Top tips to renovating in a ‘live’ environment
Renovations are an essential part of a hotel and restaurant’s lifecycle. However, as many establishments are remaining open to minimise loss of revenue, renovations can cause operational and customer complications if not managed correctly.
Working within a trading environment can add complexity to a refurbishment, as it is vital that additional measures are put into place to minimise disruption to both staff and guests. To ensure that a project runs to time, and is completed with little impact on the day to day running of the establishment, here are our top tips for design agencies who are working within a ‘live’ environment:
- Take full management of the health and safety requirements to ensure that all measures are correctly put into place and followed,
- Erect good quality, hoarding boards to separate areas while the work is being carried out,
- Work with the establishment you are refurbishing to analyse the quiet periods, and pick the right time of year to start the work. For instance, it would be better to complete a conference room renovation during August, when companies traditionally take summer breaks,
- Ensure that the people carrying out the work are respectful of guests – remember they are representing your company,
- Plan for contingencies from the outset. As with all refurbishments, unforeseen issues may arise, which can prove more problematic when trying to adhere to a strict schedule,
- Finally, keep the channels of communication open with the management of the establishment at all times so if any issues do arise, they can be quickly overcome.
