If you’re working out of an older building, there’s a good chance you’ve got a lot of maintenance work to handle right now. Maybe you got a good deal on the building because of it? But now you’re on the other side and seeing the reality of things – it’s hard work to turn vintage premises into a thriving modern office!
However, it’s not impossible to do so, and you just need to focus on a few key areas to get the space up to working from scratch. If you want your new office to feel welcoming to all who enter, employee and client alike, this is your chance to set the foundation perfectly.
You May Need to Create More Space
Older buildings have a lot of confined space to them. Rooms can be large but self-contained, and you may feel there are too many walls to navigate a business space properly. This is why it’s important to consider removing these walls and creating one big workspace you can set up an open-plan desk layout in.
The more room you have to ‘play in’, the better your chance for cohesion as a team. Be sure you’re not removing anything that’s load-bearing by checking how the joists in the ceiling or under the floor have been laid – if it’s parallel, you should be good to go.
Consider Air Quality
The air quality could be less than healthy in an old building. Why? There could be asbestos in the walls, and the vents could be clogged up with years worth of dirt. At the very least it’s best to get rid of any potentially toxic materials and replace as many filters as possible. Once you have, you can then install a new HVAC system that follows OSHA compliance rules without worry.
Wrap-Up in Insulation
Insulating your business premises could be a necessary job right now, as you can’t be sure the existing insulation is good enough. Whether the windows have been wrapped or the interior walls are packed with fiberglass, you’ll need to get someone in to double-check. Without a good layer of insulation, any efforts to purify or cool the air will just be a waste of money.
Make Sure There’s Nothing Living in the Walls
Finally, make sure the building itself is up to structural code by looking out for pests. They can exist in any area, get into the smallest spaces, and simply leave tiny holes in the walls as a result.
As such, you need to go around your premises very carefully, and if you find clusters of holes, mouse droppings, or hive material in high corners, call in a commercial pest control company. Get this kind of problem out of the way once you’ve completed tasks like the others on this list, as the cleanup could take a long time.
An older building can be a steal on the commercial market, but you’ll need to modernize the inside.