For businesses moving or refitting an office
10 Common Problems During Office Design & Fit Out
Sviatoslav JerdetchiiCEO & Founder of Craftex. Updated , 6 min read
The short answer
Most office fit-out problems start before the build: a layout drawn without a survey, a budget with no contingency, and decisions made too late. Fix those three and the problems on site get much smaller.
- Survey the space and plan the layout around how your team works.
- Hold a contingency and price every change before it is built.
- Lock in power, data, lighting and acoustics before the finishes.
- Check fire, access and the landlord's consent from day one.
An office fit-out rarely fails in one big moment. It slips a day at a time. A layout that doesn't fit, a quote that left something out, a decision made a week late. By move-in day, the small problems have added up.
This guide covers the ten most common office fit-out problems we see in London. For each one you'll get the cause and the fix. We also show where it showed up on real projects. Planning a fit-out now? Book a site visit and we'll look for the problems with you.
Why office fit-out problems start before the build
Most office fit-out problems are decided before anyone arrives on site. The layout is drawn without a survey. The budget has no contingency. The landlord's consent starts too late. The programme assumes nothing will go wrong.
So the fixes below are mostly about timing. Find the problem early and it costs a decision. Find it on site and it costs money and weeks.
| Problem | When to fix it |
|---|---|
| Poor space planning | Brief and layout |
| A layout that can't change | Brief and layout |
| No brand in the design | Concept design |
| Budget overruns | Survey and pricing |
| Delays | Programme and ordering |
| Poor lighting | Technical design |
| Technology that doesn't fit | Technical design |
| Noise | Technical design |
| Discomfort | Technical design |
| Missed compliance | From day one |
Our guide to the main types of office fit-out explains what each scope includes.
Problems in the layout and design
The first three problems come from the design brief. They're the cheapest to fix, because nothing is built yet.
1. Poor space planning
The problem: desks placed where people cross, too few meeting rooms, no quiet space. The office feels cramped even with room to spare.
The fix: start with how your team works. Count people, meetings and visitors. Then test the layout on the real floor plan, not a sketch. Good office design and space planning balances collaboration with quiet work.
2. A layout that can't change
The problem: fixed desks and built-in furniture that don't suit next year's team. Every change means building work.
The fix: design for change. Use modular furniture, movable partitions and multi-purpose rooms. Plan power and data so desks can move without opening walls.
3. An office that doesn't reflect the brand
The problem: a space that could belong to anyone. Staff feel no connection, and clients leave with a weak impression.
The fix: carry the brand into materials, colour, signage and the reception. The entrance matters most, because it sets the first impression for every visitor.
Problems with budget and programme
These two do the most damage, and they feed each other. A delay costs money. A budget cut causes delay.
4. Budget overruns
The problem: the final account ends up far above the quote. The usual causes are surprises in the building, design changes after work starts and quotes that left things out.
The fix: survey before pricing. Older buildings can hide asbestos, and HSE says it must be found and removed, as far as reasonably practicable, before major refurbishment. Freeze the design before ordering. Hold a contingency and price every change before it is built.
At The Gloucester Arms we surveyed the fabric and services before construction. The strip-out was sequenced with a contingency for the defects old buildings hide. Old offices hide the same things.
5. Delays that push back the move-in date
The problem: furniture arrives late, the landlord's consent takes weeks, or a design change stops work. The move-in date slips and the old lease runs out.
The fix: build a programme with dates for every stage. Start the landlord's licence for alterations as soon as you have a layout. Order long-lead items before the strip-out. Ask for weekly updates.
A tight date is possible when the planning is done first. At Beaumont House, the client had five weeks left on the lease. Other contractors quoted at least 12 weeks. We refurbished the 750 sq m office in three. Read how we deliver projects on time and on budget.
Problems inside the finished office
These four show up after you move in. They are all cheaper to design in than to add later.
6. Poor lighting
The problem: glare, dark corners and flat light. People get headaches and tired eyes.
The fix: get daylight deep into the plan and keep desks near windows. Mix good general lighting with task lighting. HSE guidance says lighting must let people work and move about safely. Aim well above that.
7. Technology that doesn't fit
The problem: too few sockets, weak Wi-Fi and no data where screens go. Cables trail across the floor.
The fix: plan power, data and AV with the layout. At Beaumont House we ran under-floor data cabling to every workstation. Is it worth planning for future technology now? We look at that in are tech-ready spaces worth it.
8. Noise and poor acoustics
The problem: in an open-plan office, calls and conversations carry. Focus work becomes hard.
The fix: use sound-absorbing ceilings, wall panels and carpet. Separate busy zones from quiet ones. Add rooms or booths for calls and video meetings.
9. Ignoring comfort and wellbeing
The problem: poor seating, stuffy air, cold or hot rooms and nowhere to take a break. Morale and attendance drop.
The fix: invest in ergonomic furniture, good ventilation and break spaces. HSE guidance sets at least 11 cubic metres per person and normally at least 16 °C for office work. Treat both as the bare minimum. Lower running costs help too: see how to design sustainable offices.
Problems with compliance and safety
The last problem is the one that can stop a project or a move-in.
10. Overlooking compliance and safety
The problem: fire escape routes blocked by a new layout, an alarm system not extended, or no access for disabled people. Building control won't sign off, and the move-in waits.
The fix: design fire safety and access in from day one. Approved Document M covers access to and use of buildings, including corridors and toilets. Make sure everyone in your team can use the office. Read why inclusive office design matters.
I’d like to thank the team at Сraftex for the work they did on our office. It was really important for us to get the work done quickly, but without compromising on quality, as we regularly have clients and guests visiting and needed to move into the new office within a month. We spent around two weeks discussing and agreeing all the details before the work started. What I really appreciated was that everything we agreed beforehand was actually followed through during the job. The work was also completed on time. Thanks to the whole Сraftex team for a great job. I’d definitely use them again if we need any work done in the future.
How we handled these problems at Portsoken House
Portsoken House in Aldgate shows several of these problems at once. We turned an abandoned warehouse into 1,550 sq m of offices on two floors. The project was worth £2.2M and took seven months.
- Uneven floors. We levelled the concrete floors before the new finishes went down.
- Services. A full mechanical and electrical package and a new ceiling went in.
- An occupied building. The other floors stayed let, so we rebuilt the reception only at night and at weekends.
- Budget. Keeping design and build under one roof gave the client accurate pricing.
Ten problems, one checklist
Unsure what a contractor should handle for you? Our guide to what a commercial contractor does explains it. We deliver office fit-outs in London from survey to handover. Book a site visit and we'll check your office against this list.
Check these before your office fit-out starts
- Has the space been surveyed, including services and any asbestos?
- Is the layout tested against how your team really works?
- Is there a contingency in the budget?
- Has the landlord's licence for alterations been started?
- Are long-lead items ordered before the strip-out?
- Are power, data, lighting and acoustics planned with the layout?
- Are fire escape and access designed in?
- Have you appointed a principal designer and principal contractor in writing?
