Benefits of a Strip Out Before Renovation

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Strip outs are a vital part of the construction, demolition and renovation process, providing several benefits to tenants and landlords alike. Whether you are planning to redesign, renovate or relocate, a strip out should be the first step of that process to ensure that you are avoiding unnecessary costs while making the most of your space.

While strip outs are a vital aspect of any renovation project, they have many uses outside of renovations such as the end of a commercial lease, moving premises or change of tenant.

But before we take a deep dive into the specific benefits of a strip out before any construction works commence, we answer the question: what is a strip out?

What is a Strip out?

A strip out, also known as ‘de-fitting’, is usually part of the demolition process and involves removing all the interiors of a building, floor, or room. Strip outs involve removing all non-essential items such as:

  • Flooring
  • Furniture
  • Fixtures
  • Non-load bearing partitions
  • Electrical systems
  • Air conditioning & heating
  • Lighting
  • Ventilation
  • Flooring and tiling
  • Ceiling

After materials have been removed from the office space, they are taken somewhere else for disposal or storage for future use.

Why Strip Out?

Whether you are a landlord or a tenant, a strip out before a renovation is equally beneficial. Strip outs are done for a number of reasons and are a substantially understated element of both the demolition and construction process.

While strip outs are a vital aspect of any renovation project, they also have many uses outside of renovations, such as the end of a commercial lease, moving premises or change of tenant.

For commercial tenants, a strip out is essential as part of the end of lease ‘make good’ agreement, in which you must return the premises to its original condition. Strip outs can also be a great way to gather all of your fixtures and materials to move to a new location, ensuring that you don’t incur unnecessary costs from buying everything new.

For landlords, it is best to complete a strip out before any redesigns, renovations, or refurbishments have begun. Why? Because doing a strip out first transforms the space you are working on into a blank canvas, which helps when redesigning and re- thinking office spaces. Additionally, by doing a strip out before any work commences, you will allow greater flexibility when planning and designing spaces, as you can build your dream space from the ground up.

Tenants can also complete a strip out in the same manner, but be sure that you have the green light to do so!

Benefits of a Strip Out

Now that we understand what a strip out is and why tenants and landlords should consider one before works commence, let’s dive into the specific benefits of doing a strip out before renovation.

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Cost-Effective

Strip outs can be a great way to cut costs for your relocation, renovation refurbishment or fitout.

As mentioned earlier, strip outs involve the removal of all non-essential items located within the desired space. Once removed, these items can be identified as saleable or reusable, reducing the need to purchase particular materials when works begin.

Materials such as old desks, fixtures, furniture, or anything else, can be sold to reduce costs and clutter for your new space. Selling unneeded materials and fixtures can be a great way to reduce storage costs by reducing the amount of space required for storage. Additionally, selling unwanted fixtures and materials can also help you avoid landfill costs, which can cost anywhere between $45 and $105 per tonne in Australia.

Any items removed can also be reused in the new space, further reducing costs incurred from the renovation, fitout or refurbishment.

Sustainability & Circular Economy

Although there will likely be materials that can be reused or sold, there will almost certainly be materials that can’t. In that case, it presents the perfect opportunity to reduce our carbon footprint by recycling these materials.

Not only through traditional recycling processes, but through the circular economy. Circular what?

The circular economy is a model of consumption that promotes recycling and reuse, prolonging the product lifecycle for as long as possible. This is achieved by finding the perfect home for materials and fixtures, ensuring that they are going to a place that needs them; charities, schools and social enterprises.

Did you know that 50,000 tonnes of waste such as glass, metals, carpet, furniture and ceiling, go to landfills every year? By contacting a sustainable strip out company that will help you reduce waste and increase resource recovery, you will become part of the solution, not the problem. It’s a win-win.

Our sister company, Sustainable Stripout, are experts in strip outs, sustainability and the circular economy; diverting at least 70% of waste from landfills, helping you hit your CSR goals while supporting the environment and reducing costs.

Safety

Strip outs are an excellent process that helps increase the safety in spaces before a fitout, refurbishment, or renovation. As spaces are stripped to their bare essentials, it is much easier to assess, detect and remove potentially hazardous aspects.

Some major hazards that can be detected during or after a strip out include:

  • Fire / Electrical Hazards: As non-essential materials are removed, wiring and electrical circuitry can be easily seen and assessed for their safety. These wirings often deteriorate over time and are a major safety concern
  • Asbestos: Asbestos is a highly toxic mineral that was commonly used for fireproofing, insulation and soundproofing until the late 1980s. Luckily it was completely banned in 2003, but it is not uncommon for it to be found in older buildings built before the 1990s. If you suspect you have asbestos in your building, you should contact an asbestos removal company as soon as possible
  • Mould & Bacteria: Most office spaces have suspended ceilings which over time can wear, and seepage or other damage can occur. This wear can also cause mould or other bacteria to build up, which can cause respiratory infections for those exposed. You never know where mould or bacteria is occurring within your office space, which can present a dangerous hazard for you, employees, or tenants
  • Structural Damage: Over time, structural damage can occur on foundational aspects of buildings which can be difficult to detect unless the space has had a strip out. This structural damage is of high concern, as it can be irreversible if left unchecked, not only putting your commercial space at risk but the whole building.

Versatility

By doing a strip out before renovation, you are essentially creating a blank canvas on which you can redesign, redeploy or rethink how you want to use your space. How? Doing a strip out first will clear the way for you to make any office improvements that you want, removing any unwanted features to make room for new ones.

Additionally, it is much easier to envisage how you want to reimagine your space with everything removed. In other words, once everything is removed the creative juices can flow! With all unwanted features and assumptions removed from the space, the way will be clear to make any improvements, changes or redesigns you want, ensuring that your space is making the most of its space.

Strip Out Superstars At Your Service

Agero has the experience, knowledge, and expertise to complete your strip out in a timely and professional manner.

For tenants, we can remove the stress and financial pitfalls of your make good and strip out agreement, so can stress less about your strip out and focus on your business.

For landlords, we can help define, cost and program any make good and strip out works. So you can plan and dream about your new space, while we get it ready.  Regardless if you are a landlord or a tenant, you can rest assured that Agero can complete any strip out, lowering your costs and improving sustainability.

By contacting a company that does all your strip out works and can fitout, refurbish or redeploy your space, you will save money and time by removing the need to contact multiple contractors.

Why not take a look at what we can do for you.

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