How to decorate an office without closing it
Closing a floor is the expensive option. Almost every office repaint we do happens around people, and the difference between a smooth one and a disruptive one is decided before anyone opens a tin.
Decide the unit of work: floor, zone or desk bank
Pick the smallest chunk that can be cleared and handed back inside one visit. A zone of thirty desks cleared on a Friday and finished by Monday causes far less friction than a whole floor closed for a fortnight.
- Zone the floorplate on a plan before pricing, not on the day
- Agree who moves desks, screens and pedestals, and when
- Confirm what IT will unplug and what must stay live
Out of hours is a tool, not a default
Evenings and weekends suit reception areas, meeting suites and open-plan runs where noise or fumes would be intrusive. They cost more, so use them where they buy something. Quiet cutting-in behind a screened-off zone during the day is often perfectly acceptable.
Odour, dust and air handling
Low-odour waterborne systems with fast recoat times are the norm in occupied offices. Dust-extracted sanding keeps the air clean around live workstations, and the facilities team should know whether air handling recirculates before we start.
The paperwork the FM will want
Expect to see RAMS per phase, public liability cover, PAT records for equipment and, on some sites, DBS checks and induction sign-in. Ask for these at tender stage rather than the week before mobilisation.
Handover, zone by zone
Each zone is walked, snagged and signed off before the next one starts. That keeps the defect list to a handful of items instead of a floor-wide list nobody wants to own at the end.
Common questions
Can staff stay at their desks while you paint?
Not in the zone being worked, but they can stay on the floor. We screen and sheet the working zone and hand it back before moving on.
Will the office smell of paint?
Low-odour waterborne systems and ventilation keep it to a mild smell that has usually gone by the next morning.
Do you have to work nights?
Only where daytime work would genuinely disrupt trading, such as reception areas or client-facing meeting suites.
Who moves the furniture?
Either party can, but it must be agreed in writing. Most clients move IT and personal items, and we move and sheet the bulk furniture.
How long does a floor take?
A typical open-plan floor is worked in zones over one to three weeks depending on how much can be cleared at a time.
Do you provide RAMS?
Yes, per phase, along with insurance details and equipment records before mobilisation.
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Next step
Send a floorplan and we will zone the programme before quoting.
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