Delivering commercial common areas while a building remains open

The lobby cannot close, the lifts cannot stop and the tenants will notice everything. That is the brief.

5 minute read

Plan the routes before the works

Entrance, lift access and escape routes have to function every day. Draw them for each phase and get the building manager to sign each one.

Hoarding is part of the design

The building is still being shown to prospective tenants. A considered hoarding with proper lighting and signage protects the asset's presentation while the works run.

Schedule the disruptive work

Core drilling, demolition, isolations and heavy deliveries belong in agreed windows, published in advance to the tenants through the landlord.

Hand back as you go

Each phase should be finished, cleaned and reopened before the next begins. Three half-finished zones is how a common area refurbishment loses tenant goodwill.

Live building refurbishment

Discuss a commercial project

Tell us where the interfaces sit.

Tell us the asset, the scope in question and who else is contracted. We will set out where responsibility should sit and how the interfaces would be controlled.