What is an interior fit-out? | Racking & Shelving | NI

And what could it for for your building?

From the outside, a newly constructed commercial building might look complete. But on the inside, it’s a different story. That’s because, beyond the necessities, building contractors typically leave the inside spaces bare. This blank slate gives commercial tenants much greater freedom in tailoring the space to the needs and branding of their business with an interior fit-out.

Put simply, an interior fit-out involves making the inside spaces of a building suitable for occupation. Beyond the basic walls, lighting and plumbing, the tenant business may also want custom walls, doors and windows, specialised flooring and ceilings, and other fixtures tailored to their requirements.

In this guide, we’ll cover the basics aspects of an interior fit-out, the start-to-finish process of arranging and carrying out a fit-out, and a few things to watch out for. That way, when you’re ready for a fit-out of your own, you can get the best results for your business as quickly and affordably as possible.

What’s the difference between a fit-out and a renovation?

Some people use the terms fit-out and renovation interchangeably. But while they both involve making changes to an interior space, the purpose and procedures of each project are different.

As mentioned above, a fit-out involves making changes to an empty interior space to make it suitable for its intended purpose. It generally involves necessities without which the tenant business couldn’t function effectively.

A renovation, on the other hand, is more concerned with the design aspects of a commercial building. It involves painting, installing decorative items and placing furniture to make the space as visually appealing as possible.

The 3 stages of an interior fit-out

An interior fit-out project typically involves three stages: shell and core, category A and category B. However, these stages don’t have standard definitions, so there can be some overlap in what they include.

Shell and core

This stage refers to the installation of a building’s main structural elements, such as walls, windows, roofing and glazing. It’s arranged and paid for by the landlord of the commercial space. After completing the external work, building contractors leave the interior spaces as a “white box” or “shell” containing only the bare necessities.

Shell and core fit-outs include:

Base flooring
Standard white walls
Standard ceilings
Stairs and elevators
Insulation
Cladding
Plumbing
Toilets
Heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) systems
Reception and lobby areas
Basements
Car parks and loading bays
Pavements, pathways and fencing

Category A fit-out

Similar to shell and core, a category A interior-fit out is carried out by the landlord. The goal is to provide a possible tenant with basic features that will allow their business to function effectively. Category A fit-outs make a commercial space functional, but leaves space for tenants to install secondary design features that match their brand.

Category A fit-outs can include:

Raised access flooring
Mezzanine flooring
Suspended ceilings
Grid ceilings
Basic stair balustrades
Skirting, mouldings and doors
Internal surface finishes
Basic lighting
HVAC systems
Fire detection and prevention systems
Electrical outlets and cabling

Category B fit-out

A category B fit-out is when a tenant’s custom design elements are added and the building is prepared for their business use. Inspired by the company’s culture, team size and operating procedures, a tenant can create an interior space that reflects their brand identity and specific needs. As such, a category B fit-out is paid for by the tenant, not the landlord.

Category B fit-outs can include:

Partitioning to create specific spaces like offices, conference rooms, kitchens and break rooms
Specialist finishes
Specialised flooring, including carpets
Specialist lighting
IT, audio-visual equipment and data cabling
Branding and signage
Office furniture
Commercial storage facilities

Your guide to performing an interior fit-out

A successful interior fit-out requires an enormous amount of planning and coordination. So knowing what to expect, and how to complete each stage efficiently, will ensure you get the best price and the most effective results.

Consult your team

A quality interior fit-out should satisfy the needs of your entire team. To understand what features are right for your business, it’s important to consult employees from as many departments as possible. That way, you can recognise the fit-out aspects that will bring you the greatest operational benefits.

Decide whether to stay or move

Once you know what your team requires from an interior fit-out, you need to work out whether or not your current building is suitable. Staying in your current building will remove the cost of finding and moving to another premises. But if your current space is too small or can’t accommodate the changes you plan to make, it might be best to move.

If you decide to move your business, find a local property agent with a good reputation to help you narrow down your search. Make sure your new building also allows for future growth and expansion, or you might need to move again as your business continues to grow.

Hire a legal team

Moving to a new building means signing a new lease. To ensure your lease offers the most satisfactory conditions, hire a legal team to help you with the negotiation process. They’ll also be able to help you finalise the lease of your previous building, and can support you in other legal matters during your move and fit-out.

Choose a reliable interior fit-out provider

There are hundreds if not thousands of interior fit-out specialists throughout the UK and Northern Ireland. But for your project, you want one who can perform all your necessary services at speed for a good price.

Research the top interior fit-out providers in your local area and beyond, and compare their reviews, services and completed projects to find the best fit. Remember that changing buildings will also require you to migrate your IT and telecoms systems, and you might need to dismantle your old premises to leave it in its initial unfurnished state. Confirm with potential fit-out companies that they can help you with these steps if necessary.

Get comprehensive price estimations

After selecting a few potential fit-out partners, get in touch with each one to start gathering quotes. These should cover:

Design briefs
Technical plans
Building assessment
Project management
Materials delivery
Construction
Dilapidation

When getting your quotes, confirm that the figures presented are comprehensive and that you won’t be subject to additional charges you haven’t seen ahead of time. This allows you to budget appropriately and prevents you from having to cover unexpected increases in the final cost.

Designing your interior fit-out

The contents of your interior fit-out need to provide staff with the systems they need to operate efficiently. For example, they’ll need adequate lighting, plenty of electrical sockets and temperature control to maintain ideal working conditions. Your design elements should be informed by your previous discussions with your team.

Systems that you should consider before consulting your fit-out provider’s design team include:

The type of data cabling you require
Lighting and lux levels
Number and positioning of electrical outlets
Number and positioning of data points
Air conditioning to workspaces and server rooms
Ventilation and air return grills

In addition to these practical elements, you should also work with the designer to communicate your brand identity through your fit-out. Consider your brand’s colours, culture, values and mission, and treat your space as an extension of your marketing materials. When your customers enter your premises, they should get the same impression they receive from your website, social media and advertising.

During your fit-out, your provider must also ensure their designs comply with government regulations. That means including:

Sufficient fire prevention infrastructure
Safe electrical setups
A comfortable, efficient and spacious working area
Spaces that allow promote good health and hygiene

Complying with these regulations lowers the risk of accidents and injuries, protecting you against potential fines and lawsuits.

Remember that you’re under no obligation to use all of your available space right away. Instead, plan for the future growth of your business and consider where you might add more equipment and furniture as you recruit more clients. Doing so means you won’t need to repeat your relocation or interior fit-out processes so often, saving you a lot of time and money.

Consult your landlord

Your new or existing landlord might have certain regulations or restrictions in place that could affect your fit-out. For example, a limit on working hours might mean that you need to plan for a longer project. Before you begin, discuss your designs with your landlord or their representative and reach an agreement on how to conduct your fit-out.

Plan for your continued operation

Your interior fit-out might cause some disruptions to your normal work routine. But you need to keep operating to the same standard even while it’s being carried out, or you may upset or even lose clients.

One important aspect of this is figuring out how to migrate your IT and telecoms systems. Moving buildings can seriously disrupt your access to the internet or phone lines. So before your fit-out begins, discuss your chosen interior fit-out provider how to create a seamless migration plan that minimises disruptions to your business.

Start your interior fit-out

Once your fit-out begins, it’ll largely be left in the hands of your fit-out provider. While they carry out the project, be sure to maintain close communication with them so that you can plan around any unexpected changes.

Move to your new building

If you’re moving to a new building, you’ll need to bring your existing equipment with you. Hire a reputable moving company or ask if your fit-out provider also offers this service during your initial consultation.

Once you arrive, bear in mind that while your interior fit-out might be new, the pre-existing systems likely aren’t. Be sure to check your fire, hydraulic and security systems, and create a scheme for ongoing maintenance to keep them in good condition.

5 common fit-out mistakes to avoid

There are a few common mistakes that businesses make when preparing for an interior fit-out. Here are five examples to keep in mind so that you can achieve the best results.

Rushing your plan: The more comprehensive your fit-out plan, the better your eventual workspace. Failing to give the planning stage the time it deserves often leads to major setbacks and the need to refurbish your space soon after.
Inappropriate layout : Your fit-out should serve all of your employees and customers. Take the time to understand their needs and create a space that’s appealing and comfortable to work in, and serves all your operational needs.
Poor budgeting: Unexpected circumstances may change the final price of your fit-out. So when determining your budget, be sure to leave a suitable portion remaining to cover these setbacks. Be sure to discuss your budget with your fit-out provider.
Copying existing designs : While other fit-out designs can be good inspiration, remember that they were designed for other needs. Simply following someone else’s design can seriously affect your operational efficiency.
Insufficient lighting and airflow: Unpleasant working conditions can seriously impact your employees’ health, performance and job satisfaction. During the design stage, emphasise the importance of quality light fixtures, effective HVAC and large windows for sufficient light and ventilation.

Contact Racking + Shelving Ltd for quality interiors fit-outs

At Racking + Shelving Ltd, we provide a wide range of interior fit-out solutions for offices, warehouses, garages, industrial units and more throughout Northern Ireland and the UK. In addition to partitioning, suspended ceilings, mezzanine floors and other features, we also provide a wide range of effective storage solutions. Together, these services help you maximise your workplace safety and productivity while giving you an aesthetically pleasing work environment.

As well as a free consultation, we’re happy to visit and survey your building to get a proper understanding of the available space and existing fixtures. Then, we use advanced CAD software to show you how the final fit-out will look. Once we’ve agreed on the details, our experienced teams fit out your space to the highest industry standards.

Get in touch now to arrange your free consultation and tell us what you need from your interior fit-out project.