What are the first steps for your new fitout? Whether it is a cafe, office or retail space you are looking to create read on to understand the first steps…
1. Get a good designer
If you’re planning a new shop fit out or looking at a re-design the good news is you wont need to spend a fortune on an architect (I can hear the sigh of relief from here!).
In a very simplistic term, architects design buildings rather than internal shop fit outs. The person you will need to speak to is an experienced Retail Interior Designer.
An Interior Designer will look at the space you have identified and help you map out the most practical use of space, customer traffic movement, effective shop front design, storage, (for stock and staff) and of course; understand how to make it all look pretty.
A designer who knows their work will produce some pictures that tug at your heart strings and reassure you that all the sleepless nights will be worth it.
Along with that, they will need to produce a set of drawings/plans that may just look like a whole lot of lines and numbers to you, but they’re the pictures that light our fire here at Quickfit! That’s our roadmap to your vision.
These plans detail exactly what needs to be built and where, the finishes, the paint colours, the lighting map, plumbing map, window and door placement…. in short, these drawings are the map that will create your dream.
In terms of what you can expect from the designer with regards to their quote; they should list each drawing they are going to produce for you and outline just how far they will be going with you through this process.
If they are just producing the drawings and leaving you to it, perhaps question if this is the hands off approach you are wanting. Ideally, your designer will offer an engaged approach which includes producing the drawings and offering to liaise with you and the shop fitter (that’s us), throughout the process. (We promise to play nice).
Bottom line is, get it in writing exactly what you are paying for and how much.
Just a note; if you are setting up shop in a shopping centre like Stocklands or Westfield, these drawings are essential for their approval. Keep the big boys happy and do this part well. Not only will you be making the right people happy, you will also be in control of your budget, protecting your budget and clear about exactly what it is you are bringing to life.
2. Cost
It’s the elephant in the room, so let’s be forward and talk about it. As shop fitters we need to know what your budget is. We understand it may be uncomfortable and you may not want to share because you think someone, somewhere will be rubbing their hands together at your naivety, but seriously, it’s not like that.
Budget is an important conversation to have first with your Interior Designer.
If you have the conversation with them first, and they are a good designer, the conversation with us may not even be required because you know that what is in your designed plan can be made to fit within your budget.
Shop fitters still need to know what you are prepared to spend though, end of story. And remember, we have access to many different suppliers, creative solutions to creative problems and a history of previous successful fit outs.
If your budget seems a little tight, we’ll have a conversation about it.
If you budget seems a little high, we’ll talk about that holiday that… just kidding, we’ll talk about either not needing to spend that much, or offer alternative options that you may like to spend the extra budget on.
3. Design
This is the really fun part and should probably go as your first step. This is the gathering of all those images that inspire you.
Pinterest is a fantastic resource tool for this process. Create a new board and ‘pin’ all the images that relate to your ideal design.
If you’ve not come across Pinterest before (where have you been?), there are numerous tutorials out there but it is super easy and incredibly addictive.
The images you choose don’t have to represent your exact design ideal or layout, they could just represent elements that you like. A particular layout, flooring, the way something is displayed, colours, lighting, themes (industrial, modern, conservative, boho, shabby shic), the use of plants (my personal favourite), there are so many elements to design and whilst the majority may not end up in your actual design, it will give your Interior Designer, and us, a very clear idea of what you like. After all, we think that’s kind of important!
Final Words
There are many other contractors that you need to engage when developing a new fit out or looking at a redesign. The bonus for you is that when you choose Quickfit as your shop fitter, we already have those established relationships. We know the electricians, the plumbers, the plasterers, the painters (we even have our very own joiner), it’s all part of our service.
Once you have your drawings and plans created, the next place you turn to is us. The step after that; opening your doors. No other contractors and hassles required.
Give us a call on 1300 95 94 93
