Commercial Build-Out Check List: What’s Your Office Vision?

When considering a commercial build-out, the smart use of space is one of the most important aspects of planning. For your business to run effectively there needs to be sufficient space for your employees to do all aspects of their work.

To calculate how big your building needs to be, start with the current number of staff and their various functions. Next, factor in how much you aim to grow your staff in the foreseeable future. This total number of employees is the basic information you need to take into account as you begin to plan your commercial build-out.

How To Calculate The Amount Of Space You Need For Your New Office

Offices can be as tiny as 100 square feet or stretch to 1000’s of square feet. Having an office with space you don’t use is a waste of money, but cramming your staff into an office that is too small will have a negative effect on their productivity.

You can consult a space planner to help you calculate how much square feet of floor space you’ll need. They will also be able to advise you on the best way to make use of the area. Alternatively, you can work out the required floor area yourself using these guidelines.

• Space Required Per Individual Employee

  Open-plan offices are very economical in terms of the use of space. You can work on as little as 60 square feet per person. For partitioned workspaces 80 – 110 square feet per employee is sufficient. Bear in mind that you can incorporate both open plan and partitioned offices in your design should both types of space be useful to you.

• Executive Offices

  The current trend is moving away from the top-level executives being isolated in their own offices and leaning towards a non-hierarchical, open-plan office environment. However, private office space is still ideal if there is a need for confidential discussions. You can work on 150 – 250 square feet per executive office.

• Conference Rooms

  Work out the approximate number of people you’ll need to accommodate at one time for staff meetings or conferences. Remember to keep in mind future staff growth.

  For a meeting setting, each employee will need 25 to 30 square feet of space. Using this information, you can make sure that your conference room will be able to accommodate your full staff in one sitting, even into the future. Your line of business may require that you have multiple conference rooms, one large enough to fit everyone in, and other smaller conference rooms for intimate meetings with clients or one-on-one staff meetings.

• Other Common Areas

  Depending on your line of business, the number of employees, and budget, you might want to include things like:

  • Closets for storage of stationery, stock, and other items
  • Rooms for storing files of information or archives
  • Space for office equipment, printers, copiers, shredders
  • Mailroom
  • Media room for presentations
  • Computer equipment, including a server room
  • Kitchen/breakroom for refreshments and meals
  • Restrooms for employees and/or customers

• Reception Area

  To accommodate a receptionist and 2 to 4 other employees or visitors, your reception area will need to be between 125 – 200 square feet. If you need to fit in a receptionist and 6 – 8 other people, 200 – 300 square feet will be sufficient.

Over To Your Contractor Once the planning is done and agreed on, your carefully selected general contractor will submit the blueprints for regulation and compliance. After that, permits and zoning need to be taken care of, after which construction can begin. Miller Construction & Design specializes in commercial build-outs, as well as all aspects of commercial construction. With over 40 years of experience in the design and construction industry, we are qualified to envision, build or remodel commercial space to your specific requirements. We look forward to making your vision become a reality.