Enterprise Credit Union Design & Fitout 9

Five ways to keep your office fitout affordable

An affordable office fitout doesn’t have to be boring! By being smart with your budget, you can have the office of your dreams without spending a fortune. In this blog post we share our top tips for delivering a great fitout project while also keeping costs down.

Be clear on your ‘why’

The first thing to think about when planning your affordable office fitout is your ‘why’. Why are you considering the fitout? What is it you hope to deliver through the project? Don’t forget to think about what you need now, but also take into account how your business might change. A good – and cost-effective – office fitout should be future-proof!

Feed this ‘why’ into a clear brief. Afterall, delivering a beautiful office won’t matter if you didn’t fix what was wrong in the first place. Having a clear brief will also help you to set a realistic budget for the project and measure the success of it once it’s completed.

Koura Office Design

Set a budget

Speaking of budget… understanding what an office fitout will cost can be tricky. Many different factors can impact cost. This is why having your ‘why’ defined is so important. You can keep revisiting it and if a particular fixture or fitting isn’t helping you to achieve your ‘why’ then you might not need it at all.

An office fitout partner will be able to help you to set a realistic budget, advising on how to keep costs down. However, if this is a step you are looking to take yourself, you’ll need account for all elements involved in delivering the project, including:

Don’t forget to add around 10% of the project cost as contingency for any unforeseen circumstances.

Choose the right site

You might already own the office you are going to fitout or have a site in mind. If not, you’ll want to think carefully about any potential sites as this can have a big impact on overall cost. While some buildings can look great from the outset, you’ll want to dig a little deeper to make sure your site really does have the services (or a cost-effective way of installing the services) you need.

If you’re renting an office space, make sure you speak to your landlord as soon as you can to make sure you are able to do the work you have in mind. A good relationship with your landlord can help with costs too. You may be able to negotiate lease terms so you are not paying rent while waiting for your fitout to be completed.

Metrohm Office Design & Fit Out

Refresh and reuse

It might sound obvious – but when planning your budget, it’s worth reviewing what you already own and considering if you can reuse it in your new office space. Office furniture for example can often be refreshed to give it a new lease of life. 

It’s certainly tempting to buy everything brand new – but when furniture typically accounts for 30% of office fitout costs it can be an obvious place to make cost savings. It’s also much better for the environment. A great option for businesses that are looking to become more sustainable and reduce their carbon footprint.

Minimalist design

Office design is an important part of any office fitout project but does come at a cost. Paring your design back can be a way to make your fitout more affordable. But don’t worry – minimalist doesn’t have to mean uninspiring! A ‘less is more’ approach can sometimes actually be more effective. Here are some ideas:

Enterprise Credit Union minimalist design

Getting started

There are lots of ways to keep your office fitout affordable – but the best solution is to contact an expert for advice. A good office fitout company will have experience of working to specific budgets and will be able to give you advice on how to save money. If you’d like to get started on an affordable office fitout project, get in touch to see how we can help.

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