Posted on: 20th August 2019
Categories: Electrical services, EVelec news

Case study: Three storey Brighton commercial office renovation

Towards the end of 2018 we were chosen as the sole electrical contractors on a project to refurbish a substantial, three- storey commercial office building in central Brighton.

Leading Brighton digital agency Bamboo Nine were relocating to the property as they needed larger office space to support its growing business. As well as creating a practical space for its workforce, it was important to the team that the design and finish be unique and reflect their position as one of the leading agencies in the UK.

Here we take a look at the project in more detail:

The timeline

The project involved four key aspects, where our team used its extensive expertise in commercial property electrical installations to scope out what was needed and provide an end-to-end solution, from design and planning to installation.

Planning and design:

  • Lighting design and installation
  • Installation of 100+ CAT6 data points, and Wi-Fi repeaters throughout the office space on all floors
  • Power circuit design
  • Fire Alarm installation

Phase one:

The first fix involved completely stripping out the original wiring to take the building back to its shell.

Working alongside main building contractor we had a tight window of time to complete the first fix for all lighting, power, data and fire alarm to allow the other trades to complete their own initial stages. This was straightforward for the 1st and 2nd floors of the property, however the cable containment on the ground floor needed to be run in various different ways. Our team ran a trench the entire length of the building to contain approximately 28 meters of in-floor trunking, alongside two ceiling-mounted cable trays the length of the building using galvanised steel to achieve the visual style the client was looking for. As well as being extremely labour intensive, it took plenty of planning to ensure the cables were run correctly.

 

 

 

Phase two:

The second fix of the project saw the property move from a building site into a slick office where the client could really visualise their team and customers using the space. On the 1st and 2nd floors we fitted downlights in the ceilings, power points behind TV screens and floor boxes containing power and data.

The client had specified downlights in the staff kitchen and toilet areas, and the ground floor consisted of wall-mounted sockets and wall lights contained in galvanised conduit to complete the industrial effect. This was supplemented by a number of floor boxes housing more power and data. The main lighting on the ground floor was an LED linear baton fitting, fixed to the cable tray to complete a stylish and non-obtrusive lighting solution.

The result

A key ingredient in the success of this project was partnering with other experts in the building, plumbing and interiors trades. Bamboo Nine had a fixed date whereby their team needed to move into the new office, and to minimise disruption to their business, timescales were tight. We worked with them to ensure effective, regular communication between all tradespeople on site, to ensure the project was completed on time and on-budget.

The agency’s Co-Founder, Ian Robbins, said:

“Acquiring the new office space was a huge milestone in Bamboo Nine’s history, but like all expansion plans, it came with risk. Choosing Evelec as our electrician was one of the smartest decisions we could have made. They are highly experienced in commercial property rewires and supported us to make decisions about the space that would serve us well in the long-term, not just where we are as a business right now. They were reasonably priced and entirely transparent, and everyone involved with the project enjoyed working alongside them. We are thrilled with the result and have an office that we are truly proud of’.

Have a project and want to talk?

From our base in Brighton, our team of electricians work on domestic and commercial properties all across Sussex. If you have a project in mind that you’d like to start planning, or need an electrician urgently, please contact us.