How to Choose a Fit-Out Company in South Wales

1. Who actually makes it?

Many fit-out firms are project managers who buy in joinery, signage and furniture from a chain of subcontractors. That is not automatically bad, but every extra link adds cost, lead time and somebody else to blame.

Ask where the counters, reception desks and display units are built, and whether you can visit the workshop. A firm that manufactures in-house controls quality and programme directly.

2. One point of accountability

Find out who your single contact is from survey to handover, and whether that person has authority to make decisions on site. If design, build and install sit with different companies, problems fall between them.

• ✓Who designs it?
• ✓Who manufactures it?
• ✓Who installs it, and are they employed or subcontracted?
• ✓Who signs off snagging?

3. Proof you can check

Look for finished projects with names and addresses, not just renders. Read Google reviews rather than testimonials hand-picked for a website. Ask which landlords and managing agents the company already works with, because landlord approval is where many programmes slip.

4. How they plan and communicate

A good contractor gives you a written programme, RAMS and method statements early, and tells you about a problem the day it happens. Ask how often you will get updates and what happens if a date moves.

5. Honest pricing

Be wary of the quote that is far cheaper than the rest. It often leaves out services, approvals or making good. A straight contractor will tell you what is not included, and will tell you when your budget does not match your brief.

How OLLYWOOD measures up

We are a veteran founded design and build company at Quay Point, Cardiff. Design, manufacture and installation happen in-house, so you deal with one team from first sketch to handover. We hold the Armed Forces Covenant Gold Award, won Creative Start Up of the Year 2022 for Wales, are fully insured, and are rated 4.9 from 41 Google reviews. Clients include British Army, Westfield, Crown Estate, British Land, CBRE and the BBC.

Use the questions above on us as well as anyone else. We would rather you chose with your eyes open.