Start with the business calendar
Month ends, board meetings, audits and trading peaks are fixed points. Build the phasing around them before anyone draws a construction sequence.
Decant, or work around
Rolling decant into swing space is usually less disruptive than trying to work around occupied desks. It takes more programme, and that trade-off should be a client decision made early.
Isolations are the real risk
Fire detection isolations, power shutdowns and cooling interruptions are what people remember. Each one should be scheduled, agreed with the building manager, witnessed and reinstated the same night.
Communicate weekly, in the occupier's voice
A weekly look-ahead issued to the facilities team, written so it can be circulated to staff unedited, removes most of the complaints a live refurbishment generates.
