Commercial sign specialists Xmo Strata approached JBH Refurbishments to complete a three-storey Kent warehouse conversion and office fit-out. The new property would accommodate their fast-growing workforce and present a rental opportunity.

Xmo Strata took occupancy of a substantial warehouse in the rural setting of Lenham, near Maidstone in Kent. The former agricultural building spanned three floors. This offered enough space for an open plan office on each level, a reception, two partitioned offices for management, a large kitchen, meeting room and washroom facilities.

Besides the exiting mezzanine floors, the warehouse was an empty shell. There was no glazing, doors, electrics, heating, nothing! It was after all previously used as an agricultural building.

JBH Refurbishments carried out a full site survey with the Xmo Strata management team to establish a suitable layout that would suit the needs of the business. When planning the layout, JBH Refurbishments also had to consider the needs of the future tenants. Xmo Strata planned to utilise the first and second floor but let the entire ground floor space to another Kent firm.

The warehouse was long and narrow, so the layout had to make use of the space. It was decided that JBH would create a large open plan area on each level, with the main staircase positioned three-quarters of the way along the building. This would leave plenty of space for an open plan office one side of the stairs and space to accommodate washrooms, an office kitchen and meeting room on the other side, spread across the levels.

Due to the long and narrow format of the warehouse, a further staircase was installed at the other end of the building to provide an accessible fire escape.

The ground floor office needed to appeal to future tenants, who would want to put their mark on the décor and general layout. For the groundfloor, the space would be left uncompromised by individual offices. Instead the area was left as an entirely open plan space with small tea point and separate washroom to the rest of the building.

Space for a reception desk was factored into the ground floor layout next to the entrance door and main staircase. In the usable space on the other side of the staircase, JBH fitted three toilet installations, including male, female and disables toilets.

JBH kept the design of the washrooms simple, with a hint of Xmo Strata’s green brand colour on the IPS panelling behind the toilets. IPS panelling disguises the toilet cistern to provide a modern finish and optimise hygiene within the washroom.

The first floor was Xmo Strata territory. Here, the team were specific about their needs. They needed an open plan space for staff and two offices for the Directors.

The open plan space was centrally located with the Director offices positioned towards the fire escape end of the building with a small server room. This positioning of the offices presented a quieter and less intrusive space for management, yet allowed them to stay firmly accessible to the staff. A glazed panel was integrated into the office partitioning to give a view of the main office.

In the room adjacent to the main stairwell, JBH installed a contemporary fitted kitchen, with integrated appliances, dove grey handless doors, a black work top and breakfast bar.

The kitchen floor was fitted with a durable grey vinyl and cap and cove skirtings to facilitate cleaning thus preventing a build up of dirt in a potentially busy kitchen.

A combination of three office kitchens and tea point were installed at the Kent warehouse conversion for Xmo Strata, which featured a uniform look.

The second floor posed the ideal space for a quiet meeting room and the largest of the open plan offices within the warehouse conversion.

For Xmo Strata, the meeting room was an area where they could introduce a quirky design feature. As part of the suspended ceiling installation, the client specified an LED sky light panel with an image of the bright blue skies, crisp white clouds and even an aeroplane crossing the sky. With such an idyllic image, meetings at Xmo Strata will certainly be upbeat!

Every meeting room worth its salt should feature a tea point/kitchenette. It was especially essential for the Xmo Strata meeting room that sat a level above the main kitchen area. The kitchen designed mirrored that of the main kitchen and featured a small section of vinyl flooring, which integrated with the main carpet.

Opposite the meeting room was the third open plan space within this extensive warehouse conversion. It was the largest of all the spaces and offers enormous potential for this fast-growing SME to expand its workforce.

The décor throughout the office fit out remained natural and contemporary. The walls were painted white and the floor was finished in a durable grey carpet, which continued on the stairwells and all levels. Overhead, the suspended ceiling featured a combination of round LED spot lights and LED square ceiling panels.

To retain a seamless interior, the cable trunking was positioned at skirting-level. Once furnished computer cables would remain out of sight.

The main stairwell was finished with a blue metal balustrade and wooden rail, while the emergency fire exit featured a unique scaffold hand rail with a combination of black details.

As part of this all-encompassing office fit out in Kent, JBH supplied the office furniture. New storage drawers, chairs and height adjustable desks were supplied to encourage a more active office lifestyle.

We’ve already established, the warehouse was formerly an agricultural building. Originally there wasn’t any windows, doors, plumbing or interior walls. It really was a matter of starting from scratch. Initially JBH adapted the drainage to facilitate new washrooms, kitchen and tea points within the warehouse conversion. With the groundwork complete, work commenced to build the stud walls, finish with plaster and trim with skirtings and architraves.

Newly plumbed pipework for fresh water and drainage meant the toilets facilities and kitchen could be installed on all three levels.

Aluminium framed windows were fitted throughout the development. Ranging in size from 1200mm x 1200mm to 1200 x 1500mm the windows were finished with flashing and trims. The entrance door featured complimentary aluminium frame and glazed panels.

Walnut fire doors with a viewing panel were hung throughout the interior for that extra level of sophistication.

Throughout the warehouse conversion Kent, JBH specified turnkey M&E works to include:

• Air conditioning across all levels with combination of cassette ceiling units and wall-mounted units
• Ventilation in the toilets, kitchen and IT room
• CCTV and intruder alarm
• Fire alarm system
• Water

Steve Martin, Managing Director of Xmo Strata Ltd said, “We employed JBH Refurbishments to build new offices within our warehouse following a competitive tender process and awarded them the work because of the creativity they offered to deliver the project within budget.

“With us relocating our staff from a high-end converted oasthouse with stunning rural views to a new office built in an old warehouse ‘in their eyes’, the build quality and environment we wanted to create was very important.

“We were clear about our budget from the start and were delighted with the design, implementation and management of the project, which ticked every box that our staff gave us and the move went very smoothly; the staff were delighted with what we achieved together when we invited them to a pre-move viewing.

“The staff at JBH at site level and the office support were very professional and we would definitely use them again.”

Warehouse conversions are a popular choice for growing businesses. They offer ample space and can be designed from the ground up to meet the needs of the individual business. When it comes to London, Surrey, Sussex and Kent Warehouse Conversion JBH Refurbishments have the experience and expertise to see your project through.

Our timely, thorough and professional approach to building and warehouse conversions for commercial use has facilitated the expansion and letting plans of our clients, who continue to return time and time again, as they require multiple sites.

For businesses considering a London, Surrey and Sussex and Kent Warehouse Conversion for office use, or a multipurpose facility, please contact our team for helpful advice and a free site visit. Call 0333 207 0339 or email info@jbhrefurbishments.co.uk.

JBH Refurbishments has completed multiple site office refurbishments for MC Group in Kent and Sussex this year. Now we reveal the latest, but no means least reception and open plan office refurbishment for the MC Truck and Bus Parts and Service Centre in Aylesford, Kent.

It was over a year since JBH Refurbishments was asked to quote for the reception and office refurbishment for MC Truck and Bus in Aylesford. The project had been put on hold for 10 months, but in the meantime the JBH Refurbishments team carried out multiple site office refurbishments for MC Group.

The MC Truck and Bus Parts and Service reception and open plan ground floor office was transformed over a 12-week period by our skilled team.

Originally, the space was dated and lacking in style. Now it features a modern bespoke, curved reception desk, a sophisticated full-height glazed partition wall and modern décor throughout.

The office refurbishment began with the strip out of the existing walls, furniture, flooring, ceiling, doors and lighting.

One of the two washrooms was knocked through and relocated next to the other washroom in reception. This improved the overall layout of the office and now provides easy access for customers to the facilities in the reception area.

With the space clear, the remodelling could commence. JBH fitted a new ceiling with integrated LED spot lights. The walls were decorated to suit the brand’s neutral colour pallet of black and cream and the floor was finished in a hard-wearing black speckled vinyl.

The tired entrance door was replaced with full height glazed doors to improve the visitor’s first impressions and to complement the all-new reception.

This established organisation needed to be brought up-to-date and the reception was the most important aspect of the new contemporary design.

The spacious reception area was fitted with a full height glazed partition wall between two large, curved reception desks. The reception desk was bespoke-made to fit the available space and the fluid design scheme. It is finished with a dark grey worksurface, beach laminate interface and stainless-steel features. Underneath and, hidden from customer view, there are multiple storage compartments for files and necessary paperwork.

A new table and chairs in the reception offers customers a space to relax and wait for their parts or service.

The furniture throughout the open plan office has been replaced to complement the new décor and give employees storage and a more practical space to work.

The washrooms at MC Truck and Bus in Aylesford had certainly seen better days. As part of the extensive office refurbishment, the JBH Refurbishments team stripped out the original sanitary wear and dated tiles. The two washrooms were plastered, decorated and fitted with a new sink, toilet, hand dryer and access panelling systems at the rear of the toilets to provide a sleek and contemporary finish.

The black vinyl floor continued from the reception space into the washrooms and were finished with a cap and cove system for ease of cleaning and optimising hygiene.

MC Group is a returning client of JBH Refurbishments. We have carried out numerous commercial fit outs for the group’s various sites in Burgess Hill, which is in West Sussex, Larkfield and Aylesford, which are both in Kent.

In-fact many of the commercial refurbishments undertaken for MC Group have been completed in the past year.

JBH Refurbishments has fulfilled the interior fit out contracts for:

• A two-storey warehouse conversion, complete with mezzanine floor, offices and reception at Burgess Hill
• Washroom fit out at Larkfield service centre
• Washroom fit out and the MD’s shower room at Aylesford
• The boardroom refurbishment for MC Group’s Aylesford branch, which made a major difference to the team

The team at MC Truck and Bus in Aylesford certainly did their homework before contracting JBH Refurbishments to complete the office fit out. Having done so, it was clear to the team that JBH Refurbishments offered the most competitive value and a high-quality finish.

Between quoting for the MC Truck and Bus Parts and Service Centre, JBH was busy completing other works for MC Group. Having done so, the Aylesford branch felt safe in the knowledge that JBH Refurbishments would provide a superior finish. As a result, JBH Refurbishments was awarded the contract for the Group’s latest office make-over.

We pride ourselves on supporting the expansion of growing businesses in London, Kent and the wider South East. Consequently, JBH Refurbishments is no stranger to managing and completing multiple site office refurbishments for a single group. It takes careful planning and precision. For us, this begins from the initial site survey, where we discuss all aspects of the office refurbishment in great detail and any plans for other sites that you, or your firm may manage.

Once we have an understanding of your business needs, we work with you to create a design, layout and brand image that can be rolled out across all your sites. If required, we’ll devise a plan to refurbish all your sites over an agreed period.

At JBH Refurbishments, we work with clients direct and facilities managers in London, Kent, Surrey and Sussex to provide office refurbishment services for multiple sites. We work hard to keep our costs low, yet realistic to ensure the project is completed to high standard and on time, just as we have done for MC Group.

If you have a commercial fit out or multiple site office refurbishments project that you would like JBH Refurbishments to quote on, please get in touch with our team. Alternatively, if you would like to read about the other projects that we have completed for MC Group, please take some time to explore our case studies pages.

JBH Refurbishments carried out a west Sussex industrial warehouse fit out for transport company, MC Truck and Bus who operate eight service and repair centres for commercial vehicles across the South of England and has recently invested in the warehouse fit out and office refurbishment of various sites in Kent and Sussex. JBH Refurbishments has been at the centre of the company’s multiple property renovations and has completed the warehouse fit out of its Burgess Hill service and repair centre.

JBH Refurbishments has worked with MC Group on many occasions and it was a pleasure to be awarded the contract to carry out a warehouse fit out for the company’s new service and repair centre in West Sussex.

MC Truck and Bus took occupancy of two commercial units. One unit was to be dedicated to the truck and bus mechanical department, complete with storage, large service bays, changing rooms and kitchen and the other was to be fitted out with a customer reception, offices, washrooms and a large kitchen.

JBH Refurbishments installed a large mezzanine floor system in the service bay area that wrapped halfway around the large warehouse. This was the basis for a substantial storage area, complete with racking for parts and equipment on the upper level.

Adjacent to the store, still on the first-floor level, JBH Refurbishments partitioned a changing room and a kitchen that would act as the ideal breakout zone for the service bay staff.

In the kitchen, JBH Refurbishments fitted white gloss units and grey worktop, which wrapped further around the room to create a breakfast bar, complete with stools. For ease of cleaning the walls were finished with white hygienic cladding and cap and cove flooring.

On the ground floor, below the store, JBH Refurbishments created a meeting room and a dedicated open plan office area for the service department, which lead to the reception area. Furthermore, two additional executive offices were built – one with a single desk and meeting table, the other with two work stations.

The office fit out involved:

• Fitting solid wall partitions with integrated windows to give a clear view of the service centre
• The wall into the second unit was knocked through to create a clear path from the office to the customer reception desk
• Office air conditioning was installed throughout to provide comfort heating and cooling
• A suspended ceiling was fitted to disguise the unsightly cabling and air conditioning pipework
• Flush LED light panels were installed into the suspended ceiling for a sleek finish
• The walls were painted white throughout
• A hard-wearing vinyl floor was fitted
• Trunking was fitting to the walls to hide the electrical and data cabling and provide socket points for the eight work stations
• JBH Refurbishments supplied the office furniture throughout.

The open plan office lead to a dedicated reception desk on a lower level, where customers could be greeted in a professional setting when arriving for a service or repair. A small stair case was fitted between the reception desk and office area, which was finished with a glass balustrade and chrome finish rail.

The reception desk was bespoke-built to fit the space and provide pigeon hole style storage underneath the worktop. The desk fascia was finished with a beech effect panel that replicated the style of the office furniture and tie the office design together.

Throughout the reception area was painted in white and the vinyl flooring followed through from the office areas.

In addition to the kitchen for the service centre, JBH Refurbishments installed a larger kitchen for all staff, with space for two tables, chairs and a sofa. The kitchen units were white gloss with a contrasting grey worktop. White hygienic cladding was affixed to the walls to provide a splash back to the kitchen sink and work tops.

The original washrooms were in a poor state and required a full strip out to make way for a fresh new disabled toilet. JBH Refurbishments removed all the original sanitary-ware, flooring and tiles.

Minor plumbing alterations were made to make way for all-new disabled sanitary-ware, vanity unit and separate sink for disabled access.

The window was replaced, and the walls were partially finished in sleek grey hygienic cladding.

The west Sussex industrial warehouse fit out took place in two stages and was completed in its entirety within a 14 weeks programme.

JBH Refurbishments has also completed washroom refurbishments and a meeting room refurbishment for various other MC Group outlets in Kent.

JBH Refurbishments can support the refurbishment and fit out plans for large organisations, like MC Group, that occupy numerous commercial premises. For companies that require regular maintenance, check out our commercial maintenance services. We can create a maintenance schedule that suits you and your business.

With 25-years’ experience and an excellent team or onsite operatives and projects managers, we can comfortable and efficiently manage your commercial refurbishment and fit out plan. Our service covers the whole of the South East, including London, Kent, Surrey and Sussex.

Our full range of commercial fit out services, range from small fit outs to major industrial warehouse and building conversions. To find out more, contact our team.

JBH Completes the office shower room fit out and staff /customer toilet refurbishment at MC Group’s Kent branches in Larkfield and Aylesford in just eight weeks

Transport company, MC Group operates several sites throughout Kent, Sussex Essex, Portsmouth and Southampton that provide truck and bus rental, servicing, repairs and emergency breakdown cover.

This is a business that takes particular care of its employees and upholds a high level of service to its customers. MC Group understands that having a well-presented workplace that looks professional and welcoming to customers is part and parcel of its business philosophy.

Having a reputable company that can efficiently refurbish and maintain its workplace interiors to a high standard is key. Consequently, MC Group has contracted JBH Refurbishments to update and refurbish various areas within its Kent and Sussex offices many times, including offices, a reception area and meeting room.

On this occasion, we were contracted to complete a dual site toilet refurbishment at two of MC Group’s Kent branches located in Aylesford and Larkfield.

The washrooms at MC Group in Aylesford and Larkfield required a complete refurbishment. JBH Refurbishments began with the Aylesford branch, where the gent’s, ladies’ and MD’s private washroom needed attention.

Once this site was near completion, JBH went on to fit out the ladies’s and gent’s staff washrooms at the Larkfield rental and service division. In addition to the toilet fit out, JBH refurbished a changing area, which is situated adjacent to the gents.

Both sites underwent a complete strip out and the waste and freshwater pipework was relocated in preparation to be concealed within the IPS (Integrated Plumbing System) panelling behind the toilets.

With the appropriate plumbing in place, JBH installed all-new toilets throughout, and urinals in the gents. The toilets were enclosed with a graphite grey toilet cubicle framework, contrasting cream doors and cream IPS panelling. Complimentary vanity units were installed in all the washroom areas on both sites.

The toilet refurbishments on each site were completed within an eight-week timeframe.

Due to the nature of the Larkfield Rental and Service Centre, the walls in the gents and in the adjacent changing area needed to be covered in a material that could be easily wiped clean from floor to ceiling. It had to be hardwearing too, so JBH suggested hygienic cladding.

Hygienic cladding is an impervious and hardwearing material that can be fitted to walls, ceilings and work surfaces. It is ideal for hygienic work zones and areas that withstand dirt and grime on a regular basis. When professionally installed by an approved installer, hygienic cladding is easy to clean, with limited areas where residue can collect and build up.

The gents and changing room at the Larkfield office was fitted with white hygienic cladding from floor to ceiling. It is however available in other colours and patterns.

In the gents at the Aylesford branch the walls were finished to half way point with the same graphite grey panelling as the toilet cubical framework and neutral tones on the walls.

The ladies’ washrooms at Larkfield and Aylesford were completed with cream tiles half-way up the walls and contrasting grey upstands around the vanity units.

In the MD’s shower room, JBH striped out the dated shower tray, tiles, sink and toilet. Keeping to the same layout, the plumbing scheme received some minor alteration to accommodate a new streamline shower tray, toilet and sink.

The same sleek colour scheme from the gent’s and ladies’ washrooms continued into the shower room, with large black tiles in the shower area, a clear glass screen and chrome shower unit. The remaining walls were fitted with cream tiles, while the vanity unit and IPS panelling were the same contrasting cream doors with a grey framework as the staff/customer toilets.

Additional features, including the Dyson hand dryers, toilet roll holders, paper towel dispensers and mirrors, were all supplied and fitted as part of the refurbishment.

The floor finishing used in all five washrooms and the changing room was a hardwearing black vinyl, with a contrasting fleck that completed the smart décor.

MC Group is affiliated with the Volvo brand. Therefore, the colour scheme for the washrooms on both the Aylesford and Larkfield sites were chosen with the Volvo brand colours in mind – graphite grey and contrasting cream.

MC Group in Aylesford and Larkfield now have smart new washrooms throughout both site, which can be enjoyed by both staff and customers.

The washrooms have been refurbished to not only be aesthetically pleasing, but they are also easy to keep clean, with minimal effort thanks to the streamline design.

The workplace washroom says a lot about a company. It needs to be clean and well presented to impress customers and show employees that the company cares.

At JBH Refurbishments we install washrooms that offer a professional look and are easy to keep clean. We install toilet and shower rooms for offices, schools, gyms, leisure facilities and public spaces throughout Kent, London, Surrey and Sussex.

To obtain a competitive quote for your washroom refurbishment please contact our team today!

Many businesses throughout the UK have remained in their commercial premises for decades, carrying out minimal maintenance and decoration over time. When a business has been settled somewhere for a long period, updating their premises is a major commitment and can be a daunting prospect – not just financially, but also in terms of logistics and time.

For Premier Decorations, an office refurbishment was long overdue. The company, which celebrates its 30th anniversary this year was incorporated in 1988 and has since operated from the its large commercial property in Ruislip, West London.

During this time the décor had become tired and dated. It was clearly in much need of a new layout, full decoration, lighting, flooring and more to give the property a new lease of life in its 30th year. Consequently, the company called upon JBH Refurbishments to fulfill their office refurbishment in London.

Premier Decorations is an award-winning importer and distributor of seasonal decorations for retailers throughout the UK and Ireland and employs over 84 permanent staff members. Their West London premises is home to their purchasing, merchandising, marketing, packaging, sales, accounts, quality control and customer service departments.

For such a successful organisation with a large workforce, the Ruislip premises was not portraying the best first impression to clients and visitors. It needed a complete office refurbishment, one that would reflect the company’s professionalism and quality services.

As part of its 30th anniversary celebrations, Premier Decorations decided it was time to improve its working environment for the staff and provide a welcoming space for clients and visitors.

Premier Decorations contacted a number of office refurbishment companies in London to quote on the project. After a review JBH Refurbishments proved the most competitive and reputable. Consequently, we were promptly awarded the project and work began.

Initially, we had to agree on a layout, styling, colour code and materials. Based on the scale of the project and the fact it was taking place in a live working environment, it was agreed early on that the London office refurbishment would take place in phases. This would allow the business to operate in one area, while work was underway in another.

We started with the ground floor level which incorporated a:

• Large open plan office with smaller partitioned offices around the edge
• Reception
• Office Kitchen
• Corridor

Here, we stripped out the entire area of flooring ceilings, partitions and kitchen. In the reception most of the fixtures were retained and prepped to enhanced at a later stage with new finishes.

The second phase incorporated the stairwell to the first floor, further offices and a large boardroom with a tea point.

Once the strip out had taken place, work could begin!

In the main open plan ground floor office space and the first floor offices, the walls were repaired and new partially glazed office partitions were installed where necessary. The bulk of the office partitioning installation took place on the ground floor, where we reduced and increased the size of the various offices around the open plan area.

The original suspended ceiling was marked with water damage and was beyond repair. Therefore, we installed a new white suspended ceiling with integrated LED light panels.

The office air conditioning was also upgraded with a far more efficient Mitsubishi Electric VRF system and a range of ceiling cassettes and wall mounted units to provide both cooling and heating solutions.

The walls were painted a pale purple and white, while the flooring was finished with a neutral grey floor tile.

Wall-mounted trunking was fitted to house data and electrical cabling throughout the office area. Sockets were also fitted to the central pillars of the ground floor open plan office to accommodate a central desk clusters.

The Premier Decorations Reception was dated, but the desk and flooring were still in good condition, so we simply updated the desk with a new front fascia in a complimentary grey vinyl.

The walls were decorated, and we fitted a new feature wall with LED lighting, complete with a recess for a television. Above the reception desk we extended the ceiling with more recessed LED lighting to bring this area fully up to date.

We also added a door and extended the wall behind the reception desk to create a tidy storage area. Finally, we fitted a glass partition by the entrance door.

As part of this major London office refurbishment, the once nondescript stairwell with its metal balustrades was transformed into a bright and contemporary space. The combination of the brushed steel handrails with the glazed balustrade allows natural light to flood the area and give the impression of space.

Look up and you will see a beautifully crafted suspended floating ceiling with a recess and LED lighting that frames a modern chandelier-style pendent.

Along with several of the office spaces at Premier Decorations, the stairwell window features frosted manifestation that replicates the famous London skyline.

JBH fitted two kitchens in this West London office refurbishment – the main kitchen and a tea point in first floor meeting room.

The main kitchen refurbishment took place in the first phase along with the open plan office. All the fixtures and fittings were stripped out to make way for brand new high-sheen cabinets, worktop, sink and appliances. The walls were plastered where necessary and acrylic splash backs were fitted to replace the dated tiles.

A clear window was installed between the kitchen and open plan office to replace the original textured glass.

The suspended ceiling and LED light panels seamlessly followed through from the office into the kitchen. And, to complete the look, the floor was replaced with a hygienic cap and cove high quality grey vinyl floor.

Upstairs in the meeting room we fitted white units and a contrasting black worktop to create a stylish new tee point, which will prove essential when entertaining guests. In true Premier Decorations style, the team opted for a bespoke splashback, featuring celebratory popping champagne bottles.

The upstairs meeting room required a full reconfiguration of the layout. We removed dividing walls to create an open plan meeting space. The ceiling was replaced with a suspended ceiling and a purple surround with spot lights to provide depth to the room.

The tea point is a key design feature within the room, along with the frosted window manifestation of the London skyline that also features in the stairwell.

To complete the major facelift of this Ruislip office,  JBH Refurbishments painted the exterior of Premier Decorations to ensure the interior look was not compromised.

Since the office refurbishment London, the Premier Decorations team have enjoyed their new office interior at a time when they mark their 30^th anniversary.

Projects Manager, Ron Athwall said, “The result is an office environment that is now up-to-date and a pleasure to work in. We have received very favourable comments from members of staff and the colour scheme works very well.

“I enjoyed our working relationship and the “can-do” attitude from Harry and members of the team.

“I would have no hesitation in reccommending JBH to prospective clients.”

Congratulations Premier Decorations on 30 years in business!

If you are interested in updating your London offices and would like some advice, please contact our helpful team today.

Meeting rooms shouldn’t just consist of a table and a few chairs. This is not just a place people can gather to discuss work related topics. No, they should be carefully designed to incorporate quality finishes, stylish furniture, productive lighting and portray your business in a way you and your colleagues can be proud of.

The best meeting rooms are designed to inspire and provide a professional environment. One that portrays a flattering first impression to clients and visitors.

For the workforce at a MC Trucks, a transport company in Aylesford, Kent, the meeting room was proving a bit of an embarrassment. The dated furniture, harsh lighting and stark décor meant that, rather than entertaining clients and visitors onsite, they were opting to meet at a nearby hotel.

While the interior design was questionable, the space was perfectly adequate to seat 16 around a large boardroom table. This kind of space is enviable of any Kent office space, so the decision was made to refurbish the meeting room and create a place that the workforce could be proud to meet in.

Having carried out work for this MC Trucks in the past, JBH were their first port of call to carry out the refurbishment work.

The space was simple to prepare, we stripped out the old flooring and parts of the ceiling and removed the old furniture, ready to start afresh.

Once the area was cleared, we could start building the design features that would take this boardroom from archaic to ultra-modern.

We built a suspended ceiling, which incorporated LED colour changing lighting strips around the edges to provide a sense of depth. Spot lights were carefully positioned in the centre of the floating ceiling to provide a flattering light, as opposed to the harsh fluorescent tubular lighting that was there before.

At one end of the room, we built a protruding media station to frame a large screen and hide any unsightly wires. The media station was finished with LED lighting strips around the edge to provide further design features and depth to the room.

When the carpentry and electrical installation was complete, the meeting room walls and ceiling were decorated white, leaving the lighting features to provide an ambient colour scheme.

To replace the stark grey vinyl, we fitted textured grey floor tiles, with accents of the corporate colours (red and blue) at one end of the room. Colour accents on the floor are a very simple way of incorporating the company branding within the décor, without having to make bold colour choices on the walls. It looks professional and can lift the tones of a dull room when matched with signage and other accessories in complimentary colours.

Tying in the blue and red floor accent colours, we produced a substantial sign for the MC trucks boardroom refurbishment. This was positioned in pride of place on the wall opposite the main entrance to the room in full view for all visitors to see.

To complete the look, we furnished the meeting room with a modern oak effect table, comfortable high-backed office chairs, with accents of blue, and complimentary storage units, which replaced the old metal filing cabinets that once adorned this room. Finally, the windows were finished with new Venetian blinds.

Since the office refurbishment in Kent, the team at MC Trucks have not once had a meeting off site at the nearby hotel. The staff thoroughly enjoy meeting in their new comfortable and inspiring boardroom and couldn’t be more delighted with the end result.

Meeting rooms are a key area within an office and should be as important as the reception area and washrooms if you want to cast a good first impression. These are the areas first seen by any new visitor – be it a new client that you want to impress, a supplier or a new member of staff who you want to attract to your business.

The key to creating a professional looking meeting room is keeping it simple. Like the MC Trucks meeting room refurbishment, subtle techniques, such as floating ceilings and protruding media stations, which are backlit with LED lighting can transform a dated space in to a contemporary interior.

Installing modern technology can really improve your professional appearance. For example, why not invest in a large interactive touch screen computer that you can write on, just like a whiteboard. This is bound to impress any potential clients. They come in varying sizes including 65”, 75” and 82”.

Furniture should not be overlooked when undergoing a meeting room refurbishment. Using your old furniture in a newly decorated meeting room will almost certainly not have the desired effect. Meeting room furniture is particularly large and domineering in an office. It therefore, needs to compliment the décor. If unsure, keep it simple and neutral and make design statements elsewhere.

When choosing your furniture, think about comfort as well as style. It’s important that you and your visitors are comfortable, as meetings can go on for long periods.

If you have your sights on a quirky and ultra-trendy meeting room, make sure it is consistent with your brand and rest of your interior, otherwise it will look like an after-thought. If you want to be bold with your meeting room refurbishment, its best to do your research and speak to our interior design team before investing in a major transformation.

If you are planning a meeting room refurbishment, please get in touch with the JBH team. We can talk through your requirements, provide interior design ideas and we can even develop CAD visuals to show the finished article. Give us a call and discuss your project with our team today!

JBH Refurbishments completed the warehouse office fit-out in Dartford, Kent for a construction firm  with a contract value of £500,000.

The newly built warehouse in Dartford, Kent was originally designed to provide five rental warehouse units. JBH Refurbishments was contracted to install mezzanine flooring and office fit-outs in each of the units.

Midway through the project, however, the entire space was let to a music distribution centre that supplies leading retailers, including Amazon, Sainsbury’s and Asda. The firm needed a large operating space for storage and packaging. They also needed sufficient office space and therefore specified a two-storey office fit out, with meeting room, washrooms and kitchen facilities.

Despite the change in direction, JBH Refurbishments worked fast to meet the clients moving schedule.

Starting with the mezzanine floor, the JBH Refurbishment team created a steel frame structure within the warehouse that would act as a platform to the two-storey office fit-out.

Two sets of stairs were installed at opposite ends of the office block. One was located at the main entrance and reception area to welcome visitors. The other simply provided access between the two floors for office and warehouse staff.

The office layout was tailored to meet the needs of the new tenant. Office partitioning and stud walls were installed to create various zones over the two floors.

On the ground floor, the layout needed to accommodate the following:

• Tea point
• Locker area
• Large canteen for warehouse and office staff
• Open plan office
• Washrooms and shower room
• Integrated storage cupboards
• Entrance and reception area
• Stairwell opening

The first-floor layout had to incorporate:

• Washrooms
• IT and comms room
• Open plan office
• Breakout area
• Meeting room
• Tea Point

Once the structure and the partitioned walls were in place, the warehouse office fit-out could commence. The décor and flooring were kept neutral with white walls and grey carpet. JBH installed a suspended ceiling throughout for a clean and crisp finish.The stairwell was finished with the same neutral shades and stainless-steel balustrade.

While the office interior was kept neutral allowing the tenant to use artwork and accessories to make a design statement, the washrooms on both floors were altogether bold!

Finished with predominantly white walls, graphite grey back splash panels, vanity units and doors, it is the red accents on the cubicles that bring a vibrant personality to the décor.

There were five cubicles and basins installed in the ground floor washrooms and on the first-floor washroom a shower room was installed. This brings a contemporary approach to encouraging fitness and well-being at work, allowing staff to freshen up after work or a workout.

For aesthetic and hygiene purposes, the toilets and urinal cisterns were concealed with grey panelling and grey vinyl flooring with cap and cove finish is a practical solution for cleaning and hygiene.

We don’t need to tell you how important it is to have clean space to make beverages. For this office development we fitted a small tea point with sink and white gloss kitchen units on both floors.

The office canteen needed a much larger kitchen area with more units and enough worksurface space for staff to prepare meals. JBH installed three double kitchen carcasses, with white gloss doors, black worktop and sink. White gloss tiles were fitted as an easy to wipe splash back. On the floor a vinyl cut out was seamlessly joined to the main carpet.

From start to finish the structural changes and office fit were complete within six months. This turn around period included a change in direction which posed some setbacks. However, the client was delighted with our flexible approach and the finished article. Ultimately, we were able to create an office space that met the tenant’s criteria within the time scale of their office move from central London to Dartford in Kent.

There are an increasing number of businesses looking for suitable warehouse space in a central location.

Warehouses present ample space for a dual-purpose working environment (office and warehouse/production), or as a complete conversion to office use.

Established and expanding businesses are seeking suitable warehouses with modern office facilities. Landlords too are cashing in on the extra warehouse space by creating offices on a purpose-built mezzanine floor to meet demand for a growing commercial property rental market.

The beauty of a warehouse conversions is the large space presents to opportunity to create a layout that suits your business needs. Just like the music distribution company, it’s possible to list your criteria with very few restrictions and costly alterations to the existing set-up.

If you would like to find out more about warehouse conversions or mezzanine floors office fit outs, contact our team. We will carry out a full site survey to discuss your options and give advice on your office layout.

There comes a time when every office really does need a complete facelift and for one Kent laboratory, this was precisely what was needed.  Kent office refurbishment company JBH were called in to carry out the office refurbishment. Upon inspection it was clear the workplace was is in very poor condition and needed substantial work.

Being an occupied office space, the staff were temporarily relocated. There was no time to lose, the work needed to be completed quickly and efficiently. The JBH team began by stripping out the old suspended ceiling, the flooring and stud walls were all removed. The washrooms were stripped, along with the laboratory units, wall tiles and any existing fittings and fixtures.

Once stripped, the building work could commence to create a brand new office interior that could be enjoyed by the staff for years to come.

The new office layout needed to be suitable for the type of work carried out at this Kent laboratory. JBH designed the office layout with multiple spaces that were practical, as well as light and bright.

The area was divided with office partitioning and stud walls into six individual rooms, including:

• The main open plan office
• Management office
• Meeting room
• Small breakout room
• Male and female washrooms
• Shower room

The main office space offered the opportunity for an open plan working environment. It had to be large enough to fit eight desks and storage units. The meeting room, managers office and break out zone were each designed to face the main office.  A corridor lead from the main office to the washrooms and the main building. The corridor proved a practical area for locating large storage walls.

Where possible, JBH Refurbishments used glazing and glass office partitioning to let the natural light fill the enclosed spaces. This was particularly essential in the meeting room, which didn’t have a window. The glazed office partitioning featured integrated Venetian blinds for privacy.

You can read more in our office partitioning guide.

This commercial building has high ceilings with exposed wiring and pipework. To conceal these unsightly utilities, JBH installed a brand new suspended ceiling with integrated LED lighting panels. The LED light panels provide a bright and fresh environment, ideal for a busy working environment. The air conditioning units were also integrated into the suspended ceiling.

As part of the office refurbishment, the old washroom was completely stripped, and new male and female washrooms were installed. Where the old washroom was fitted with traditional ceramic tiles, the new facilities featured wall cladding. This wall surface provides a contemporary finish and is far easier to keep clean. Here’s what else we installed in the washrooms at this Kent business:

• Enclosed cisterns with wall cladding
• Cap and cove flooring
• Green and grey toilet cubicals provided a stylish finish
• Stainless steel sink units were fitted to the walls
• In the male washroom, stainless steel urinals were installed

The main building adjoining this office space already featured a fully functioning office kitchen. However, a busy office should always have a small office tea point for making hot beverages. A tea point is something JBH Refurbishments factors in to every new commercial fit out. Within the main open plan office, we installed:

• Two gloss white kitchen units
• Granite worktop
• Stainless steel sink
• Counter height electrical sockets for a kettle, toaster or coffee machine
• White hygienic cladding

The tea point can be as unobtrusive as the client requires, or it can be used as design feature within the office.

A grey textured carpet tile was the chosen floor covering for this Kent office refurbishment. Carpet tiles offer a hard wearing floor surface, which is ideal for a busy office space. The textured grey brought a contemporary finish to the overall look.

The old windows and doors looked tatty and needed replacing. This is an area that is often overlooked in an office refurbishment, but it can make a tremendous difference to the end result. As you can see in our before and after pictures, if the old windows and doors had remained, the office refurbishment would not have been as successful.

We installed windows with modern grey aluminium frames in the main office, the manager’s office and break out room. A grey entrance door was installed to compliment the new windows. Outside, JBH built a ramp and handrail for wheelchair access to the building.

Office decoration and design needs to suit the type of work undertaken within the property. Being a laboratory, the best solution was to decorate the office with a clinical, brilliant white, hard wearing trade paint.

The Kent office refurbishment was completed on time and within budget. The finished look was a contemporary and fresh new office with all the facilities of a modern working environment. Take a look for yourself.

“JBH carried out a refurbishment to one of our facilities recently, the standard of fit and finish was extremely good and the guys who were working on the project conducted themselves very professionally. JBH are one of our approved contractors and continue to provide a high quality, cost effective and safe level of service.”

For more information about our Kent office refurbishment services, contact our team.

Warehouse conversion, coupled with a high-quality office fit out are becoming a popular solution for expanding businesses across the South East.

The low running costs and ample space are a major draw for business owners. Especially, as many industrial units and warehouses are located near to main roads and motorways, making deliveries easier and travel more direct for visitors

At JBH Refurbishments, we have completed several warehouse conversions and office fit outs for companies, and regularly receive enquiries from astute businesses.

Recently we completed a warehouse conversion and office fit out for Mackelden Civil Engineering, based in Headcorn, near Maidstone in Kent.

The company approached JBH Refurbishments to transform their unoccupied warehouse into a deluxe office space that would attract one, or several businesses, looking to lease an office space within the Kent area.

Set amid the beautiful Kent countryside, the warehouse has fantastic views and plenty of parking, making it the ideal location for a small or expanding business.

Upon inspection, the warehouse was completely stripped bare, with exposed metal clad walls, windows, concrete foundations and metal staircase, leading to a mezzanine floor. There was no lighting, heating or any features that represented an office setting.

With the brief to create a space for the commercial rental market, the JBH design team developed an office design and layout that complimented the available space.

Working in an entirely empty space, the warehouse conversion first needed to be divided into various spaces using stud wall partitions. All the partitioned walls throughout the warehouse were fitted with acoustic insulation and plaster boarded.

On the lower ground floor, the partition walls created a large office space to the left of the entrance. To right were male and female washrooms and a smaller office space.

On the first floor, two large office spaces were created either side of the central staircase.

To conceal the exposed metal roof, as well as any pipework and cabling used for the office fit-out, JBH’s team of specialist engineers installed a suspended ceiling throughout.  LED lights in the same shape and size as the ceiling tiles were integrated into the suspended ceiling frame work to offer a natural light.

Located in the depths of the Kent countryside, access to oil-based heating was not a cost effective option. Instead the warehouse conversion was fitted with efficient duel heating and cooling Daikin air conditioning wall mounted units in each room. The condenser units were installed on the outside wall. On the first floor landing an electric radiator was fitted to the wall.

For fire safety, we installed a C-Tec fire alarm system throughout the building.

The first fix electrical installation needed to allow power to both floors in order to operate:

• The fire alarm system
• Wall mounted air conditioning units
• Suspended ceiling lights
• Wall sockets at low level
• Light switches

The second fix included:

• Fitting sockets at skirting board level
• Light switches
• Installing the fire alarm system
• Installing an electric radiator and air conditioning units

As part of the warehouse conversion, on the lower ground floor, JBH designed an open plan entrance hall with a striking staircase, leading to the first floor. The once exposed concrete staircase was now enclosed with a useful storage cupboard, finished with a small oak veneer door, under the stairs.

A glass balustrade was fitted to enhance the open plan design and a brushed chrome handrail was installed to compliment the contemporary styling.

Throughout the entrance hall and the length of the stairs we fitted a dark blue carpet with a brighter blue boarder. The blue carpet hues were enriched by the bright white walls and oak veneer doors that lead into new male and female washrooms and the downstairs office space.

The large entrance hall offered a practical space for a central office kitchen area. Here, JBH installed high gloss wall units in a sophisticate shade of grey, complimentary worktop and sink. One unit space was left available for a small fridge. The kitchen area was finished in a practical light grey vinyl flooring.

Located on the ground floor, we installed male and multifunction female/disabled washrooms. Plain white porcelain toilets and sinks were fitted with chrome taps. To add an air of sophistication, the back wall was painted grey and finished with oak veneer cladding.

In the female/disabled washroom, hand rails, backrest supports and a pull cord emergency disabled alarm were installed, making this an office suitable for all abilities.

The first floor features a central landing, leading to two main offices either side. Large enough to house numerous desks and employees, the divided space is ideal for several small businesses, or one large company with various departments.

The upstairs office fit-out replicates the lower level interior décor – white walls, blue carpets with a brighter blue boarder, and oak veneer doors.

Upstairs is where you really get a sense of the rural scenery. The landscape boasts green fields, hedgerows, trees, livestock and views of nearby Sutton Valance Village.

This fantastic new warehouse conversion with a plush office fit out is ideal for any respectable Kent-based business. You would be hard pushed to find a better office with the space and location.

To find out more about warehouse conversions and office fit out services, or to learn more about our office refurbishment services, contact our helpful team.

When JBH carried out an office design refurbishment for one of Kent’s finest catering companies, it not only improved the interior, but also its bottom line!

Event catering company, Relish offers a range of sumptuous menus for all types of events across London, Kent and the South East. With a high-profile client base, including some of the UK’s wealthiest, the company has a fantastic reputation.

With such an impeccable service, the company needed offices that were fitting for an exclusive catering business. The existing décor, layout and overall fit-out was not giving the best first impression on Relish’s new and potential customers when they visited the Dartford-based offices. As a result, the company felt they could improve their client base by improving their interior.

When Director, Chris Bowden received a marketing email from JBH Refurbishments about how important an office interior is to a customer’s perception of a business, he gave our team a call.

After a thorough site survey, we were able to provide interior design and new layout options for the Kent office space. The new office interior was designed to be more in keeping with company’s branding, while the new layout – which included a designated tasting room, small office kitchen, storage and offices – offered a professional environment to host new clients.

JBH Refurbishments provided a competitive quote to revive Relish’s commercial property, which was soon accepted and work began promptly.

In only FOUR WEEKS the team at JBH had transformed the interior into smart a lavish environment that would easily impress Relish clients.

In the first instance, the JBH onsite team, cleared the existing partitioned walls, doors, flooring and fixtures to create a clean and clear environment. In addition, the radiators, damaged ceiling tiles, skirting boards, spot lighting and tracks were removed.

Once stripped, work could begin to rebuild Relish’s Kent office interior. The work involved:

• Repair to the office wall
• New skirting boards were fitted and painted
• Replacement suspended ceiling tiles
• New aluminium frame partitioning was installed to divide the various spaces within the office. The walls facing the hall/kitchen area were finished with full-height glazed partitioning with integrated binds. The dividing walls were fitted with solid wall office partition
• New electrics sockets were fitted to the new walls
• LED lighting was installed within the suspended ceiling
• The main walls were decorated with white matt emulsion
• In the tasting /meeting room, we used a rose paint to create a feature wall that matched Relish’s branding
• New floor tiles were fitted throughout, while a durable vinyl floor was fitted to the kitchen area
• New office kitchen units were fitted to create a tea point. This was finished with a high gloss graphite grey doors, slimline wine fridge and double oven

I am utterly delighted with the work carried out by JBH Refurbishments. They have created an office space that I feel is a true representation of our company.

At Relish we provide the best possible service to our customers. We have a fantastic menu and some high-profile clients, yet we felt our office area prevented us winning new business, as it did not present the best first impression. Now we have somewhere we can confidently meet with clients and be proud of our premises.

I was tremendously impressed by the work carried out by JBH and I have no hesitation in recommending their refurbishment services. The design and layout is exactly what we needed and the onsite team were extremely polite, helpful and tidy.
Since the office refurbishment, we have received fantastic comments from our visitors and I believe it will help us to secure new clients in the future.

I suggest any business that entertains clients, or indeed wants a productive workforce, seriously reviews their office space. Having a fresh and professional office refurbishment has injected new energy into my business and I’m positive for the future. The before and after pictures say it all!

JBH Refurbishments has been providing office fit outs for Kent businesses for nearly 30 years. Having built a solid reputation for reliability, quality and creative office refurbishments, we have secured numerous fit-outs across the South East for all sectors, including healthcare, education, commercial and retail.

We employ a team of professional onsite operatives, who ensure the site is always left clean and tidy at the end of each day, as we know it is important that your business is still able to operate during the office refurbishment process.

There really is no project too small or too large, we will work to your budget and time-frame. Whether you require a full office refurbishment, maintenance or simple alterations, our project managers will ensure you receive the best possible service. Please take some time to review the office fit out services we offer and the clients that we work for.

If you are considering changing your office interior, you can find useful information in our advice page, where we offer guidance on affording an office fit out, planning an office refurbishment and office relocation support.

If you would like to discuss our office interior design refurbishment services, please call one of our Project Managers on 0333 207 0339 or contact us via our contact form.