| The shopfitting process

Many people are not quite sure where to start or who to contact when opening a new site. An experienced shopfitter will be well-placed to help guide you on this journey. Below are some tips to follow when planning your next store:

1. Make sure the location/premises is right – seek advice and help from your shopfitter before signing the lease.
2. Be aware of the likely fitout cost before signing the lease. Every site has specific attributes/conditions which drive site specific scope and cost. The costs need to fall within the budget in your business plan/model. Your shopfitter can assist you with preparing a budget at this early stage.
3. Check with your shopfitter on what approvals will be required. This will impact timing and needs to be part of your feasibility.
4. Obtain design and fitout guidelines from your landlord before signing the lease – these often obtain very site specifics requirements that can impact the cost of fitout.
5. Seek advice from your landlord’s Retail Design Manager before commencing the design. This can save time and help to reach a mutually agreed outcome without delay.
6. When you take possession of the site make sure you complete a dilapidation report capturing the site conditions.
7. Make sure you review the site setout of walls and main element placement before your shopfitter commences construction.
8. Review weekly site progress reports from your shopfitter to make sure the build is being delivered as you expected.
9. Walk through the site with your shopfitter a few days before completion. This will allow any finishing touches to complete prior to the day of practical completion.