Remodel Contracting Podcast

The Blueprint to Successful Office Build-Outs: Communication, Budgeting, and Flow

• Jeff Bass • Episode 4

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What Makes A Successful Office Build-Out?

Ever walked into an office space that felt completely disconnected from the company's identity? Behind every successful workspace transformation lies a carefully orchestrated process that balances vision, practicality, and regulatory requirements.

In this revealing conversation, contractor Jeff Bass pulls back the curtain on what truly drives successful commercial renovations. Drawing from years of experience and his unique perspective as both a general contractor and city council member, Jeff emphasizes how critical it is to establish clear communication from day one. "Before anyone picks up a hammer, you have to know the why behind the build-out," he explains, highlighting how leadership, stakeholders, architects, and designers must align their vision before construction begins.

Budget realism emerges as the make-or-break factor in office renovations. Jeff cautions against the all-too-common trap of choosing the lowest bid, which often leads to endless change orders and budget overruns. "If someone tells you they're going to build out a fully furnished office for $30 a square foot, you need to start asking questions," he warns, advocating instead for transparent scoping and a built-in contingency of 10-15% for unexpected challenges. Working with consistent trade partners significantly improves project outcomes, as established relationships eliminate miscommunication and create workflow efficiencies.

The conversation takes a fascinating turn when Jeff discusses how office design directly impacts employee satisfaction and retention. Just as restaurant kitchens require thoughtful flow patterns, workspaces demand layouts that support natural movement and collaboration. Whether closed offices, open plans, or team-oriented setups, the right design reflects company culture while maximizing productivity. "The happier we are at work, the longer we're going to stay there," Jeff notes, underlining how thoughtful design translates to tangible business benefits.

Ready to transform your workspace into one that truly reflects your company's values and enhances productivity? Connect with us today to discover how we can help bring your vision to life while navigating the complexities of commercial renovation.

To learn more about Remodel Contracting visit:
https://www.RemodelContracting.net
Remodel Contracting
801 Alpha Rd, Ste 133
Richardson, TX 75081
469-831-5620

Speaker 1:

Welcome to the Remodel Contracting Podcast, where outdated spaces meet their modern makeover destiny. Hosted by Jeff Bass, general contractor, home renovation expert and guy who firmly believes your avocado green bathroom has gotta go. Based in the DFW Metro, remodel Contracting is here to help you level up your living space Because, hey, you updated your wardrobe, now it's time to update your home. Expect more, live better. Let's remodel.

Speaker 2:

An office isn't just a place to work. It's a reflection of your business identity and efficiency. So what separates a well-executed build-out from a chaotic construction nightmare? Welcome back everyone. I'm Sofia Yvette, co-host slash producer, back in the studio here with general contractor and home renovation expert, Jeff Bass. Jeff, how's it going? Wonderful, Sofia.

Speaker 3:

Thank you for having me here today, and home renovation expert Jeff Bass. Jeff, how's it going? Wonderful, Sophia. Thank you for having me here today.

Speaker 2:

It's a pleasure to have you on and that's great to hear. Can you go ahead and inform our listeners what makes a successful office build-out? They're all dying to know.

Speaker 3:

Absolutely Well, sophia. As a general contractor, I've managed plenty of office build-outs. I work with the same trusted trades on a regular basis. I'll walk you through some things that work, some things that don't, and how to avoid the messes that delay move-ins and drain budgets. The first thing that's important is communication and clarity up front. It all starts with a clear vision.

Speaker 3:

Before anyone picks up a hammer, you have to know the why behind the build out. You know what's the goal. Is the goal better workflow? Is it about creating client face space that reflects the brand? Is the company growing and needs to accommodate more people? You need input from ownership and leadership early on from any stakeholders. You have to be on the same page. Leadership early on from any stakeholders you have to be on the same page. That vision sets the tone for everything that follows. And, of course, your architect, your designer they should be a part of those early conversations as well. They help to translate the visions into drawings and plans and choices that we will follow and we will actually build and choices that we will follow and we will actually build.

Speaker 2:

Wow, now let's get into things a bit more. Jeff, can you tell our listeners what are the most common mistakes businesses make when?

Speaker 3:

planning an office build out. Well, one common mistake and this is something that you have to think about early on, of course is a budget reality check. That's where things can get sideways fast. You know. In addition to having the vision and the plan and the right pieces in place to build that foundation for the project, you need to have proper expectations for the budget. A successful build out has a the budget. A successful build-out has a realistic budget. That means understanding what things cost in today's market and building in a contingency of 10 to 15% for the unexpected.

Speaker 3:

If someone tells you they're going to build out a fully furnished office for $30 a square foot, you need to start asking questions, because numbers like that aren't grounded in reality. And that's a mistake that people fall into is just when talking to a contractor going with the lowest bid, because what can happen there is the contractor gets in and then you feel you're pot committed and when those change orders start rolling in and that scope increases, that price increases and you're not having properly budgeted for it, you're going to wind up with an incomplete project, project that's never finished or a project that doesn't meet your vision. So it's important to set the expectations on the budget early on as well. I always make sure a client knows a full scope before they ever sign a contract and avoid surprises and changes down the line.

Speaker 3:

Another thing to do is make sure you bring in the right team. One of the biggest reasons that we tend to finish projects on time and on budget is simple. I work with the same trades project after project my HVAC guys they know what I expect my electrician and I already speak the same language. It's important to have these trades in place and trades that you work with, whether it be the flooring crew, the painters, even a data team. We've all done this dance before. We work together before, and that kind of rhythm saves time, it avoids miscommunication and scheduling and it lets quality control without micromanaging.

Speaker 2:

So those are some things to think about now let's get into zoning laws and building codes. How do zoning laws and building codes, how do zoning laws and building codes impact office build-outs?

Speaker 3:

That's a great question as well. So you know cities like to get their fingers in everything, and I know this from personal experience as I currently sit on city council in Garland. I'm on my third term in city council there, so I'm very well versed in zoning and permits and anything having to do with the city, which really, really aids me in my business because I understand both sides of the process. You know, before you even have any of those conversations about what you're going to do, what your vision is. You need to make sure that it meets current zoning. If it doesn't, and you're going to wind up with permitting issues, you're going to wind up with stop work orders. So it's important if you are going to do something that possibly will affect your zoning, then you need to have those conversations with the city staff to begin with, and it could go through quite a process. I mean it could go. It goes from city staff to plan commission to city council. So it's not a quick process and not an easy process, but a very important process if you want your projects to ever get off the ground and permitting as well, you have to be able to work with the permitting office and understand the more you, as a GC, understand that city's particular permitting rules, the more successful you can be.

Speaker 3:

I actually have a project right now that I'm working on where they came to me after another GC failed in the permitting process.

Speaker 3:

I went to the city and they said, yeah, another GC is already on this permit, but it's not going to work the way it's structured. I worked with that city staff and phrased everything properly so that it fit the way that their permits work. You have to be able to play the game, and the better you are at playing the game, the more successful you're going to be. So it's very important that your GC understands all of those processes, or else they're just going to put the more successful you're going to be. So it's very important that your GC understands all of those processes, or else they're just going to put the burden on you and on smaller projects. They'll do that a lot of times and then you know what do you do, where do you go. This isn't something that you do on a daily basis, so it's important to have the right kind of commercial contractor who understands how permitting works, how zoning works and that's one of the huge differences between commercial and residential is having to deal with the city on those things.

Speaker 2:

Now final question for you today, jeff how can office design influence employee morale and retention employee?

Speaker 3:

morale and retention? That's a great question, sophia. So office design, you know it's about flow. So I do one thing. I do also I do a lot of restaurant build outs and in there it's important to have proper flow in the kitchen.

Speaker 3:

I went to one. It was a redesign from a barbecue restaurant to another barbecue restaurant and the guy working the the cutting the meat he had to take seven steps to get to where the meat was kept. You know, and if you think about that, if he's walking seven steps to grab a brisket, walking seven steps back and then he's got to put it back again, then he's got to come back again, that's 28 steps. How efficiently is he working if he's having to take 28 steps every time he does something? So like in that case? I redesigned the entire layout of their service area for the kitchen so that the meat was stored right next to the guy cutting the meat, so he literally just had to turn. So you went from 28 steps to zero steps.

Speaker 3:

And if you want to think that that doesn't affect your, you know your physical health at the end of the day, how you feel, how tired you are, or the experience that the customer gets being served the entire time with you right in front of them and not having to keep walking back and forth. All of those things matter, and in an office setting it does as well. Do you want a closed office space with walls, ceilings, doors? Do you want an open office space with cubicles where people can communicate? Do you want bays where you have a group of people together and they work cohesively in the same area? All of these things matter, and it's important to understand the culture of the business before you start that process again, so you can have that clear vision right up front and make sure your employee morale and employee morale is directly related to intention right, the retention.

Speaker 3:

the happier we are at work, the longer we're going to stay there. If we have no reason to leave our job, we're not going to leave our job, and so morale is a big part of that employee retention.

Speaker 2:

Love it, Jeff. We'll catch you in your next episode. Have a fantastic rest of your day.

Speaker 3:

Awesome. Thank you so much, Sophia.

Speaker 1:

That's a wrap for this episode of Remodel Contracting Podcast. Ready to kick that 90s kitchen to the curb? For a free in-home consultation, call 469-831-5620 or visit remodelcontractingnet. Expect more, because your home deserves better and, honestly, so do you.