Office Relocation Project Management
Choosing the right company to undertake an office relocation can be the best decision you can make. Fusion Office Design take full responsibility for every aspect of a relocation. We act as project managers, handling the office relocation so that costs are controlled, deadlines met and opportunities to get the most out of a new office are taken.
Fusion have experience of all key areas of office relocation and work with your business to make a move go smoothly, to schedule actions, coordinate and to achieve the minimum disruption to the work of the office.
Our resources, including Vehicles, Crate Hire, Porters and Installers, then facilitate the relocation of Files, IT and Furniture re-commissioning in the new premises ready for occupation.
Office relocation doesn’t have to be hard work if its managed well. An integrated team experienced in office relocation can really take on the challenges and make office relocation a simple task.
Fusion take close control of the planning stage, integrating existing assets into a move space-plan with referenced spreadsheets. We supervise the relocation teams, book access and check on conflicting activities that may disrupt a move. Fusion liaise with building management to book lifts, present suggestions for emergency call-out arrangements, and work closely with IT departments to discuss overlap, manning requirements and phased re-com.
Office Relocation can be broken down, analysing each step as an individual element. The following should be the basic questions...
Using industry standard numbers, multiply your headcount projected 3 years ahead by 110. This will give a sq footage requirement. It should equate to approx 145 sq ft per person for your current headcount. Growth over 3 years typically brings the figure down to 110 sq ft per person. After 5 years you’d expect to be around 90 sq ft per person at which point a relocation cycle starts again.
For your shortlist of potential offices start with Test Fit space plans and a fit-out evaluation (a survey by a fit-out company) to flag up any problems. Once these are received, negotiate Heads of Terms using the evaluation as the basis for a rent-free period and fit-out contribution.
Obtain a budget and critical path from the fit-out project manager, and ensure the timetable works for the business. Once the Heads of Terms and costs are settled, instruct Legals to commence and open detailed discussions on the fit-out.
Making a choice once you have a shortlist is a process of weighing up the pro’s and con’s. Test fit plans for each space can help to compare the layout of a building. Fit out evaluations will contrast the relative costs and defects. Advice on the Lease terms can reveal which building has the most flexibility, and scoring the locations on transport, parking or other business-case factors completes the matrix.
Building search typically takes 2-4 months. A long list and visits can be time consuming, and shortlisting rarely happens immediately. Heads of Terms takes a further 1-3 months at which point Legals commence in earnest requiring a further 3 months. Fit out takes 4 – 16 or more weeks. A simple guide is 4 weeks for the first 2500 sq ft with a further 2 weeks for every 5000 sq ft additional space.
Overall allow 9 months as a basic leadtime, or longer for a larger office.
Office relocation isn’t always a necessity, or can be delayed. Evaluating the layout and use of space in your current office may be a worthwhile exercise. Increasing headcount by 10% or 20% is a realistic target, and can delay relocation for 12 months. Deferring cost and reviewing market conditions for a time period can be a sensible business decision.
Office Relocation Project Management Template
Office refurbishment, or office relocation, depend upon the skills and experience of the project manager. Fusion have an established process that is a template for any successful office interior fit-out project, used by our Project Managers.