Posted on

The Advantages of Hiring a Corporate Contractor for Office Fit-outs

corporate fit-out

An office fit-out can unlock many possibilities for your business. By doing so, operations can run more efficiently, employers can boost the morale of their employees, and significantly contribute to the increase of your company’s profitability.  
 
Professional commercial fit-outs can be overwhelming for many. The process involves a lot of logistics, time, effort, and research to ensure that everything will run smoothly and will not result in wasted expenses and costs.

One way to ensure your office fit-out will run and be done smoothly is by engaging with professional commercial contractors. Here are some advantages that you can expect:

Expert Project Management 

While the idea of DIY-ing an office fit-out may be exciting, the risks can outweigh the benefits most of the time. Managing individual contractors and workers can not only be tiring but also be too much to handle, especially if you are not used to being on top of similar projects. 

Hiring professional fit-out contractors is like having an organizer to find the best deals and ensure that everything is right on schedule and accounted for, even when you are away. Professional fit-out contractors will take care of all the details needed to suit your preferences and make sure that you get the office space you like and need in the end. 

Technical Expertise 

A commercial fit-out is not similar to redecorating your room or your home. A lot of technical aspects including electricity and plumbing should also be taken into consideration. Professionals with expert industry knowledge can make sure your office design is done properly, without taking from your design ideas and company branding. Professional fit-out companies demonstrate strong technical skills and offer a wider perspective in helping you from construction to interior design.

Professional Recommendations 

Taking your business’ vision and reflecting it into your workplace design and interior is only among the important considerations for a corporate fit-out. Professional fit-out contractors also prioritize your budget, time frame, and expansion plans when renovating your office space. Professionals can balance your priorities and devise the best solution for your workplace and recommend the best move to help you achieve it through space development. 

Right on Schedule 

One of the challenges of office fit-outs is time. Most of the time, companies who do it on their own end up not following their schedule and meet delays instead. Professional contractors ensure that everything is according to plan and is right on schedule. 

Value for Money

Acquiring the help of professional contractors in doing your office fit-out will give you the best value for your investment. More than excellent service, professionals have access to trusted vendors and suppliers of high-quality materials and furniture to be used and featured in your office. 

T1 Project Services is one of the leading professional contractors in the Philippines, dealing with commercial, corporate, industrial, and hospitality projects. Discover what we can do for your business today!

Get in touch with Michelle Amarnani at (+63) 917-897-7134 or send an email to michelle.amarnani@t1projectservices.com today!

Posted on

Year in Numbers: Wrapping up 2021 for T1 Project Services

2021 is a year of reaching new milestones and setting higher standards for T1. The company, together with the whole team, has grown exponentially within the year by saying yes to bigger opportunities and reaching new heights. New members have joined, new locations have been covered, and new project completions were launched last year which made 2021 a truly monumental year for T1.

In 2021, T1 has officially rebranded as T1 Project Services – a company that offers a wider array of construction, fit-out, and contractor services for local or multinational businesses in all sectors including corporate, commercial, hospitality, and industrial.

New key members of the team have also joined in 2021. T1 welcomed Head of Design and Build Aracle Lao, Head of Pre-Construction Gabriela Merino, and Head of Industrial Projects Steve Date who have joined the team. Meanwhile, Bien Bullicer, Harold Aledia, and Dovie Ancheta were awarded promotions and were named General Manager, Head of Engineering, and Head of Construction Management, respectively.

Mapping T1 across the Philippines: Project Locations & Completions in 2021

The previous year has also been a great opportunity for T1 to expand its footprint across the country. While its headquarters is located in Metro Manila, the company has strengthened its presence in regional areas, including Cebu, Iloilo, and Siargao. Project completions and launches were also a big part of a successful year for T1, with various hospitality and commercial projects in Pampanga, Batangas, Laguna, and Bohol.

T1 would like to express our sincerest gratitude to our partners and clients who have finished the year strongly with us. In 2022, we are aiming to be even bigger and better, offering a wider range of services and serving more businesses in the Philippines to help them achieve their goals.

Posted on

Beyond trends and cultures: Industrial design & construction expert Kevin White joins T1

T1 is in for an exciting year as new key members join the team. Industry expert Kevin White joins the company as one of its senior project managers to specialize in the delivery of large-scale builds and spearhead projects in the industrial and logistics sector.

“Joining T1 was an easy decision for me. I have known Daniel Anderson, the company’s chairman, for long time, I know that T1 is second to none in the Philippines given his knowledge of the industry. That gave me the confidence to join the T1 family for a long-term career path,” he shared.

With his valuable experience of working with multinational companies through the years, Kevin noted that more than the familiarity of emerging trends, he believes that having a deep understanding and appreciation of the craft makes working with clients more effective and impactful.

“Having worked on four continents, the skills and understanding I have gathered over the past 15 years is immense, my understanding of cultures from around the world allows me to understand the end-users, as well as my team and colleagues which in turn allows me to build and mentor strong teams wherever I work,” Kevin noted.

“In today’s market and ever-evolving construction delivery methods, we must stay fluid and flexible to keep a customer-centric focus. Our customers, whether multinationals or local, whether billion-peso worth companies or not, all command and deserve the same level of project delivery, Customer-centricity, that’s the way forward,” he added.

PH Construction and Industrial Rebound

The Philippine construction industry is also expected to have an exceptional bounce back this year. According to the Philippine Daily Inquirer, the local industry is expected to grow by 16.1 percent in 2022, outpacing the growth of the overall economy.

“I feel for the next 5-10 years, the construction boom will continue as the Philippines is seen as a developing market for both local and overseas investment. The residential sector will continue to drive the market once the government’s infrastructure projects tail off, driven still by the remittances from the OFW community,” Kevin noted.

He believes that he joined the company at the perfect time as the country is also seeing a boom in its industrial and logistics industry. Aided by the increasing market demand and the shift in consumer behavior, warehouses, storage facilities, and manufacturing will keep the real estate market steady for the coming years.

Kevin also shared that he looks forward to being one of the frontrunners of integrating sustainability with the design and construction industry in the country. Sharing the same values with T1, an affiliate of the Philippine Green Building Council, he shared that he empathizes the importance of minimizing construction’s impact on the environment.

“Our latest project is probably the highest tech/specification and highest expectation of the environmental impact in the country today, this excites me immensely because the planet we live on is in trouble and we can be part of fixing that problem,” he said.

Posted on

Considerations in Creating a Design Brief

Considerations in Creating a Design Brief 

By: Lana Natalia Kier 

Whether it be a renovation of your current office, migration into a new space, or an expansion to another floor, creating a comprehensive design brief will not only help you solidify your fit-out plans but would also provide a much clearer checklist for all your space requirements. 
 
Apart from the usual employee headcount and the ideal number of meeting rooms in the office, here are some important considerations when creating your design brief: 

  1. Company Ethos – How do you want to be perceived? 

No two companies are the same. Even if they are from the same industry, their work style, mission and vision, and employee demographics could be entirely different. Your office design should reflect who you are as a company, and this goes beyond just choosing the paint on your walls.  

The design of your office reflects your company identity to visitors and reaffirms your culture to your employees. It is crucial to include your company ethos in your design brief to make sure that your branding and vision will be translated into your space. An office is an extension of your company’s collaterals for clients and visitors. Find a designer who will veer away from trends and instead design an office that embodies who you are as a company. 

  1. Project Goals  

Is this a renovation to add more seats? Are you consolidating different business units into one space? Are you moving out from a shared office to finally have a space of your own? Or maybe you want an office that promotes employee wellness, but you are sure how to go about this?  

It is important to circle back to why you are upgrading or renovating in the first place. This should be clear to your designer for them to create a space that meets these goals. If you are not sure about the how’s of the project, this is where an experienced designer comes in. 

  1. Building Restrictions

Before leasing a space, tenants must always check the building’s restrictions. You may find the perfect space in the best location only to find out that the office size is not ideal for your employee headcount. Taking on one whole floor? Ask if you can include the space allotted for common areas in your fit out-plan. Planning to have your own toilet and shower? Not all buildings allow or have provisions for this. 

You can discuss your building/space options with your designer to find out the best fit before signing a lease. 

  1. Adjacencies and Workflow 

An effective floor layout should help your employees work smarter, not just harder. Understanding which teams often collaborate and which teams handle confidential documents would allow your design team to create an efficient layout that would eliminate unnecessary divisions and allow certain teams to have the privacy they require. Your designer should also ensure that teams have easy access to equipment and facilities that they regularly use. 

  1. How your employees work 

Not all employees work the same way. While some employees thrive in an open place workplace, others find it too difficult to concentrate. It is recommended to provide different spaces for focused work, collaborative discussions, and places to unwind. Offices can be divided into spaces that will serve distinct functions depending on their location, furniture used, and design. An office should have dedicated spaces where they can focus, discuss, collaborate, learn, and socialize.  

Clients can also open a discussion with select employees to get feedback on their team’s work style and what facilities would allow them to work more effectively. 

  1. Budget 

One of the first things clients ask us is, how much would it cost to fit out an office? Our answer is… it depends. Factors that could affect the cost would be: 

  • Layout
  • Design
  • Materials
  • Fixtures, Furniture, & Equipment

Your designer can guide you on how to achieve the office of your dreams at the right budget. Depending on your fit-out and design brief, your contractor can do an estimated cost for the project based on your discussion. 

  1. Timeline 

Although we encourage our clients to engage their designers and contractors as early as possible, we understand that this is not always possible. For clients dealing with tight timelines, we try to manage their expectations that their options may be limited due to the availability of materials, furniture, and equipment. 

  1. What doesn’t work and what don’t you like 

Oftentimes clients are unsure about what they want in a space but they are sure about what they don’t want. List down your pain points in your current office. What about it doesn’t work with your work style. What areas are unused and what is insufficient. Giving your designer this list will make the design process quicker and minimize revisions. 

A design brief is a crucial requirement for any fit-out and construction project. It will serve as a guide and scope for the specifications and inclusions of the project. Professional contractors work closely with the client to achieve their vision and goals for the space. 
 
Need professional help in transforming your office space? Contact our team to learn what we can do for your business. Contact Lana Kier at (+63) 917-864-1415 or send an email to projects@t1projectservices.com today.