8 tips to keep in mind when renovating your business

With the economy slowing, many companies are looking to cut expenses by transitioning to remote working. However, this alternative is not always possible depending on the sector of activity of a company. Rather than moving to spaces where the rent is less expensive and which sometimes means having less visibility with customers, commercial renovation can optimize the space both aesthetically and practically.

Renovating your business doesn’t necessarily mean buying new furniture, upgrading technology or buying new equipment – although they are all recommended. Sometimes all it takes is a fresh coat of paint and better use of your assets to increase the profitability of your business. A simple change is often enough to attract new customers, because it makes consumers curious.

Fortunately, renovation professionals like Spacia have the construction skills to handle any type of project to attract clients and redesign a company’s office space. In this article, we share some tips to keep in mind if you are planning a remodel/renovation project.

 

Why Is renovating your business important?

Renovating your business is important because your office space or workplace is an extension of your business. A beautiful storefront that takes nothing away from your marketing budget is often the best advertisement.

Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, new (hybrid) office space designs that promote social distancing and good ventilation have emerged. New technologies such as self-checkouts are also emerging to promote security and reduce labor costs.

 

8 tips to keep in mind when remodeling your business

Here are key tips to keep in mind when remodeling your business:

1. Develop a detailed plan;
2. Hire the right professionals;
3. Find a balance between functionality and aesthetics;
4. Project yourself into the future to assess your needs;
5. Create a realistic budget for the project;
6. Plan a schedule that includes a margin of error;
7. Prepare documentation;
8. Take into account the skills of the renovation contractor.

 

1. Develop a detailed plan

When starting a new project, one of the most important things is to have a basic design in mind. This will guide you through all decisions and help you prioritize tasks. Before the renovation process takes over, it’s important to consult with your employees and ask them what they would like to see in the new space. By taking the time to collect their ideas, renovation contractors will be able to innovate on these suggestions.

After consulting with your employees on the type of changes they would like the project to implement, the initial plan should also take into account competitors’ office spaces. Some ideas are worth emulating with a personal twist. Nevertheless, commercial remodeling contractors often know the latest trends in office space configuration so they will be able to make relevant recommendations.

If you desire more inputs regarding an incoming commercial remodeling, it can also be worth it to consult current customers as they have suggestions coming from another perspective. They can make you aware of certain issues or areas of improvement in the store. It’s by getting to know your customers that you learn how to attract more potential clients!

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2. Hire the right professionals

Once you’ve collected various requirements that need to be part of the commercial remodeling project, remodeling professionals can be contacted to share their inputs. If the type of project has already been thought out on the surface, experts with construction skills will be capable of conceptualizing the idea deeper and faster. This can ultimately reduce the labor cost of the project, and all it takes is brainstorming before contacting experts.

Being able to share the essence of the changes you would like to see for your office space is remarkably important. The remodeling contractor will share their vision of the construction project through sketches, and for those to be great they need to be influenced by the main themes shared with them. Communication is a vital component of a  successful commercial remodeling project.

 

3. Find a balance between functionality and aesthetics

Comfort vs. aesthetic has been the subject of many philosophical debates across history, but it comes down to a question of balance. It goes without saying that the furniture for your employees should be comfortable, but not to the extent that it has narcoleptic capabilities. The same goes for aesthetic furniture and accessories. They should be beautiful but not cumbersome.

Remodeling professionals work with interior designers to create an aesthetic that reflects and tells something about the company. They know best how to find the fine line between comfort and aesthetic to provide your potential customers and employees an equilibrated space.

How to plan important commercial remodelings

 

4. Project yourself into the future to assess your needs

Do you plan on selling your company one day? Will more employees be working at the business? Should you invest in new technology? Make sure that any changes incorporated into your design take these factors into account. The most beautiful decor quickly becomes rigid if it cannot be moved around easily or be reconfigured. Business owners should anticipate the eventual need for change even when realizing a commercial remodeling.

By projecting yourself and your business in the future, commercial renovation can quickly become the opportunity for the expansion of your building given anticipated growth in sales. Your remodeling contractor can help determine what is feasible.

 

5. Create a realistic budget for the project

When gathering all the information you need before approaching remodeling experts, an approximative price tag to these changes should be computed as well. This will give you an idea of how much money you need to invest in completing everything you want to be done, minus labor costs. If by fear of not knowing the actual construction process and the price of building materials on the market, Spacia offers a free estimation to its potential customers.

Depending on the financial situation of your company, you can also approach any business in the commercial remodeling industry and ask them how much you would get for a fixed amount of money. 

 

6. Plan a schedule that includes a margin of error

As in anything in life, being realistic concerning the construction process and its result is important. Just a glance at the cost of the commercial remodeling project is often enough to bring people back to earth. Given that the construction project is achieved in multiple phases, it cannot be completed all in one day and it may diminish office space productivity for a few days.

This is why entrepreneurs should remember to communicate with business partners or customers that there are some commercial renovations and that it may impact the ordinary workflow that they are accustomed to. Employees should be notified as well so that they can bring back valuables to their place during the construction process, and all that they might need to do their job at home.

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7. Prepare documentation

As an entrepreneur, you are probably familiar with the importance of paperwork. Before making a mental blueprint, you should find the certificate of occupancy that will determine the type of project of construction that can take place under the roof of your business. Municipalities sometimes have additional requirements in certain areas, therefore they should be consulted before beginning the commercial renovation. 

It is a good idea to read these fine prints before renovating, otherwise, it could end up costing you a lot of money and time in the long run. For example, if you are buying a shop in the hopes to renovate it into a restaurant, but you find out that the city will not allow that space to operate as a restaurant, you will struggle to obtain permits. A remodeling contractor can help you go over the paperwork and secure the construction permit required for your remodeling project.

 

8. Renovation Contractor Credentials

Not only should the space have the proper paperwork to begin the construction process, but also the commercial remodeling contractor that will take care of your office space. Construction contractors must be licensed by the Quebec Building Authority to ensure a standard of quality across building renovation and construction. This license confirms the solvency of your selected remodeling professional and his qualifications.

What should be anticipated as well is safety first. It is equally important to choose a contractor with workers’ compensation and liability insurance because no one is ever safe from accidents. Have a commercial remodeling project in mind? If you want the best building for your business, you’ve come to the right place. Don’t hesitate to contact us so that we can analyze your needs and help you upgrade the image and functionality of your office space.

 

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