How Much Does An Office Fitout Cost?

Budget considerations for your Brisbane or Gold Coast office space

While there’s no definitive answer to your question, there are ways to get fast and accurate quotes, as well as negotiate good terms for an upcoming project. There’s no doubt an office fit out can be a pricey venture, but an understanding of the true costs involved can help you navigate this otherwise mind-numbing process. The decisions you make early on in the game will allow you to steer clear of any excessive cost variations—not to mention ensure you don’t end up paying the price down the track.

• Read: 8 Common Office Fitout Mistakes

First and foremost, you’ll need to gauge an understanding of the fit out process. Trades and services you’ll likely need to engage are; carpentry, plastering, painting, electrical, plumbing, A/C, fire, locksmithing, flooring, joinery, demolition, cleaning, tiling, waterproofing, signwriting, glaziering, graphic design, interior design and furniture supply.

Secondly, you’ll need to hire an expert to establish a clear scope of works. But here are some key questions to ask yourself before working out an appropriate budget.

What cosmetic changes need to happen?

“...oftentimes a simple, fresh coat of paint will do the trick.”

Updater Offices - New York City

Naturally, the overall cost of your fit out will depend on the level of complexity involved with the work. Making the most of what you’ve already got is one of the easiest ways to keep costs to a minimum—and oftentimes a simple, fresh coat of paint will do the trick. Other cosmetic changes like lighting fixtures, flooring and repurposing existing workstations can also be achieved without breaking the bank.

What structural changes need to happen?

“...it’s important to manage and schedule all trades in an effective manner.”

But if you do need to redevelop the architecture of the building (i.e. new doorways, demolition of walls, ceiling works, plumbing) in order to meet the needs of your business, it’s important to manage and schedule all trades in an effective manner. Failing to do so can result in some unexpected roadblocks, like delays and irreconcilable costs.

You should also keep in mind that interior designers aren’t usually familiar with the current trade costs. So what might look easy on paper, mightn't translate so easily onsite. You can, however, engage your fit out specialist to work directly with the designer in order to identify any excessive costs before signing off on the build.

What type of office furniture/workstations will you require?

“…there’s no one-size-fits-all answer to keeping costs down...”

Confidential Client Offices - San Francisco

If you choose to refurbish any existing workstations by hiring a joiner, it may be that your new space will only require some of the more affordable basics, like office chairs and flexible partitions. However, with the right furniture suppliers, buying new doesn't have to be so expensive. Here’s where it gets tricky: there’s no one-size-fits-all answer to keeping costs down on furniture and workstations. Your best bet is to communicate your business’ needs with your fit out specialist who can work out the most affordable, full-scale solution.

How much office space does your business need?

“...it would be prudent to assess the future of your business.”

The square meterage of your tenancy has a lot to do with the final cost of your fit out—but so too does the nature of your business. So before you go getting caught up in the grand pursuit of your new office space—or even before you start making plans to refurbish your current office—it would be prudent to assess the future of your business. It’s about having an honest conversation with yourself early on. It’s about addressing the potential challenges, and being able to counteract those inevitable costs with a well-constructed plan.

Some spatial considerations for the future might include:

• - The potential growth of the business
  
• - Plans to scale down
  
• - Preferred work settings
  
• - Merging with other businesses
  
• - Coworking/subletting opportunities
  
• - Company values
  
• - Technological requirements
  
• - The nature of your current and future employees

As a general rule-of-thumb, an open plan is an inexpensive way open up the potential of your business, and flexible partitions can be used to create privacy. Nonetheless, cordoning off various departments with a private office structure can sometimes be more appropriate in terms of productivity. It’s important to consider all of the costs, from not just one angle, but all.

What is your project timeline?

“It’s important to consider any potential company losses while your office undergoes any major structural changes…”

Although guidance exists on a range of fit out costs, the date you plan on getting back to work has a lot to do with final price of your fit out. You can mitigate any expensive challenges by planning ahead of time and working within a realistic timeframe. It’s important to consider any potential company losses while your office undergoes any major structural changes—minimising staff and customer/client inconvenience is key here. Keep in mind that a lot of work goes into an office fitout, and your completion date will be determined by the complexity of the design, the approval stage, and management of the construction phase.

Are you in need of an accurate quote and some expert advice?

Coordinating an office fit out is no mean feat. But Adam and the industry experts at Fast Fitouts will happily work out the costings of your dream office space, so you can get on with running a business. Call 1300 303 831, email info@fastfitouts.com.au or fill out our online contact form below for a free pricing service.

Lets GEt The Ball Rollng!

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