A Look at the Process of Constructing a Custom Office Design in the Brooklyn and Queens, NY, Area
You’re excited about the prospect of a custom office design in the Brooklyn and Queens, NY, area. You have an idea of what you want. You’ve got a wish list that you’re eager to share with your renovation contractor. All good. But how do you get started? What steps do you have to take? In this post, we’ll take a high-level look at the process for constructing a custom office design in Manhattan & Westchester County, NY.
The People
Having the right team in place is critical to establishing and implementing a good process. A custom office design is a big project with a number of key people leading the way, most notably a renovation contractor who would lead a team that may include an architect, a builder, and an engineer, depending on the scope of the build. Each expert plays a vital role in making a client’s vision a reality as they bring their own expertise, skill, and experience to the project.
Cohesion, Communication, and Collaboration
Given there can be a lot of variables in a build, the project will require tight partnerships between those who are involved. Having a good working relationship that’s built on cohesive experiences and shared perspectives can go a long way toward simplifying and streamlining the process. Good lines of communication among team members as well as an ability to collaborate well are also integral in keeping the process moving as smoothly as possible with as few surprises as possible.
In addition, depending on the size of your office design, you’ll want to get employees informed of the process and progress, so they can plan ahead and make adjustments as needed.
Initial Meeting
The planning work done prior to the actual build has a fundamental impact on the overall success of the process and the project itself. You’ll want to have that initial design meeting, where the client articulates the vision for the build. A good planning meeting will help prompt discussion, questions, give and take, and ultimately alignment around a shared vision.
During this first meeting, you could make a point of walking the property with an eye toward any initial red flags that could impact the flow of the work on-site. Is there room for trucks and equipment to enter the site and work on the site? What about loading and unloading? You might reserve talk about permits and regulations for later. But for starters, can the site accommodate all the needs for the build you and the team are envisioning? An experienced and skilled team will be able to help think through these questions and deliberately think through the logistics.
Contract
The client and the customer discuss budget and expectations that eventually leads to writing a contract and a signed agreement.
Financing and Zoning
With a contract negotiated and initial construction drawings to share, the client is able to meet with a bank to secure a loan to finance the project. At this point, on-site approvals and logistics come into play. You will want to know who is responsible for getting any required permits required.
Preparation
You’ve been thinking through logistics for the on-site work from the beginning. But now that everything is in place to begin the build, you’ll want to make sure that the site is prepared for the work to be done and that employees have already made necessary accommodations to support this effort.