Survey the space before you specify
A fit-out that starts from a catalogue rather than a floor plan produces furniture that does not fit, layouts that block circulation, and joinery that cannot be installed. Measure the rooms, note door widths and lift dimensions, record where power and data currently land, and identify what must stay in use during the works.
The survey also tells you what the project actually contains. "Furniture" frequently turns out to include partitioning, floor finishes, lighting changes, and data outlets — all of which need to be in the specification, not discovered on site.
Sequence the works: services first, furniture last
The most common cause of a stalled fit-out is ordering furniture into a room that still needs power, data, or painting. Sequence the trades explicitly: strip-out, electrical and data, lighting, finishes, then furniture installation and final positioning.
Where the office stays occupied, this sequence has to be phased by floor or by wing. Agree the phasing and the working hours up front, because out-of-hours working is a real cost that belongs in the budget rather than in a variation.
- Strip-out and disposal of existing furniture.
- Electrical, data, and lighting works.
- Floor, wall, and ceiling finishes.
- Delivery, installation, and final positioning of furniture.
- Snagging, defects correction, and handover.
Specify for institutional wear
Office furniture in a public institution is used harder and moved more often than in a private office. Prioritise laminate and edge quality that survives cleaning, mechanisms with documented cycle ratings, and fabrics that can be cleaned rather than replaced.
Ask for the material specifications and warranty terms rather than judging by appearance. Where storage is involved, confirm lock types and whether master-keying is available — retrofitting locks across a fitted suite is far more expensive than specifying them once.
Agree delivery windows and site access
Institutional buildings have loading restrictions, security procedures, and working hours that a supplier will not know unless told. State the delivery window, the access route, whether a lift is available and its dimensions, and who receives and inspects the delivery.
For multi-floor projects, agree the staging area. Deliveries that arrive faster than they can be installed create a storage and security problem inside your own building.
Define defects and handover
Agree a defects period and the process for reporting and correcting issues, with response times. Then require handover evidence: an inventory of what was delivered and where it was installed, warranty documentation, and any care instructions for finishes.
That pack is what allows you to raise a warranty claim two years later without reconstructing the project from memory.