Bird's-Eye View: The Science Behind Construction And Contracting

If your store needs refurbishment, then you may have decided to hire a retail fitout company. However, you may worry about shutting up shop during the process. If you aren't open for business, you won't make money; your customers may also find somewhere else to shop.

In some cases, you can arrange an overnight fitout. Here, all the work is done during the evening and at night when your shop is closed anyway. This process could take anywhere from one night to a few days or even weeks. You may be wondering if you can have your fitout done at night and open your store during the day.

How Big Is Your Store?

If you have a small store, then you may be able to get all the work you need done in one night. If you don't have much space to work with, there will be less work to do. So, if you and your fitout company can make sure that everything is ready to be fitted when work starts, then you could transform your store overnight without any business disruption.

How Much Work Do You Need to Have Done?

Some overnight retail fitouts work better than others; in some cases, a fitout may be so extensive that you need to shut down for a few days. For example, if you are stripping your store back to its shell and rebuilding from scratch, then there is no point being open during the day.

However, if you'll be doing more cosmetic work, then an overnight fitout may work well. For example, if you are simply changing layout or switching to a new display system, then the work may suit overnight hours. Even if the work takes a few days, you can open up during the day and cordon off areas that aren't finished yet.

Will Your Store Be Safe?

If your fitout would take more than one night, then you need to ensure that your store is safe for customers during the day. While you can block off areas that are still being worked on, you must think about anything that might cause an accident.

So, for example, if you're having your floor pulled up one night and then replaced the next night, you need to know that the surface will be safe for customers to walk on in the interim period. You can be held liable for any accidents or injuries that might happen.

If you aren't sure how to manage your refurbishment program, ask retail fitout companies for advice. They can assess how much work needs to be done, how long the project will take and whether an overnight fitout is a viable option.