Here’s the question: How exactly are you supposed to know when the time is right to begin a major renovation of your commercial property like a commercial fit-out. For that matter, when is a good time to start even a partial fit-out, such as an upgrade to your entranceway and lobby? Or perhaps the installation of new windows? Or even a project as seemingly simple as a brick-repointing job or a new door?
As for the answer … well, if you own a commercial building but don’t happen to work in the commercial real estate or development trade yourself, the truth is that questions about the timing of a renovation aren’t always easy to answer. Because no matter how successful or debt-free your company is, the fact remains that spending superfluously is almost always a bad idea.
But not to worry: We’re here to help. If you think your building may be overdue for a makeover, and yet you’re not entirely sure which aspects of a remodel you and your company should prioritize, start by asking yourself—and perhaps your customers and investors—the following tough but important questions.
What sort of expenditure does your budget currently allow?
No matter what decision you make in the end, remember this: While commercial renovation in PA projects always involve a decently-sized deposit of both time and money, it’s also true that the level of quality you choose to put into your property will affect and even alter the public’s perception of your business. In other words, spend wisely.
A commercial rehab is not the time to nickel-and-dime yourself into a building you won’t be genuinely pleased with. So unless your property is literally crumbing at the eaves, consider putting the project off for awhile if you don’t have the funds in your budget to do it right.
Have you already figured out your project’s goals?
There’s a big difference, of course, between demolishing a building down to its bones and sprucing the space up with new bathrooms, say, or modern signage.
Start by keeping the end in mind: Is your goal simply to give your property a more current appearance? Or are there actual structural issues that need to be dealt with before your building falls to pieces? Even if you are considering a demolition, bear in mind that by keeping your existing electrical panels, gas lines, plumbing fixtures and wiring, you can potentially save yourself a bundle.
How comfortable are you with your contractor?
Having in-person meetings with any of the contractors you’re considering should be one of the earliest steps in your fit-out process. Take these meetings seriously! While you don’t need to become best friends with your new head contractor, you do want someone who seems trustworthy, and who listens to your wants and concerns without blowing them off. You’ll also want to make sure your contractor is bonded, licensed and insured. And don’t be shy about asking to see referrals and reviews from former clients.
At Souder Brothers Construction, we feel the most important thing we can do is to learn about you, our client. By having a solid understanding of your needs, we’re able to deliver a superior approach to your project. We want to make sure all your needs are met, and that you’re 100 percent satisfied not only with our quality of work, but also our customer service. Feel free to give us a call to discuss your project—we’d be happy to help in any way we can.
Does your project have a timeline? It should!
If you end up working with a contractor who has a tough time hitting deadlines, you’ll discover soon enough that project overages will be one of the largest line items for your commercial fit-out. That isn’t to suggest that any contractor who misses a deadline should immediately be canned, because where buildings are concerned, unforeseen issues do tend to pop up over and over again.
Nevertheless, developing a project timeline with the assistance of your contractor and his or her team will certainly help speed matters along. It’ll also give you a much better idea than you’d otherwise have when it comes to deciding when you’ll need to close and reopen your business.
Some commercial property owners even negotiate “early completion incentives” with their contracting team. You can structure your early completion contract however you’d like, but offering bonuses for beating deadlines and fines for missing them seems to be the most popular method.
Still need more information?
Of course you do, because with a project as complicated and expensive as a commercial fit-out, there’s no such thing as over-education. The friendly and highly-experienced team at Souder Brothers Construction can answer all your questions about commercial office construction and renovation, from site work to office fit-outs and additions, and much more.
Start by reading our latest blog post on the subject, “Questions to Ask Before Starting a Commercial Fit-Out in PA.” If you’d like to speak to someone in our office about your own project, reach out at your convenience. We’ll be looking forward to your call or email.