Managing the risks of an office move

How can CRE Advisors help you?

We can offer a ‘turn-key’ office acquisition service.

We can search find and acquire your office on the most advantageous terms.

As an office occupier you will be signing a Full Repairing and Insuring (FRI) lease. This is potentially a very onerous document, and one that could expose your business to significant liabilities if the correct due diligence is not carried out. Below we set out how we and our partners can help your company manage the inherent risks associated with acquiring space, by undertaking due diligence surveys, procuring, and managing your office fit-out and the subsequent move management to your new offices.

Due diligence surveys – Our Building Consultancy partners can:

Undertaking a building survey and organise a mechanical and electrical survey.

Value to you:

  • Most commercial leases are on FRI terms. Given their onerous nature, this is a
    key area of risk profiling and management (financial and operational) for your
    business.
  • Important issues that arise can be addressed beyond the Heads of Terms
  • Due diligence surveys may identify risks to the service charge costs going
    forward
  • A detailed understanding of the building can benefit your fitout procurement,
    design and management process.

Procurement and management of fit-out – Our Building Consultancy partners can:

  • Undertake budget costing to provide management information support
  • Conduct space auditing and planning to determine actual space utilisation trends.
  • Take on a CDM coordinator role to manage health and safety duties for the building contract
  • Agree the most appropriate method of procurement
  • Act as the employer’s agent throughout the building contract (if design and build), or project management (if traditional).

Value to you:

We will identify the best procurement route and form of contract (i.e., design and build or traditional) and can undertake the project management of the fit-out works.

The building contract needs to be procured and managed in terms of your risk profile (not the contractor’s), timescales and cost control. The Building Surveyors will:

  • Oversee the standard of works
  • Issue valuation certificates for contractor’s payments, ensuring that work is completed to standard and budget
  • Organise the provision of warranties or bonds, as required
  • Manage the retention of monies for defect liability period
  • Negotiate the contractor’s final account
  • Manage statutory consents

Move management. This will involve:

  • Taking a brief to produce a requirements document
  • Advising on the appointment of suitable specialist consultants
  • Organising competitive tendering for specialist commercial removal
  • Addressing furniture needs, for new or existing items
  • Managing IT and networking requirements
  • Managing the move and handover. Value to you:
  • Experienced project managers will ensure smooth transition and businesscontinuity.
  • Allows you to focus on your core business
  • Tighter control of costs
  • The contractual framework will protect your interests.

Find out how CRE Advisors can help you with your Commercial Property move