Air conditioning can make a big difference in any office, and Cre8tive has installed many systems over the years usually as part of a larger refurbishment project. However we are able supply and install air conditioning systems on their own as we do know what we are doing, can provide a competitive price and offer a 5 year warranty on the equipment. We also offer yearly servicing. With this particular project Cre8tive were able to re-assure the client that the outdoor unit would not be in the way of the stairs and could be positioned out of the way of potential people that may want to tamper with the outdoor air conditioning unit.
Finished results
Iindoor unit positioned neatly under the ceiling
Air conditioning outdoor unit, out of the way
Outdoor unit, isolator and drain neatly done
Outdoor unit, out of the way
Designing the system.
Sizing of the unit to the area is very important, if too large a unit is specified then the unit will not be working as hard as it is designed to, and will actually be very inefficient. It is therefore important to get the kilowatt output correct for the space. The new units out now are also A++ energy rated, so super efficient and as you can see from the photographs quite discrete.
Is air conditioning fresh air?
There is a common misconception that air conditioning is fresh air in an office, it is not. All an air conditioning unit will do is to heat or cool air that is currently inside the room or area. This is not fresh air. In order to meet Building Regulations there is a requirement for people to have a certain volume of fresh air pushed into a room, with the stale air extracted out. We carry this out by using a different system using a VAM unit. If you need any more information about this please do not hesitate to contact us.
We have been supplying and fitting systems as part of our main refurbishment projects for a number of years, if you are unhappy with your current provider or air conditioning or fresh air ventilation, or unsure about anything please give us a call.
We can fit all of the major makes; Daikin; Fujitsu; Mitsubushi; Samsung as well as many other less popular makes. We can also fit VRV or VRF systems, ducted systems as well as conventional single splits.
This demountable partitions project in Swindon consisted of two areas. The first partition had to consist of two new glazed screens around a central pillar and to match the colour of a partition system that was already installed. The second part of the project was a take down and reconfiguration of the existing layout, with new rooms and further partitioning which was new.
The beauty of using demountable partitions is in the name, the partitions can be demounted and moved elsewhere without them being completely destroyed like a normal plasterboard and stud work wall. Further information is on our page describing demountable partitions, please click this link if you would like to know a bit more. The partitions are built by skilled fitters and cannot be constructed by anyone, or a general builder as they are a specialist product requiring unique skills. The system we used in this instant was manufactured by Komfort, and was their 50mm komfort kameo 50 system. The first area needed colour samples that were sent to the customer to try and match the RAL colour of the partition system. We also matched the colour of the blinds and skirting. The difficult part of this project was that the central pillar was miles out of plumb which meant special trims had to be made to hide the gaps. You cannot see this on the finished result. The door was also made with a large window and some privacy film which matched what the customer had already in the rooms.
The second phase of the project was a different coloured system on a different floor. The requirements were to take down one wall, and re–use the materials with some new materials to make a larger offer and create a new office with lots of glazing.
The other slight difficulty was carrying all of the materials up two flights of very narrow stairs which is always a problem, but we allowed for this in our costings and our quote.
Initial site photographs.
As you can see from the photographs below, the first area needed partitions that had to fit around a central pillar and join onto an existing office. The colour of the aluminium frames presented a problem as even though one can powder coat the aluminium partition frames to a RAL colour, RAL colours have a tolerance on them so with the old and new frames butted up to each other there was a very high chance that there would be a shade difference. The existing partitions had also been in place for about 10 years, and the colour can fade over time, so the chances of getting an exact match was pretty remote. As always we ensure that we make the customer aware of this and when we received the go ahead for the work, the customer stated that our honesty and clarity of what we were doing as well as the price swayed selection of who they wanted to do the work in our favour. The first two photographs below show the first area, the second area showed the general space, many of the existing walls seen would need to be taken down and re-used in a different configuration. The practically of using demountable partitions cannot be over estimated as although there is an initial high cost with the frames, they can be re-used making them really flexible. The other factor of course is that they look pretty good as well, and you can introduce window frames and door combinations much easier than a conventional plasterboard wall.
Central pillar to fit partitions to.
Base skirting to be matched as well as the colour
Second area partitions to go here.
All these glass walls to come down and be rebuilt elsewhere.
Working out the materials and sizes.
The first area was a bit difficult to do, and in this case the materials had to be specially ordered to the particular RAL colour. Once the colour is run, it is not possible just to get another piece in case it is cut wrong as a whole new production run would have t be made which would be very expensive to do. Getting it right right time was very important. In this case we took lots of measurements and produced a drawing just to be sure. In this situation it was not necessary to carry out any space planning or design. If you would like to know the difference between drawing work, space planning and visuals please click this link. The second area used many parts of the existing office layout, and was more of a taking down and rebuilding exercise, and the colour of the partition frames were a stock colour, so if we needed some more trims or head channel we could get them next day so we were more relaxed with the second area.
Detailed drawing
Construction work.
We decided to deal with the two areas in separate phases using the same gang of fitters, so they could complete one area and then move on downstairs to the second without any delay or disruption. We also saved on the delivery costs by having all the materials delivered in one visit, getting the materials into the building was not easy. The first area was on the second floor, and the second area was on the floor below. The entrance to the offices was via Barclays bank shared lobby, so we used the rear fire escape to get the materials into the building without having to go through the main office which was quite a considerable distance from the main road. Getting rid of the waste material also presented the same problem. Although you may think this is minor detail, it is actually really important to minimise the disruption to the client, so we did collect all of the waste off cuts and rubbish together in one area, and when both areas were finished got it all out the fire escape in one go.
Frames installed waiting for blinds and glass
New door installed to same size as the existing one further in the office.
Two screens can be seen either side of the pillar.
Pillar was not vertical, so we had to cover the gaps
Much of the existing walls had to be taken down.
Rebuilding in new positions
The rebuilding included re-position doors and frames.
Windows frames taking shape
Door and frames being re-hung
Re-positioned door
A better view showing the extent of the take down and rebuild
The earlier photograph above showing the gap between the new screen and pillar is nothing unusual. In order to keep costs down we try and make the glass and frames perfectly square, so if the pillar or wall is out of vertical alignment which they often are, we can make up any out of plumb situations by providing a cover trim to cover any gaps. Optically it is better to keep the frames square, we could actually rake the glass to make it fit, but it would make your eyes funny when you looked at it, you could see something was not quite right. It is surprising how much your eyesight can detect. Raking the glass is also much more expensive. The other reason for making the frames perfectly square is that in one of the elevations we have a door frame next to one of the uprights, all door frames need to be put in perfectly square anyway, as if you make it slightly out of plumb with the ground the door will swing of its own accord due to gravity. When you open and close the door it needs to swing (open and close), without any tendency to close or open, so a neutral situation.
Completed photographs.
View showing final result.
The new door matched the existing one including the graphic.
The old and new join of the two systems shows that the colour was not far off.
The bottom part of the partition join was also good.
The cover strip covered the out of square pillar
Completed enlarged office space.
Why Demountable Partitions?
They look much better than conventional stud and plasterboard partitions. Glass can be introduced greatly improving the way light gets into an office space.
Demountable partitions are tax efficient in that they are seen as movable items and so can be treated differently in writing down allowances in the accounts.
We can also lease Demountable Partitions as they are movable, this spreads the costs of having the work done as Demountable Partitions always cost more than customers think.
Leasing of demountable partitions is very tax efficient and Cre8tive can provide illustrations, please contact us for further information.
Most landlords insist on demountable partitions being used for offices as it is much easier to take them out should the tenant renting the space leave for any reason. The benefit is that is saves making a huge amount of mess and destruction that would be need with a conventional stud and plasterboard constructed wall.
Questions on Demountable Partitions or on how to reconfigure your office space?
If you are not sure about anything we love to talk about projects and sort out problems and issues with space, please give us a call on 01380 738844
This project involved installing a new kitchen tea point in an office in Chippenham. The existing office was open plan. The project consisted of careful spatial planning as the configuration had to allow for the possibility of future expansion while catering for a greater number of people. Drawing and design work were also undertaken to create a unique flooring/carpet design that fitted and complemented the kitchen and its surrounding office space. Fitting the units was only one trade, we also had to arrange plumbers, electricians, decorators and a new floor. We carry out these activities anyway when we carry out refurbishment or office fitting out work they are easy for us to arrange as the people we use know us and work well together on projects.
Obviously what we have built is actually a mini-kitchen using all the materials that you would use in a house. We have accounts with all of the major suppliers of kitchens, and as we build these quite often in offices we are able to get some good pricing on product.
Basic idea
Part of a wider plan
3d version just to be sure
Built kitchen
Built kitchen
Built kitchen
Types of kitchen.
We could use flat pack units available from most DIY stores. We use commercial grade kitchens which will not deteriorate and the carcasses are pre-made in a factory, already assembled so they are much quicker for us to build. The kitchen ends up being more durable. In this case, the toilets were the other side of the kitchen, it was a logical place to put the units as the supplies and waste were very close to connect to. We also had to fit an extractor in the suspended ceiling to take away those pot noodle smells when the micro-wave is used.
There are many options to chose from in terms of finishes, the range selected in this project was in the middle range, most refurbishment project we do have a small kitchen or tea point which is no problem for us to install.
Break out areas
Tea points are important in offices, more recently we have designed an area inside an office which is more than just a tea point and forms the focal part of the office with a breakfast bar. Please refer to this project for details by the clicking this link. The idea on this project was to encourage people to get off their chairs, away from their desks and to circulate, to encourage people to talk to each other and mingle. The customer was an American company that used to bring in bagels and have sandwiches brought into the office.
If you would like us to look at your break out / tea point area please give us a call on 01380 73 88 44
This project involved installing a new kitchen tea point in an office in Chippenham
This project involved installing a new kitchen tea point in an office in Chippenham
Client: 5 Ways Business Centre Corsham
Value: £1.8k
The existing suspended ceiling in the corridors of this building were in a fairly typical state. When they were originally installed the people who fitted them used the cheapest possible ceiling tile that you can get and although can look really nice when new, does not have very good properties. The slightest bit of moisture in the roof structure above and the tiles absorb it, and you get a saggging effect in the tile. The sagging is particularly bad visually as can be seen from the photographs below.
On this suspended ceiling new ceiling tiles have been added to, and there was a dis colouration between the new tiles and the existing, which exacerbated the problem of the poor look.
Construction photographs.
Existing ceiling ceiling in a poor state
Existing suspended ceiling
Water leaks on existing
Removal of existing exposes wires
Existing suspended ceiling removed
Cleaning corridor before installing new.
Setting of grid centrally
Nearly done, just the cuts to do
Finished suspended ceiling in a corridor
Finished suspended ceiling
As part of this project we also had to arrange for the existing light fittings to be removed, and then refitted after the new suspended ceiling was installed.
Suspended ceiling problems?
There are many different types of suspended ceilings and the range of tiles now can be quite baffling. The current trend is to focus on sound performance within the office and this can be dealt with by using a special tile.
Suspended ceilings are used for a number of reasons, they are quick to install and mean that all the services required for offices such as pipework for plumbing and air conditioning, as well as power and data can be hidden out of sight. Access to the services is also much easier than using a traditional plasterboard or MF type ceiling as the ceiling tiles just need to be lifted from the grid.
There are many offices with old fissured tiles, with sagging tiles and a mottled grey look they make the office look very dated. We like to fit nice white clean tiles to give a fresh look. There is a further description on one of our blog posts which can be seen by clicking this link.
We have been supplying and fitting suspended ceiling systems as part of our main refurbishment projects for a number of years, if you are not sure on what can be done please give us a call.
This Demountable Partitioning project in Chippenham was very straightforward. We had to match the partitions elsewhere in the office that we built previously and match the doors. The customer wanted as much glass as possible in the offices but also wanted privacy, as well as some solid elements to fit cupboards against. The two offices needed a good sound insulating walls between the offices.
Construction Photographs
It is possible to have quite a few different configurations to the partitions in terms of solid walls, glass walls and door modules. The glazing can be single or double glazed and in this case double glazed was chosen as you get better sound insulation, and you can have integral blinds inside the glass which can be turned via a control knob to open and close, so letting in light through into the rest of the office or having a bit of privacy inside the office. We use a proprietary system manufactured by Komfort, who are one of the largest manufacturers of aluminium demountable partitions systems in the UK.
The glass height and width you can also vary, in this case we have tried to maximize the glass height, and have added a side window of glass for the smaller office as well.
Initial open space needed offices
Radiator in the way
Glass fronts with solid panels
End office
Just skirting to apply
Full height glass window next to door
Finished result
Why Demountable Partitioning?
They look much better than conventional stud and plasterboard partitions. Glass can be introduced greatly improving the way light gets into an office space.
Using demountable partitioning is tax efficient in that they are seen as movable items. They can be treated differently in writing down allowances in accounts. Please click this link for more information.
We can also lease Demountable Partitioning as they are movable, this spreads the costs of having the work done as Demountable Partitions always cost more than customers think.
Leasing of demountable partitioning is very tax efficient and Cre8tive can provide illustrations, please contact us for further information.
Most landlords insist on demountable partitions being used for offices as it is much easier to take them out should the tenant renting the space leave for any reason. The benefit is that is saves making a huge amount of mess and destruction that would be need with a conventional stud and plasterboard constructed wall.
Questions on Demountable Partitioning?
If you are not sure about anything we love to talk about projects and sort out problems and issues with space, please give us a call on 01380 738844
The product chosen was a 50mm demountable partitioning system manufactured by Komfort systems, with cherry veneered doors and three vision panels cut into each door. The 50mm wide demountable partitioning system offers good value for the performance versus price. The important thing for this customer was that a visual separator was needed from the Sales office and another located at the other end of the office. The building had cherry veneered doors elsewhere so it made sense to try and match them.
The plasterboard panels were decorated in a neutral colour commercial wall covering to match the rest of the building. The vinyl wall covering is tougher than a painted panel and the vinyl can be wiped clean so it is very durable. There are many different shades, colours and patterns and a wide choice of costs as well, and choice really depends on how brave you are in chosen the right design. Most people just chose the basic colours and put the colour in the furniture screens, carpets and chairs.
The difficulty with this project was that the partitions had to be cut around the beams that were strung across the office space. The glazed fronts to the offices therefore had to be door head height so that the plasterboard above the windows could be cut out. The building also had a floor that was uneven, the important factor being that visually the glazed panels looked straight and so the line was put in with a laser. The window had a film design which at the current time of entering this project on the website had not been fitted.
Drawing work
In this case we needed to work out exactly the materials were needed first in order to cost it, but secondly to check with the customer what they wanted. This meant we had to produce a drawing. Sometimes we do not show this to the client, just in case they take all of our work and give it to someone else to price which some customers do. There is no appreciation that sometimes it can be actually quite difficult to work things out and they do not put a value on this, and we do not charge for smaller drawing work. There is a subtle difference between drawing work, space planning and visuals, we have a separate page if you want to find out more by clicking this link.
Initial layout drawing
Beam problem detailed
Before space with the beam
Before space with the beam
Before space with the beam
Starting construction – moving items out of the way
Demountable partition being constructed
Demountable partition being constructed
Demountable partition being constructed
Cutting around the beam
Completed photographs.
We ensured that the customer was aware that with a 50mm wide system there are compromises on the sound performance of the system. In fact, the enclosed area worked out well for them. The other side of the glass was a main walkway, the desks inside the rooms were not right up against the glass so noise transference was quite small. Our main concern was matching the positions of the vision panels on the doors. In the end the doors matched fine and the customer was pleased with the final result.
Wall with beam cut out
Wall with beam cut out
Final demountable partition glass wall
Better view of the matching door.
Why Demountable Partitions?
They look much better than conventional stud and plasterboard partitions. Glass can be introduced greatly improving the way light gets into an office space.
Using demountable partitioning is tax efficient in that they are seen as movable items. They can be treated differently in writing down allowances in the accounts. Please click on this link for a bit more information.
We can also lease Demountable Partitions as they are movable. This spreads the costs of having the work done as Demountable Partitions always cost more than customers think.
Leasing of demountable partitions is very tax efficient and Cre8tive can provide illustrations, please contact us for further information.
Most landlords insist on demountable partitions being used for offices. It is much easier to take them out should the tenant renting the space leave for any reason. Another benefit is that it saves making a huge amount of mess and destruction that would be need with a conventional stud and plasterboard constructed wall.
Questions on Demountable Partitions or on how to reconfigure your office space?
If you are not sure about anything we love to talk about projects and sort out problems and issues with space, please give us a call on 01380 738844
Redlynch Leisure wanted to have a new open plan space to have an office design and fit out carried out. The initial space was completely empty and required a complete design with fitting out work, consisting of Interior space planning and design, demountable partitions, storage wall, carpets, creation of canteen area, flooring, decoration and minor electrical work. We also supplied all of the office furniture which was in keeping with the design of the building.
Design and drawing work
We came up with a few different ideas, the customer in the end went for a more traditional layout.
The office design and fit out project also required us to submit plans to Building Control for approval which we obtained on behalf of the client. The major aspects of this office refurbishment project is in using materials which were complimentary to the design of the building. We chose Komfort Klassic timber demountable system which matched the finish of the barn styled windows. The storage wall was chosen to take the place of a partition wall and a cupboard, saving on cost, and fitting with the finishes of the partitions, outside of building and the furniture, which we also supplied and installed. We also had to alter the plumbing and move a radiator in order to install the partitioning. We provided a complete package and all the customer had to do was to move in.
We also put the customer in touch with an IT company and telephone systems company to handle the requirements which we work closely with in projects.
Office refurbishment original open space
Office refurbishment being carried out
Office refurbishment completed but with floor protection
Storage Wall
We designed into this project a product called storage wall. Storage wall combines the function of a cupboard with a partition wall. So we build it up to the ceiling and as the width is around 400mm the thickness of the wall with the contents gives really good sound insulation. It is still demountable, so can be taken down and rebuilt.
Storage wall in meeting room
Finished Storage wall
Storage wall as a room divider to the kitchen
Why Demountable Partitioning?
Another key element of this work was that the partitions had to be demountable. There are several reasons why this type of partition should be used in office projects:
Demountable partitions are tax efficient in that they are seen as movable items and so can be treated differently in writing down allowances in the accounts, we can also lease elements of office refurbishments. Anything that can be moved.
We mainly lease Demountable Partitions as they are movable, this spreads the costs of having the work done as Demountable Partitions always cost more than customers think.
Leasing of movable items is very tax efficient and Cre8tive can provide illustrations, please contact us for further information.
Most landlords insist on demountable partitions in an office as it is much easier to take them out should the tenant renting the space leave for any reason. The benefit is that is saves making a huge amount of mess and destruction that would be need with a conventional stud and plasterboard constructed wall.
This project involved the office fitting out of an existing office space in order for the company to occupy. The existing office looked quite dated, but the position of the space and the structure suited the customer well. As the office was going to be busy with lots of noise on the phone a suspended ceiling was essential, as well as providing CAT 2 lighting which is needed when working on computers.
Space Planning and design work.
The space was quite small, there was also a requirement to fit a certain number of people inside the office and so a basic space plan was required.Moving on from a basic space plan we applied some colours to the layout as well so the customer had some idea what could be done by using different carpet colours. There is a difference between basic drawing work and space planning, please click on the link for more of an explanation.
Do some layouts.
Do some layouts.
Another layout.
Slightly different again.
Then do some colour choices
Then do some colour choices
Design new lighting layout
Final photographs.
Luckily the office space was empty so it made fitting the suspended ceiling much easier. The original space was just an old shop with a plasterboard ceiling and old fissured (squiggle pattern) tiles which made the space look really dated. The lighting was surface mounted tubed light fittings which are not allowed under the Visual Display Regulations, so they had to be changed anyway to CAT2 at the very least as the customer was using computers.
Initial space needing some work
New suspended ceiling and CAT2 light fittings
New furniture supplied and fitted
New furniture supplied and fitted
New furniture supplied and fitted
The project included the installation of a new suspended ceiling, new CAT 2 lighting & electrics, new flooring, decoration and furniture. The ceiling was slightly tricky as the existing space had arches located centrally within the space.
Suspended Ceiling
Suspended ceilings are almost always used when carrying out an office refurbishment as existing ones can look tired. We have a bit more information on suspended ceilings on the following link if you would like to have a look, please click this link. The choice of the suspended ceiling is almost always price versus performance. It is possible to have a plasterboard ceiling but the problem with this type is that it is very hard to get services over the ceiling with access problems, and the hard surface of the ceiling lets the sound bounce around. The mineral fibre tiles that are generally used offer good sound absorption properties, and can easily be taken out to get to any cabling that you may wish to run over the grid system.
We also install all our ceilings with a self leveling laser to so the ceiling is completely flat. Some builders try and put ceilings in and we do often have to put them right, it is important to get the supporting wires tensioned properly as well as centering the grid system properly so it looks evenly balanced in the space.
The furniture chosen was a beam system type of furniture which allows cables to be hidden in an integral beam that joins the leg frame uprights together.
Please give us a call on 01380 73 88 44 for more information about this project or any requirement you may have.
Cre8tive have carried out many office refurbishments over the years and all need to have some design and drawing work done initially and is the most important aspect of a project that needs to be carried out in order to carry out a project properly. The existing office space had small narrow corridors, a dated partitions system and dark green colours making the space very dark.
We redesigned the office space and used beam system furniture to get computer cables off the floor. We also created a tea point in a cupboard and added some features in the carpet for some added interest in the design. All of the walls had to be redecorated. The refurbishment project consisted of Komfort Kameo 75mm demountable partition system, Gaskell carpet tiles, Armstrong suspended ceiling and Sebastien Indulgence furniture.
Working out what the customer wanted meant we had to drawer what they had and come up with several layouts to explore how the office would work for them.
Existing space
Option 1
Option 2
Option 3
Option 4
Office Refurbishment Construction Images
Outside view of the offices upstairs.
Stripping out work
Partition frames going up
Partition frames going up
Boarding the walls
Reworking of small kitchen point
View of entrance door and small office
Main office
Beam system under desks
Directors office in the corner
Glazed windows so you can see what is going on!
Finished tea point
View into further meeting room
Finished tea pointFinished tea point
MD’s furniture
what is it?
Main office
Why Demountable Partitions in Office Refurbishments?
Demountable partitions are tax efficient in that they are seen as movable items and so can be treated differently in writing down allowances in the accounts, we can also lease elements of office refurbishments. Anything that can be moved.
We mainly lease Demountable Partitions as they are movable, this spreads the costs of having the work done as Demountable Partitions always cost more than customers think.
Leasing of movable items is very tax efficient and Cre8tive can provide illustrations, please contact us for further information.
Most landlords insist on demountable partitions in an office as it is much easier to take them out should the tenant renting the space leave for any reason. The benefit is that is saves making a huge amount of mess and destruction that would be need with a conventional stud and plasterboard constructed wall.
Not sure what to do?
Please give us a call and we can help with any aspect of interior office fit out, along with space planning and design work.01380 73 88 44
This project included the installation of a new Timber Demountable Partitioning System in order to create private meeting space while giving a clean professional look to the existing corridor. The project was fairly unusual in that the partition system although demountable; is actually made from Timber. the basic framework is still metal stud and plasterboard and the timber trims are fitted around the walls, as well as full timber door frames used to match in with the rest of the product.
