Undertaking a new Sydney office fit-out can be a time-consuming and financially demanding process. At Niche Projects, we work with businesses to find the most suitable and affordable fit-out option. Sometimes, that means reusing and reconfiguring an existing space, adding minimal new materials.
This approach can work wonders, delivering that fresh feeling to your office space, while saving on time, money, and materials. Working with an experienced, dynamic Sydney office design company will also ensure that your repurposed space will shine. And when your fit-out is designed by the pros, your employees will be happier and your business, more productive.
Why should you reuse and remodel your existing Sydney office fit-out?
As we touched on above, reusing components of your existing space in your new office fit-out comes with more than a few notable benefits.
Financial
Reusing parts of your existing office fit-out will obviously lead to financial savings. You won’t need to purchase new materials, fixtures, and fittings and as a result, more money will remain in your expenditure account. That’s an excellent result for your business!
The figures will vary depending on a range of factors, such as the size of your office, the extent of your refurbishment, and the kinds and amount of materials that you’ll be reusing, among other things. However, done right, you could save up to 80% of the cost of a completely new Sydney office fit-out, while still reaping the benefits of a fresh space.
For example, carpet is one material that may seem cheap but can add up. In fact, premium wool carpets can set you back about $50 to $100 per metre!
Environmental
Less new materials used means fewer natural resources are required for the manufacturing process. And that’s obviously a fantastic outcome for your business and the environment. The following materials are some of the most common that we see, and which we help office-based businesses to reuse:
- Wood can appear in the office in many different forms and is used in all sorts of pieces of office furniture. Whether that’s your desks, workstations, tables, chairs, partitions, walls, or anything else, wood is very easy to reuse. Exposed wood remains stylish, especially with a sand and a lick of varnish.
- Tiles are usually only found in the bathrooms and kitchens, though some offices have been known to utilise tiles for corridors and even workspaces. If they are removed correctly, tiles can easily be reused. Often, it’s very easy to keep bathrooms and kitchens the same and focus on your workspace. However, if you need to change the orientation of your office and this impacts your bathroom, tiles can be removed and reused.
- Carpet or carpet tiles are the perfect example of an easy to recycle material. But if you can repurpose your carpet, that’s even better. Manufacturing new carpet takes a large number of raw materials and when it’s so easy to reuse, that process should always be avoided.
- Plastic is, unfortunately, a common material found throughout office fit-outs all over Sydney. It’s obviously extremely useful, but it’s incredibly important to make sure we’re reusing plastic wherever possible. That may be in the form of partitions, workstations, screens, lighting, and many other pieces.
- Metal is yet another very reusable material that’s common in all kinds of offices. It may appear in your chairs, desks, doors, bathroom fixtures, and more. It takes a large amount of water, ore, and other materials to manufacture new metal items, so reusing these pieces is of enormous benefit to the environment.
Psychological
It’s important for businesses to consider the psychological effects of a workplace on their employees. The benefits of an effective, fresh fit-out can be enormous; increased productivity, an improved image for your business, and happier staff. However, these benefits aren’t reliant on a brand new, complete refurbishment. In fact, remodeling with existing components can result in the same fantastic outcomes for your staff and your business!
There is a significant risk that employees will not warm to the change in environment when you completely overhaul your Sydney office fit-out. If staff aren’t happy with their new workspace, this can lead to increased stress levels, lower efficiency, and increased rates of absenteeism.
However, if you simply refurbish your office and reuse existing components, you’ll be able to retain some sense of familiarity. Staff will find it much easier to adjust to incremental change like this, meaning their work rhythm won’t be as affected. That results in a happier workforce, higher levels of productivity, and a better bottom line for your business.
Which office components can you reuse?
There are quite a few components of an existing office space that can be easily reused if your project is handled by a professional Sydney office design company.
Kitchen
The kitchen is arguably the most important part of any office. Research has shown that this is where strong workplace bonds are made and where some of the best ideas are spawned. The kitchen encourages conversation and collaboration and most importantly, provides sustenance.
Joinery, appliances, associated fixtures, and finishes can all be reused easily, to reconstruct your kitchen in a different part of your office. It’s also easy to simply reconfigure your existing kitchen for more appeal.
Flooring
If there’s existing flooring in your office that you’d prefer to keep, it’s quite easy to do so! Whether that’s carpet, floorboards, or floating floors, an office fit-out company will be able to ensure that your floors are kept as is or removed and placed back in the space once the fit-out has been completed.
Partitions
Partitions are one of the easiest components to reuse. If they are still in good condition and will fit the aesthetic of your refreshed workspace, simply move them out of the way and place them where they’ll be most effective. That may be where they’ll improve acoustics and create a quiet workspace, or where they may block excess light.
Workstations
Most workstations and desks are universal and will look good in any workplace. Therefore, why not reuse them and save time, money, and hassle? Simply reconfigure them to a more desirable layout and reap the benefits. If you determine that your desks are the wrong colour, it’s pretty easy to repaint or seal them.
Lighting
There is a wide range of lighting options available for offices. But if your lighting arrangement is doing the job, and still suits your aesthetic, then why not keep your existing lighting fittings and globes? That’s an even better option if you already have LED bulbs, which are far more eco-friendly than other globes.
How exactly do you reuse your existing office fit-out?
The first step is to find a reputable, professional Sydney office design company to help plan out your reconfiguration. If you don’t do it properly, it’s simply not worth doing at all.
At Niche Projects, our tried and tested methods deliver exceptional results for businesses all across Sydney. Whether the project consists of a brand new office fit-out or reusing existing components in a reconfiguration, we know exactly how to create the best workspace for you and your people.
Sustainability is always at the forefront of our operations, meaning we’ll ensure everything that can be reused is, so long as it fits the original design brief. Get in touch with Niche Projects today to discuss your Sydney office fit-out project.
