost effective and your staff don’t have to move either, which for some is important.

You should know that there isn’t a one size solution to this problem and both options can deliver a workplace your team is proud of. Both options can improve wellbeing, productivity and collaboration. The best choice is the one that aligns with your long term business strategy.