Interior budget II. Things better not to save on when you need to reduce costs

Interior design and implementation are two phases of one process. The amount that the investor has to implement should determine the direction in which the architect's design will go. We wrote about this in the article Interior budget. Why is it important to discuss it with architects in advance? In practice, it happens that it is necessary to reduce costs during the project. However, companies have often no idea what they can afford to save up and where, on the contrary, they should not change their demands.

Anything can happen in half a year

There can be many reasons for cuts. At the moment of contacting the architectural studio, some companies have not clarified what they expect from the office interiors. The investor will initially offer a generous budget for atypical solutions and premium materials. Gradually, however, they will change their mind, so they will reduce the sum of money. It may also happen that the situation in the company will change over time. The creation of the architectural concept, including project documentation and the budget takes at least three months, implementation will take another three. So together it is half a year, which is long enough for anything to happen to the investor.

Greenery in offices increases work productivity.

A separate category are tenders, where companies divide the process into individual parts. This means that they first approve the design from the architect and only then they talk about the price. As part of the announced competition, the implementation companies that are responsible for project pricing make their voice heard. At this point, investors tend to find out that office costs exceed their financial capabilities. He therefore turns to suppliers to propose a solution.

"It's bad when implementation companies get into the role of the person who modifies the concept after the architects," says Martin Kameník, owner of PREMIER interiors. "Every supplier offers something different and an investor who has no experience will start to compare the incomparable. The investor gets under pressure. And above all, suppliers have a free hand not to comply with the assignment, "he explains. Therefore, it is more convenient if the investor discusses both architectural design and implementation with a single company.

Three most common mistakes

If the budget needs to be reduced, greenery is almost always removed from the concept first. This is the most underestimated interior element ever. Its benefits are reduced only to the aesthetic point of view and its influence on the human environment and psyche is not taken into account. People feel good near plants, they breathe better and their work performance increases. "When there is no money, the greenery goes away and it is a step back. Unfortunately, we still perceive it as necessary, and not as unnecessary, "says Martin Kameník.

The larger the space, the greater the echo and noise.

The acoustic solution of the space is similar. Due to the budget, companies neglect it, although it is harder to work and concentrate in an environment with poor acoustics. "The practical effects of high-quality acoustic equipment are clear. If you have good acoustics, people don't shout and don't lose so much information, "explains Martin Kameník. This manifests itself in situations such as making a phone call, meeting with clients or team meetings. This is a fundamental problem, especially in open offices.

The biggest mistake is the reduction of costs of the employees' workplace. The original ergonomic solution is replaced by cheaper variants that do not provide sufficient comfort. "Companies should realize that they want employees to sit in the office eight hours a day and do their job well. But they have to offer the employees a decent seating," says PREMIER interiors project manager Patrik Cirbus. This is confirmed by Martin Kameník: "Who will tell you that they have an uncomfortable chair? The employees, of course, keep it to themselves, but then refuse to sit on it. As a result of the saving on seating, employees do not feel comfortable, they get up several times an hour, run around the workplace, or go to the doctors because their back hurts."

So what should we save on?

Acoustics, greenery, tables, chairs, all these are among the equipment from which it is better not to compromise. "When a client comes to PREMIER interiors and wants to save, for example, on a work chair, we prefer to start looking for a way to find savings elsewhere," describes Patrik Cirbus. If it is necessary to suddenly cut down on something, it is more appropriate to simplify atypical solutions for tiling, furniture or material alternation. Another option is to divide the implementation into a longer period of time, which will relieve the pressure on cash flow.