Planning decoration within a wider office refurbishment

Start with a proper pre-refurbishment survey

Before any programme is fixed, we walk the space with the fit-out or M&E contractor's drawings to hand. This identifies where partitions are moving, where ceiling grids will be lifted and refitted, and where existing finishes can be retained. A survey done early avoids the common problem of decoration being priced against a floor plan that changes twice before works start.

• Confirm which walls are new build versus existing and repaired
• Check ceiling tile and grid condition against the decoration spec
• Identify areas needing extra preparation from removed fixtures
• Record existing colours where partial retention is planned

Sequencing with M&E and ceilings

Painting generally needs to happen after first fix containment, cabling and ductwork are in but before ceiling tiles are dropped in, and before final floor coverings go down. Getting this order wrong means either painting around exposed services twice or risking overspray and drips onto finished flooring. We agree a sequence with the principal contractor rather than assuming a default order, and we build in float for the inevitable slippage that happens when several trades share the same floor.

Decant and phased working

Full decant simplifies decoration but is expensive and often unnecessary. Phased working, floor by floor or zone by zone, keeps part of the business operating while other areas are stripped back. The trade-off is a longer overall programme and more protection work, since finished zones sit adjacent to ongoing works for longer. We agree which option suits the business before pricing, because the cheapest decoration quote is not always the cheapest refurbishment overall once disruption is accounted for.

• Full decant: fastest decoration, highest disruption cost
• Floor-by-floor phasing: staff relocate temporarily, business continues
• Zone phasing: works around fixed pinch points like reception or the server room
• Weekend and evening blocks: used for the noisiest or dustiest stages

First fix decoration versus final finish coats

On larger refurbishments we often apply a first fix mist coat or undercoat early, while other trades are still working overhead, and hold the final finish coat until later trades have finished their dirtiest work. This protects the finish coat from dust, drilling debris and adhesive splashes that a single-pass paint job would suffer. It costs a little more in mobilisation but saves considerably on remedial touch-up later, particularly on light colours where dust marks show clearly.

Coordinating with flooring and furniture delivery

Skirtings, door frames and lower wall sections are usually the last items painted, timed just ahead of flooring and furniture delivery. Painting these too early means they get scuffed by flooring installers; painting them too late risks paint landing on new carpet tiles or vinyl. We agree the exact trigger point with the flooring contractor, usually a day or two ahead of their install date, so nobody is waiting on the other.

The final touch up pass

A dedicated touch up visit after other trades demobilise, and again after furniture and IT installation, catches marks left by cable trays, desk assembly and equipment moves. Building this into the programme from the outset, rather than treating it as an afterthought, is what makes the finished space look genuinely complete on the day staff move back in. Two passes, one straight after trades demobilise and one after furniture and IT installation, cover the two main sources of late damage, and we log every item found so recurring problems can be fed back to the principal contractor.

• Snag walk with the project manager before staff return
• Touch up list agreed and actioned within a set number of days
• Colour references recorded for any future patch repairs