Key questions to ask when planning for an office fit out

“If you fail to plan, you are planning to fail" is a classic quote that has been attributed to many different people over the years, which just goes to show that it's a concept that is applicable in almost every aspect of life.

In the office fit out world, good preparation is simply vital – without it, a project could run into numerous issues; anything from making the wrong design choices, right through to costs soaring because the budget wasn't properly considered. Being organised and aware of how each of your decisions will affect you going forwards will prepare you for every eventuality, undoubtedly saving much monetary cost and stress.

As a professional office design company, the team here at Oaktree Interiors has assisted a wide range of business types, all with different ideas of what they want from their ideal workplaces. As the size of our clients vary, so do the requirements that come with them; whether that's the demands of their buildings, their particular industry or the size of the budget that they have available. These different experiences have allowed us to build up a unique experience of what it takes to best prepare for such projects; which is why below, we've outlined some key points to consider when thinking about improving your own working environment.

How to prepare for an office fit out project

Whilst seeking out an office design company to help you with any of these points will help greatly, you can provide the answers yourself. When evaluating each aspect of your office, the most important question to ask willbe is *this* right for my business and the employees? Only you will know the answer to that question; so without further ado, here's how to prepare for an office fit out:

The importance of workplace analysis.

A massive part of any preparation process is looking at every aspect that the building project (may) entail. When planning an office fit out, you will need to analyse your company's goals, its people, culture and work flow to establish the best solution to your workplace requirements. This process may involve interviewing staff, undertaking surveys or looking at productivity rates (and what affects them); all of this will help you to become completely familiar with your working environment.

After making your initial findings, working with a professional office design company will not only help with understanding your workplace even better, but after gaining an understanding of the way you work, they will be able to put forward creative designs and solutions. Exceptionally practical and aesthetically outstanding, their ideas will revolve around how the space is to be used; the creation of closed rooms, open spaces, breakout areas and the incorporation of flexibility and functionality being great examples of what they can do.

Improve the effectiveness of your office interiors, with Oaktree

Throughout our time in the industry, we have assisted all manner of business operations; regardless of their own industry, the size oftheir company or the layout of their buildings. We have proven experience of adapting our designs to suit whatever their requirements dictate. Have a look at our dedicated case study section to see some great examples.