Have you found yourself wondering how long a design and build project takes? Perhaps you’re ready to act, but you’re not sure when the right time is. If you’re already thinking about making your workspace work harder, that’s the first step. In this blog, we will share our process, how we can help, and deadlines you need to be aware of.
First things first – your lease
A huge factor to consider is your lease. Is it ending soon? We advise potential clients that 12 months ahead is when to start thinking about the future. That’s the optimal time to contact us – and the reasons will be clear once you’ve finished reading.
If you feel like you’ve left it too late, don’t panic. Even though your lease may run out before any move, which means facing the prospect of moving into a temporary office, we can still help. No one wants disruption or an unproductive space. The sooner you contact us, the sooner we can get the ball rolling to make your space everything it needs to be.
Time to think
What’s been working? What hasn’t? What are your ambitions? It’s all food for thought. Here are some questions to help further:
Will your current or potential office space work for your business and its people in the next year?
What about the year after that?
Do you have enough room for growth?
Are everyone’s needs changing? Can it adapt to meet them?
Expert consultancy + analysis
Once you’ve mulled over these considerations, consultancy and space analysis are the next steps. This is where our experienced, in-house team listens to your needs, understands your vision, and learns all about your day-to-day activities. We explore everything to offer the most streamlined process possible and deliver what you need. We gather data and feedback from surveys, focus groups, and more to identify how the space needs to work. This becomes an evidence-based brief. We make sure this is in place and agreed upon before you/we approach a commercial property agent.
Finding the right space
Any commercial property agent worth their salt will want to know all about the size of office you need and what space will work hardest for your employees. From consideration and consultancy to the final stages, expect this stage to take a couple of months work. In our experience with clients, it takes between two and six months to find their perfect office space on average. As your partner, we’ll support you with viewings and advice. We’re passionate about making sure any space being considered (or suggested) meets the requirements we’ve identified.
Designing the right space
So, you’ve found the suitable and sensational space you need. The commercial property agent is happy. But more importantly, you’re happy and full of excitement and anticipation! This is the stage where we transform what exists to make it yours and fit for purpose. We’ll immerse you in designs, walkthroughs, 3D renders and more so that you can really visualise the workspace before we start building. The design process takes, on average, two months.
Building the right space
Once you’ve experienced your future space virtually, we’ll be in a place where you’ve signed off designs. The build can take a varied amount of time; we know building a space for clients takes around six to 10 weeks. On average, usually, it’s six to eight. Many factors play into this, such as size and requirements.
Timeline recap
Consultancy and space analysis: up to two months
Finding the right space: between two and six months
Designing: five weeks with ongoing development
Building: six to 10 weeks (depending on the size of your new office)
Handing over: one day
Moving in: over a weekend, or a soft move over a week
The total timescale for your design + build project will be in the nine to 12 months range. So, are you ready to start thinking about the future?
Together, we can make your workspace work harder. Even if it’s more than 12 months before your lease ends, it’s never too early to get in touch. We look forward to hearing from you!