Workspace Renovation Companies
If you need to refurbish your London workspace, you're probably looking for the best office refurbishment company in London. You need a great office that delivers great results, so you don’t want to miss out by working with a sub-standard partner.
However, there's no easy way to definitively say which is 'the best' refurbishment company. 'The best' is a relative term - the best company for someone else won't necessarily be the best refurbishment partner for you.
We're confident that with our culture-based design process, fixed-cost policy, and 3 year zencare warranty programme, we're among the best refurbishment companies in London. Howver, we appreciate that we're not right for every company or project. Although these companies are our competitors, this article is in no way biased. It's simply to help you find and choose the best refurbishment partner for your needs.
That’s why this article will list 5 of the best other office refurbishment companies that operate in London. If you're looking for an office refurbishment design & build partner, this list is a great place to start. We've also broken down 6 of the most important things you need to consider when choosing which is the best company for you. By the end, you'll know how to assess different fit out companies, and you'll be ready to start contacting your preferred options.
Best London Office Refurbishment Companies
Oktra
Founded: 1996
Head Office: London, EC1N
About: Oktra is a London-based design and build firm operating across the UK. They are one of the largest UK office refurbishment companies, with 180 staff across 4 offices.
Morgan Lovell
Founded: 1977
Head Office: London, W1F
About: Originally an office design company, Morgan Lovell has expanded its portfolio to include office fit-out and refurbishment. Part of the Morgan Sindall Group, Morgan Lovell also has offices in Berkshire.
Maris
Founded: 1997
Head Office: London SE1
About: Maris is one of the largest design & build companies in the UK, having delivered over 10,000 office design, fit-out and refurbishment projects, ranging in size from 1,500 to 120,000 sq ft.
Area
Founded: 2000
Head Office: London, SE1
About: With offices in London and Berkshire, Area has been providing office refurbishments across the UK and Europe for 20 years.
Peldon Rose
Founded: 1987
Head Office: London, EC1V
About: Peldon Rose has been delivering office refurbishment projects in London for over 30 years. With in-house specialists covering a wide range of disciplines, Peldon Rose also offer the full suite of design and build services
How to Choose Your Office Refurbishment Company
Now that you’re aware of some of the most popular office refurbishment companies in London, you need to decide which one(s) to reach out to. Remember, it doesn’t matter which company is the 'best'. What matters is which company is best for you. While every office refurbishment company has different strengths and weaknesses, there are 6 key aspects to consider when selecting your design & build firm:
Expertise
The first thing to consider when selecting potential refurbishment companies is their capabilities. They don’t have to have completed a project exactly like yours, but do they have the skills to deliver your project successfully?
It’s especially important to think about what is unusual or unique about your project compared to others. If one of your main challenges is teamwork, then your design team will need to be experts in collaborative working. If you can’t move out of your office during your refurbishment, you will need a contractor with the ability to deliver phased and/or out-of-hours works.
Understanding
Your refurbishment partner needs to understand your company culture. A good grasp of the core motivations behind your project is also important. You should feel confident that every decision they make is to help you achieve your objectives.
If a company is trying to push its own ideas regardless of your needs, then it won’t be the right office refurbishment company for you. While it’s easy to prioritise more quantifiable elements such as cost or compliance, the importance of culture fit cannot be underestimated. This will likely dictate the success of your project and your satisfaction at the end.
Delivery
The ability to deliver your refurbishment is even more important than design expertise. To be a success, your project must be delivered on time, on scope, and on budget. All 3 are equally important, and failure to meet one could derail your project.
Your design & build company should be able to give you a detailed and realistic programme before the project starts. This should explain exactly when everything will happen. Your refurbishment partner should also be accountable through regular meetings.
Pricing
Given that office refurbishments can be very expensive, the cost is always an important factor. There are hundreds of things that can drive the cost of your project up or help work it down. There are 5 key factors that will control the cost of your refurbishment project. These are size, specification, services, state, and setting. Check out this article to learn more.
We recommend that you set an initial budget before you speak to prospective contractors. This may change as the design progresses. However, starting with a reasonable figure will help set everyone's expectations.
Customer Care
Before you commit to signing the contract, you need to understand what their customer care package is like. Some refurbishment firms will quickly lose interest and de-prioritise you once the contract is signed or the project is completed.
You need to consider what your wholistic experience will be like during the project. This is a big investment for your company, and it may come with a lot of disruption and change. You need someone caring and professional to guide you through this process, especially if you are inexperienced.
Resource
Financial due diligence is another crucial consideration. How strong is their financial position? Do they have sufficient cash resources to finance your project? To safeguard your project against unforeseen circumstances, they will also need cash reserves to ensure it can be successfully delivered.
Another consideration is the size of their company in relation to your project. Ideally, you want to find a company whose turnover is less than 20 times your project value. Otherwise, they are unlikely to prioritise your project. However, if your project is more than 25% of their annual revenue, they may not have sufficient resources.
Choosing Your Office Refurbishment Company
All 5 of these companies are among the best-known and most-awarded companies in the industry. They all have their different characteristics and specialities, so any one of them might be appropriate for your project. On the other hand, depending on your project scope and company needs, none of them might be appropriate. That’s your decision, and it's crucial that you remain focussed on your priorities and what is best for you.
At Zentura, we're confident that our culture-based design process, fixed-cost policy, and 3 year zencare warranty programme put us among the very best refurbishment companies in London. If these things sound interesting to you, schedule a no-obligation call with one of our friendly workspace experts. Alternatively, learn more about our refurbishment services here.
To learn more about choosing the best refurbishment company for you, read How to Choose an Office Refurbishment Company: 11 Key Criteria.
For more help preparing for your office refurbishment, why not get your very own Office Refurbishment Guide? There, you'll get a 7-step guide to help you plan your office refurbishment. This will take you from defining your brief right through to signing the contract!
