Start from headcount, not square meters
The most common planning mistake in office fit-outs is designing to the floor plate instead of the team. Before any layout is drawn, we lock down current headcount, expected growth over the lease term, and the actual mix of focus work, meetings and informal collaboration the team needs — that ratio drives the desk count, the meeting room mix, and how much open space is left over.
MEP and IT infrastructure — earlier than you think
Air conditioning capacity, power distribution and structured cabling need to be confirmed against the final layout before joinery and ceiling work begin, not after. Reworking a ceiling to add a missed data point or AC diffuser after finishes are in is one of the most expensive and disruptive changes on any commercial fit-out — and one of the easiest to avoid with a proper MEP review at design stage.
Furniture lead times are usually the longest pole
Custom joinery and imported ergonomic furniture routinely have longer lead times than the construction itself. If furniture procurement starts only after the fit-out is confirmed, it becomes the item holding up your move-in date — not the construction. We start furniture procurement in parallel with site works, not after them.
Compliance and branding, checked early
Fire safety clearances, accessible routes, and any base-building rules around signage or storefront branding should be confirmed with the landlord and civil defence requirements before the design is finalised, not discovered during inspection. It's a short conversation early on that avoids a redesign later.
Phasing a fit-out around an occupied building
Where a fit-out happens in a live building — shared lobbies, active neighbouring tenants, limited after-hours access — sequencing matters as much as the design itself. We phase noisy and disruptive work around building access rules and agree a realistic handover plan with the landlord before site work starts, not once it's already underway.
The short checklist
- Headcount and 2–3 year growth plan confirmed
- MEP capacity and IT cabling reviewed against final layout
- Furniture procurement started in parallel with construction
- Fire safety, access and signage rules confirmed with the landlord
- Phased handover plan agreed before site work begins