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The PROPERTYdrum Shopfitting Challenge


Fancy a makeover for your office? We have asked the UK’s leading shopfitters what they could do for you. This month’s challenge is on a ‘tight budget’.


E


stimates of the number of estate agencies that have closed down in the last three years vary from 10 per cent to 40 per cent of all offices in the UK, across the spectrum of independents closing down branches or closing altogether,


local firms merging and major chain takeovers with the inevitable shedding of duplicate branches. Whatever the actual figure is, the truth is that business has been very, very tough in most (but not all) areas. Those that have survived intact have done so by implementing a combination of lean and mean strategies and bold marketing initiatives. Naturally, when an agency does close down, at least one of the


directors or employees will decide that they could still make it work, doing it their way, which explains why there is still a surprisingly high number of new agencies launched each year, in spite of the doom and gloom. For those left in business as well as for those starting up, one of


the noisiest buzzwords in this flat market has been differentiation. Not all agencies are the same, ours is better, we’re the smartest, the most professional, come to us for service… so in the middle of all


12 DECEMBER 2011 PROPERTYdrum


this turmoil agencies find themselves considering spending their hard saved (or borrowed) money on glamming up the office, sharpening up the image, boosting their kerb appeal. Starting up a new office or refurbishing a whole office is a


terrifying prospect. Not only the planning, not just the disruption but the cost! Oh the cost. And where do you go for help? Today’s agencies – and their clients apparently – demand a bit more investment than asking your dad to come round and paint the walls and put up a few display pockets. It’s time to call in the professionals. PROPERTYdrum has set a challenge for specialist agency


designers to show you what can be done on three different budgets, which we will present in the three issues starting with this one. Tight Budget is the first, next month we’ll explore the Healthy Budget and in February’s issue we’ll be going all out with the Mega Budget Challenge. Bring on the chandeliers and glass floors! No costs are included here as it is impossible to guesstimate the


endless scenarios with preparation of a building, size and requirements but the first brief for our designers was Tight Budget.


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