Not all businesses need an office for employees to work from. Many people now work remotely, and the teams might only come together for a meeting once every few months – something that can be done in a rented space.
However, for some business owners, it’s far preferable for them to have an office and for everyone to work in one place. There are a number of reasons why this might work best for your business.
One of the issues, however, is cost. It can be expensive to rent or buy an office, and if you don’t have much cash to spare, it might even be impossible.
There is a solution. You can buy an older building that needs to be renovated. Although you’ll need to spend money to get it how you want it, the initial purchase will be cheaper, and that can save you thousands. If you do that, here are some ideas about how to go on to renovate the space if you need to.
Old Electrical Systems
Something that you will very possibly have to deal with when you are renovating an older office space is the older electrical system that it currently has. Although it might technically still work, it may be unsafe due to age or the fact that it was installed using outdated (even prohibited) materials and methods.
Ideally, you should take it all out and start again with a complete rewire. Of course, this is not a DIY job, and you’ll need the assistance of a qualified electrician to do this to be safe and to ensure that the work you’re doing is not going to cause any problems.
While you’re are looking at the wiring, this would be a perfect opportunity to install any cabling needed for your broadband using optical transceivers and high speed cablin to make it as fast as possible.
Asbestos And Lead Paint
Asbestos and lead paint may be a problem in all old office spaces – it really depends on how old it is and what it has been used for. However, the fact is that it might be present, so it’s worthwhile having a survey done to find out for sure. Once you know, you can then get an expert in to remove it if you need to, or if it’s not present, you can go on with your redecoration plans.
Cleaning
Cleaning is something else than an older office space will need to go through before you can move in. You may need to clean the rooms before and after you redecorate, although it might be that you only have to do it afterwards. Again, this will depend on how long it has been empty (if at all).
Getting professional cleaners in to make everything fresh and clean once you have redecorated and before any workers move in is ideal in any case. It’s a good way to start as you mean to go on, and it might help your team to clean the place as they go as well.