Does Your Business Need a New Office or a Better Use of Its Current Space?
Your office isn’t working for your business anymore. There’s any number of reasons why that’s the case: maybe the layout doesn’t fit how your team works, maybe the location itself is a limitation, or maybe you’re simply just running out of room. Whatever the reason that prompts you to consider a change, the natural next step is deciding whether you can solve these problems with an office remodel or relocation.
Ultimately, the choice you make depends on your goals and what your current space is offering. Explore the differences between an office remodel vs. relocation, and decide which makes more sense for your business.
Start With Why Your Current Office Isn't Working
Before comparing properties or planning construction, identify the core problems. Ask yourself these questions, then ask your managers and employees as well:
- Have you outgrown the square footage?
- Is the layout inefficient?
- Does the space no longer support how employees work?
- Is the office dated or inconsistent with your brand?
- Are there accessibility, storage, or infrastructure limitations?
The answers can help separate problems that may be solved through remodeling from limitations inherent to the property. An inefficient layout, outdated design or lack of storage may be fixable within the existing footprint. Insufficient square footage, location challenges or building limitations may point toward relocation.
When Does Remodeling Your Current Office Make Sense?
Remodeling may make sense when the location and available square footage still work for your business, but the space itself doesn't. Reconfiguring the layout could help you adapt the office to current work patterns, create better storage, improve accessibility or modernize an outdated environment.
The condition of the building also matters. Plumbing, electrical or other infrastructure concerns don't automatically mean you need to move, but they should be evaluated as part of the potential remodel scope. Understanding what would need to change can help you compare that investment against relocation more accurately. The smartest commercial remodels actually help you to reduce and avoid future repair costs.
Staying in place can also eliminate some of the logistics involved in relocating an entire operation. A move may require transitioning employees, equipment, technology and customer-facing functions to a new location. Remodeling creates its own operational challenges, but depending on the project, work may be phased or scheduled around ongoing operations.
Related Content: Why Renovate Office Space?
When Might Relocating Make More Sense?
Relocating makes more sense when a business office has outgrown the current space and there’s no reasonable way to add on square footage or restructure the current space for flow. If there are simply too many people in the office to make use of your current space regardless of how it’s reconfigured, it simply won’t work. If building and property limitations prevent you from expanding the physical space, remodeling simply isn’t an option.
If the location of your office is also suboptimal, relocating might make more sense. Perhaps it’s in a space that’s hard to access or has limited parking spaces. If the challenge can’t be solved with a remodel, relocating makes more sense.
Lease or ownership considerations make also make investing in the current location less attractive. Ownership may give you more flexibility to invest in substantial changes, while a lease may place restrictions on what can be modified. This may make moving to a new location a better choice.
Lastly, consider the projected growth of your company. The problems you’re facing now will only continue to grow as your company and number of employees grows, too.
Office Remodel vs. Relocation: Compare More Than the Upfront Cost
Cost matters, but it shouldn't be the only factor in the decision. Compare how each option affects your location, operations, timeline and ability to support future growth.
|
Consideration |
Remodeling Your Current Office |
Relocating to a New Office |
|
Available space |
Works well when you have enough square footage but need to use it differently |
May make more sense when you've truly outgrown the existing footprint |
|
Location |
Lets you keep a location that already works for employees and customers |
Gives you the opportunity to choose a location that better fits current needs |
|
Upfront expenses |
Includes design, construction, finishes, furniture, and temporary accommodations as needed |
Can include moving, lease or purchase costs, deposits, build-out, furniture and technology setup |
|
Business disruption |
Construction may need to be phased around ongoing operations |
Requires transitioning employees, equipment, and operations to a new location |
|
Timeline |
Depends on remodel scope, permitting, and whether work must happen in phases |
Depends on property search, lease/purchase negotiations, build-out and the move itself |
|
Future growth |
Existing footprint needs enough flexibility to accommodate expected changes |
Can provide additional square footage or flexibility for anticipated growth |
|
Building limitations |
Existing structure and building systems may limit what's possible |
Allows you to seek out a property better suited to your requirements |
|
Long-term investment |
Can make better use of a location you're already invested in |
May offer greater long-term potential if your current property no longer fits the business |
Considerations When Choosing Between a Remodel or Relocation
1. Think About How Each Option Affects Your Operations
Both remodeling and relocating can disrupt normal operations, but in different ways. A remodel may require phased construction, temporary work areas or scheduling work around employees and customers. A relocation requires coordinating the movement of employees, equipment and technology while communicating changes to customers or clients.
Instead of asking which option causes less disruption, consider which type of disruption your business is better equipped to manage. Think about when work can happen, which areas need to remain operational and how much flexibility employees and customers have during the transition.
2. Compare the Timelines, Not Just the End Results
Comparing the timelines rather than the end results is helpful to determine just how much time and effort is involved.
Remodeling requires designing, obtaining permits, and determining construction timelines, which can sometimes be extended through phasing different parts of the process.
But relocating doesn't necessarily eliminate design and construction time, either. If a new property needs to be built out for your business, that work becomes part of the relocation timeline.
If your business needs a solution by a certain date, work backward from that deadline to determine what's actually feasible.
3. Don't Make the Decision Based Only on What You Need Today
Either option represents a significant investment, so think beyond what your office needs right now. Consider planned hiring, changes in how teams work, customer or client needs and how flexible the proposed space will be as the business evolves.
The goal is to give the business enough runway to justify the investment. If remodeling solves today's problems but leaves you out of space again in a few years, relocation may deserve a closer look. If the existing footprint has room to adapt with the business, moving solely for a new floorplan may not be necessary.
Before You Relocate, Find Out What Your Current Office Could Become
Relocation can feel like the obvious answer when your current office no longer fits your needs, but you may not know what's possible within the existing footprint until you've evaluated it.
A commercial design-build partner can assess the layout, building limitations, potential project scope and impact on your operations. That gives you a clearer picture of whether remodeling could support your longer-term needs.
If it can, you may be able to stay in a location that already works for your business. If it can't, you'll have more information to guide your search for a new space.
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Titus Contracting is a full-service remodeling company offering commercial and residential construction. We have an office in Burnsville, Minnesota and work throughout the Twin Cities.