Office Refurbishment – Norfolk

The work requested

This well-established organisation has been serving communities since 1890. With several easily recognisable high street brands, they have over 1500 buildings across the country which brings with it a significant requirement for refurbishments that enable their services to stay at the cutting edge of their industry.

Recent works across Norfolk have included:

• Refurbishment of a sales office
• Conversion of a cupboard into a kitchen
• Upgrade of staff toilet facilities
• Creation of a staff wellbeing area
• Creation of an extra office in an underutilised first floor space

We have been working with Connells Group for around 15 years, and we are trusted to be the guardians of their brand identity when it comes to refurbishments, repairs and maintenance. Even though we know their style and design choices, we still take time to understand the specific requirements of each local branch so we can maximise the impact of any work we do for the staff and their clients.

Front Sales Office Refurbishment

This busy sales office needed some updating. It was time for a lift in terms of décor and lighting and to improve the look and feel of the office by creating some lockable storage and a space to hold private meetings with clients around their mortgage requirements by transforming an underutilised area.

We started the project with careful removal of existing lighting, electrical outlets and data points. The existing ceiling grid and flooring were ripped out allowing access to strip the walls and prepare for the creation of the new mortgage office. To transform this previously gloomy area of the office, we first built the studwork frame for both the new mortgage office and what would become the secure storage cupboard. After the first fix for electricals, the walls could be skimmed and when ready, decorated. The addition of both a feature wall map and a vintage black and white image have helped to create interest and lift the overall feel of the office.

We fitted some robust shelving into the new storage cupboard, along with a lockable door to keep things secure. Creating this space has enabled the team to get rid of the unsightly free-standing cupboards – improving the flow and appearance of their working space. The other great feature used in this office is three part compartmentalised skirting board which contains the cables for both the data and electrical supply. A small bespoke floor standing cabinet was built to house the comms (router/hub/switches etc)

To upgrade and modernise the lighting, a new ceiling grid was fitted with LED square flat panel lights which have been complemented by downlighters for the wall art and illuminated wall pockets for their marketing displays.
The doors and flooring completed the look, with a new fire door and frame fitted, along with a smart new glass door and partition wall for the new mortgage office.

Installation of a kitchen

Most of us have worked in a building that’s had a room with no designated purpose, and so by default, it becomes the unofficial storage/dumping ground for unclaimed and rarely used items. It was time to address this unofficial storage space and turn it into something more useful – A shiny new kitchen!

The office team cleared the space in anticipation of us starting the work so we could get straight on with the transformation. The plumbing and electrics were ‘first fixed’, and a studwork framework built around the perimeter of the room, hiding pipework and electrical cabling.

Following the plasterboard installation, and 2 cost skim you really start to see the potential. Once the skirting boards are on and the decorating has been started, we use latex to get the floor perfectly level, ready for the installation of Altro safety flooring suitable for a kitchen area.

The room really starts to come together with the addition of a new ceiling grid and LED Square flat panel lighting. The finishing touch is the fitting of the Howdens Kitchen cupboards, worktops, sink and splashback. A small panel heather is installed to keep things comfortable in those cooler months.

All it needs now is a kettle, a microwave, and a fridge for the team to have a functional kitchen space. What a great investment for the team!

Upgrade of staff toilet facilities

Being a regular presence on the high street means that your properties are often older, and probably not designed for their current usage. This can be most noticeable when you look at the plumbing and toilet facilities. Outdated toilet décor and sanitary ware can create a challenging space for cleaning and safety. This dramatic bathroom upgrade looks great and increases safety and hygiene with modern fixtures and fittings designed for durability and ease of cleaning.

Working in a small space always presents challenges, but the SAB Group Team are well coordinated in these situations. The work was planned out to ensure that we only had those trades we needed at any one time.

First fix plumbing and electrical activity enabled us to accommodate the new design and sanitary ware positioning. The cold-water feeds and waste pipework are boxed in to create a smooth wall finish which looks smart and modern.

To ensure a complete look the ceiling was also covered with plasterboards and skimmed. With the new lighting and decoration, the space is already looking transformed. After the installation of the sanitary ware and safety flooring the room is quickly returned for client use.

We know that this type of upgrade work is often deferred as people believe it’s complicated to renovate space with sanitary ware, but its business as usual for SAB Group and just look at the impact!

Update to Upstairs Office

Update of Office Welfare Area