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Setting Up Your New Office on a Budget

Written by Posted On Wednesday, 11 September 2019 06:56
Setting Up Your New Office on a Budget

Setting up a new office for your business is an exciting time. However, it isn’t cheap to do this, so you need to find ways to save money where you can. Luckily, there are a few ways you can set it up while staying within a tight budget. 

Find an Affordable Place

First, before you start moving in, you’ll want to settle on an affordable place. You may not be able to afford that big office space with views of the city, so you’ll have to think a little smaller. Find places that are affordable each month, but still within driving distance. Also consider the area, as your employees likely won’t want to work in a bad neighborhood. Your rent will likely be your largest expense, so consider all your options before settling on anything. 

Do Any Handywork Yourself

Once you decide on an office space, you may have to do some work on it. To make this space really feel like your own, you may want to paint the walls, install new curtains, lay down different carpeting and more. When deciding which changes you need to make, there are two things you’ll want to keep in mind. First, only make the changes that you can afford. It might be nice to have new carpeting in the office, but if you can’t afford it, then don’t do it. Second, think about how much of the work you can do on your own. For instance, painting the walls yourself, or installing new overhead lights, will save you money compared to hiring someone to do it for you. 

Work with a Good Construction Team

If the amount of handy work you need to do is beyond your ability, you’ll want to work with a good contractor or construction team. For example, maybe you want to add in more office space, or you need to remove some walls. Whatever the reason, it’s important that you find a reliable team and stay up to date on their progress. A good way to do this is with construction daily reporting software. This will let you see what progress your team is making each day and ensure they are staying on schedule. 

Look for Discount Furniture and Supplies

A major upfront cost to setting up any office is the furniture, equipment, and supplies. These are things you won’t really have to pay for each month, but you’ll need the money for them right away. To save yourself money and stay within a budget, you should explore discounted options. For example, you can look for used desks, chairs, lighting fixtures, computers, and more. Whatever you need for your office, look for used products, as long as its still in good shape. Over time, once your business is turning a larger profit, you can upgrade these pieces to newer ones. 

Energy Efficient Appliances

Many office spaces like to have appliances such as refrigerators for their staff. When getting these appliances, you should look for energy efficient models. These will consume less energy each month and will therefore save you money on your monthly bills. They may cost a little more upfront, but the savings over the long run will likely be worth it. 

Go Easy on the Decorations

When you’re first setting up your office, focus on the necessities. Don’t spend your budget on extra decorations right away. While you want your place to look nice, you need it to function as an office first. In the near future you can start spending more on things like pictures for the walls or some indoor plants, but for now go a little easy on the décor. 

Bring Stuff from Home

Finally, to really save money, you should try to use things you already own. Have an extra desk sitting in your basement? Use it in your office. Bring along your home computer, your house plants, or even things like your pens and paper. The less stuff you have to buy, the less it’ll cost you to start everything up. 

If you can follow the tips above, and take your time on each decision, you should have no trouble limiting the cost of your new office. Finally, remember to keep all your receipts and write them off as business expenses on your end of the year taxes. If you do all this, you’ll be able to breathe a little easier as you open your new office and be able to focus more attention on turning it into a success. Good luck!

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Chris Cahill

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