How to decide on the best type of office fit out for you

One of the most important functions of modern facilities managers or anybody else looking to make the most of their offices is the ability to deliver an exceptional office fit out that serves all the needs of the organisation and the people who work for it. So it is essential for them to choose a specialist office fit out company that can deliver a wide range of office design and fit out solutions including Category A and B design and build solutions.

As well as offering the full scope of fit out, design and refurbishment services, suppliers must demonstrate their ability to deliver a team with the right skills as well as partnerships with the best contemporary office furniture firms and other suppliers.

They must do this to meet the expectation that office interior design will be completed to a particular standard. Even in these times when budget remains so important, clients are not prepared to accept second best when it comes to the workplace because they know how staff value interiors, so it’s an important HR tool in terms of attracting and retaining the best people and creating a productive and attractive working environment.

So when choosing an office fit-out company, it’s important to judge both the core strengths of the business and to develop a long standing partnership that builds flexibility into the design of the workplace to meet the ongoing challenges faced by their organisation. A good office design is more than skin deep. The essential is often invisible to the eye.

Both the fit-out company and the FM should have a shared understanding of the complexities of workplace design and subsequent management, understand product life cycle issues, legislation, change management, the environment and so on. It is essential not only to understand how each element of the office interior functions but how they all fit together. Because each building and each client have their own unique needs and characteristics, there are many ways of carrying out an office fit-out.

A good office fit-out company will explain the alternatives and define how each project should be completed. That’s why it’s so important to work with a fit-out partner who understands the choice of office fit-out options and how each can be applied for a specific client.

Here’s the Fresh Workspace guide to the general options open to companies looking to make the most of their offices.

Category-A Fit-Out (Cat A)
A Cat-A fit-out provides a blank canvas for an office interior design or office refurbishment. It will typically apply to buildings finished by a developer or before the involvement of a tenant or interior designer.

Category B Fit Out (Cat –B)
A Cat-B project provides a home. It incorporates all the features of a Cat-A fit-out and also includes all those features and services that reflect the specific needs of the organisation occupying the premises.

Design and Build
Design and Build is not based on a specific form of office fit-out but does offers an effective way of delivering projects quickly and effectively.