Hidden Challenges in FF&E and how to tackle them
Whether you’re looking to renovate a residential or commercial property, they both can present a hidden set of challenges and tough decisions for any property owner.. Without proper planning and an experienced team, your renovation project can quickly become a significant source of stress, adding on extra time and costs. Some problems are more common than others, so it’s essential you are equipped with the knowledge to deal with them before they arise. FF&E services are one of the main underestimated areas across residential or commercial property projects. Property owners or non specialised teams working on a project trying to take on such specialist areas themselves tends to lead to further issues. Fortunately, when you partner with an FF&E specialist like SP3 London, we can support your renovation project from start to finish, putting a strong emphasis on the FF&E element, taking care of many challenges before they arise and ensuring you a stress-free and successful project.
FF&E has many hidden challenges that are not considered when taking this on yourself but are revealed unexpectedly midway through a project. We will look at the most common issues that crop up across projects that are related to FF&E, and how working with SP3 London, they can be avoided.
Onsite Coordination
Liaising with the on site team such as the electricians and subcontractors is not a task for the faint-hearted. The most common problem clients run into is not communicating effectively with each supplier and coordination of this on site. Communication is an essential tool in any profession, but it is crucial when delegating amongst various suppliers. Without clear and effective communication, important tasks can get missed, and suppliers can remain unaware of an issue until it’s too late to rectify. There should be communication at every step of the way that informs suppliers of any obstacles or challenges at the end of each day. This way, problems can be solved proactively and within the agreed programme.
An FF&E procurement specialist can help you with the coordination of your project. At SP3 London, we have a team of highly trained professionals that can help liaise with suppliers on a range of topics and take control of budgeting, sourcing, any specifications needed as well as the delivery and installation of furniture, fixtures and equipment. FF&E procurement requires an experienced individual to coordinate projects smoothly and carry out the requirements of the client.
If for example you were working on a hotel and looking to give each room an overhaul, an FF&E specialist can help run, monitor and deliver the specific project according to your requirements. So, if you want to replace all headboards in the rooms and ensure sockets are integrated within the headboard design then we can do that.
Onsite Changes
Renovating any property requires making a number of decisions, from the choice of fixtures and fittings or whether or not you need electrics installed and how details should be finished off. The majority of these decisions need to be made quickly, so the process isn’t held up, and so you need to allow time for this based on your visions and what would be the most practical solution. If you leave these decisions too late in the day then you end up re looking at areas and reworking them to suit which can be costly and timely. If the work isn’t what you’d imagined, you will end up paying twice if you want to make amendments.
An FF&E procurement specialist can help with any onsite changes and usually predict them before they arise so they can offer a solution immediately. Our team of dedicated professionals have many years of commercial and residential renovations under their belt, so we know what to look out for before going ahead with the work.
If you’re renovating a residential property alot of items need to be taken into consideration, our FF&E specialists at SP3 London can ensure you have the suitable structures in place, from pattresses to wiring, to technical support in regards to control system compatibility. For example, if you had your heart set on installing a chandelier in the lounge, but there isn’t adequate structural support in place, an experienced FF&E specialist will be able to liaise accordingly to assess what needs to be installed to ensure your vision is brought to life. They can also ensure the lighting is compatible with the lighting control system being installed. This is one of the many items we would look at throughout the FF&E process.
Logistics
You can create your vision for your renovation project, select all the perfect products and implement a beautiful colour scheme, but if your FF&E items arrive too early, too late or even worse, damaged, your project will be subject to potential costly delays. A common mistake many inexperienced project managers make is logistics. The main area missed is usually access checks – what are the access points to the property for items coming through? Is the space large enough?
By working with SP3 London, we can provide you with end-to-end procurement services so you can avoid the dangers of mishaps with the delivery and installation of your FF&E. Our team of expert specialists will ensure your items fit the specification, can be installed and that they fit into the building.
In addition to this, they’ll also ensure that they will keep you updated at every stage along the way about the status of your FF&E and will liaise with the suppliers, sign of rod drawings, choose final finishes and provide you with detailed delivery reports, all while ensuring the most competitive prices and shipment rates.
In the unfortunate event that your products are damaged or delayed, we will work to solve issues quickly and efficiently, with minimal disruption to your project, handling any damage claims for you.
Conclusion
Renovation projects can be demanding and throw many challenges your way. FF&E services can benefit your project or business by taking the stress out of managing orders and deliveries.
Our specialist service can either be enlisted on specific projects on a project-by-project basis or as a long-term solution. By working with companies like SP3 London, which specialise in interior design, design management and FF&E procurement, you can be guaranteed your project will be a stress-free success.
At SP3 London, we can work across all types of projects with project managers, architects, contractors, homeowners and more. The benefits far outweigh the negatives of hiring a specialist. You can relay your vision to an expert who can manage the entire process for you from start to finish and ensure competitive pricing while you sit back, relax and watch your dream come to life.
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