Office buildings see more foot traffic and regular wear than most homes. If you think about it, most people spend more time at the office than at their own home, and the office bathroom is no exception.
The office bathroom is indispensable, and essential to maintaining a steady flow of company productivity, but things change, companies grow, and facilities need to be updated accordingly. It’s hard to keep employees happy if there’s no bathroom to use!
Remodeling your office bathroom can be tricky -especially if you intend to keep things running throughout. To help you out, we’re going to share some quick tips so your office bathroom remodel can go smoothly.
Determine a Budget
Before you decide on any designs, building materials, or contractors, you absolutely need to determine how much money you’re able to invest into your office bathroom remodel. Knowing this well in advance will make the process run smoothly later on.
If you’ve never set a budget for an office bathroom remodel, you may not know where to start. You can start by shopping around and getting quotes from several different contractors. This will give you an idea of the average cost of such a project, and allow you to determine how much extra you’ll want to set aside for unexpected or hidden costs.
Research Building Materials
Every contractor is likely able to find the building materials you want, but not every contractor will go to the ends of the earth to find you the best deal on those materials.
Most contractors will do their best to acquire materials at the best price, but if you want your office bathroom remodel to run as smoothly as possible, you should put in your own leg work to find the best deals out there. This can save time during the planning process, and will allow your contractor to focus more on the execution of your office bathroom remodel.
Meet Legal Requirements for the Bathrooms
You might have some unique and efficient ideas for your office bathroom remodel, but you also need to make sure that they will fit within the regulatory parameters for bathroom accessibility and water consumption.
The last thing you want is to complete your bathroom remodel only to find that it doesn’t meet ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) and OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Act) requirements, so make absolutely certain that your design fits the bill. A simple plant or trash can placed in a corner near a wheelchair accessible stall or door can automatically make the bathroom non-ADA compliant. Little details make all the difference, so be mindful of them.
Accessibility is of utmost importance, so take extra time during planning to ensure that every aspect of your office bathroom remodel will be accommodating, from door size down to the height of paper towel and toilet paper dispensers.
Remodel at the Right Time
If you want your office bathroom remodel to go as smoothly as possible, then you need to time it effectively. Ideally, you’ll be able to continue company operations as usual, while completing the remodel simultaneously. Depending on the nature of your work, it might be possible, but for most office settings, it’s simply not.
It might be tempting to start your bathroom remodel in the spring or summer when most contractors are running busy schedules, but your project will go more smoothly if you start during the cold winter months.
Holiday sales abound during the cold season, so you’re likely to find the best deals on building materials during this period, and remodeling an office bathroom is an indoor project, so no contractors will have to worry about dealing with the cold.
Many of your employees will be on vacation during this season, so you’ll have the perfect opportunity to get your office bathroom remodel completed while the office is mostly empty.
Find a Good Contractor
Not all contractors are the same. Despite what you might think, hiring any local handyman to complete your office bathroom remodel probably won’t work out in your favor. That’s why it’s important to shop around and ask for quotes.
More importantly, make sure any contractor or commercial construction company you consider working with has a long list of references who will vouch for their quality.
To learn more about what to look for in commercial construction, check out this article from FMP Construction.
In Conclusion
Remodeling your office bathroom can be a daunting task. If you’ve never tackled a commercial renovation project before, make sure you follow these five tips, and your remodel will go off without a hitch!
