Office renovations that fit how the business actually works.
Interior reconfiguration, finishes and functional upgrades for existing commercial office space.
Office renovation is usually about fit, not square footage. Teams change shape, work patterns change, and a layout drawn for a different business stops serving the one occupying it. PCM renovates existing commercial office space around how the organisation actually uses it.
What drives an office renovation
The layout no longer fits
Private offices where collaboration is needed, or open plan where focus is needed. Reconfiguration is often more valuable than relocation.
The space shows its age
Dated flooring, wall finishes and lighting affect how staff and visitors read the business, and how the space functions day to day.
A new tenant is arriving
Landlords preparing space for a new occupant need the work scoped, priced and completed against a leasing timeline.
Work has to continue
Most office renovations happen around staff who still need somewhere to sit and work.
Typical office renovation scope
- Interior demolition and selective removal
- Partition reconfiguration - adding, removing or relocating walls
- New flooring, including carpet tile, LVT and transitions
- Paint and wall finishes throughout
- Suspended ceiling repair, replacement and acoustic treatment
- Lighting upgrades coordinated with licensed electrical subcontractors
- Door, frame, hardware and interior glazing work
- Breakroom and kitchenette installation
- Reception and workstation casework
- Accessibility and life-safety coordination where scope triggers it
How PCM runs an office renovation
Walkthrough
We look at the existing space, how the team uses it, and what is driving the change.
Scope and options
We document what the renovation involves and, where there is a choice, what the practical options are.
Budget and schedule
We price the developed scope and plan the sequence around the business's operating needs.
Permitting where required
Reconfiguration affecting walls, egress or systems typically needs a permit. We handle the application and inspection coordination.
Phased construction
Where staff remain in place, we phase the work so there is always somewhere to work.
Turnover
Punch list, cleaning, documentation and handover.
Bellingham office buildings
A large share of Bellingham's office inventory is existing multi-tenant buildings rather than new construction - suites that have been occupied, altered and re-let more than once. That history is usually what determines the real scope of a renovation.
We work in this building stock regularly and plan for what tends to be behind the finishes rather than assuming the drawings are current.
A documented office renovation
The commercial office renovation shown on our Projects page is PCM's own work, photographed from existing conditions through to completed improvements from substantially the same position in the same suite - a before and after you can actually compare.
See the office renovation before and afterFrequently asked questions
How long does a commercial office remodel take?
It depends on scope, permitting and whether the space is occupied. A finishes refresh and a full reconfiguration with mechanical and electrical work are very different projects. We build a schedule from the developed scope rather than quoting a generic duration - any contractor quoting a timeline before seeing the space is guessing.
Do we have to move out during the renovation?
Often not. Phasing lets staff keep working in part of the space while another part is under construction. Whether that works depends on the size of the space, the scope and whether the noisiest work can be scheduled outside business hours.
Does an office remodel need a building permit?
If it changes walls, egress, plumbing, mechanical or electrical systems, generally yes. Purely cosmetic work such as paint and carpet often does not. The jurisdiction decides, and we coordinate the permit where one is required.
Can you work from our architect's drawings?
Yes. We also work from an existing-conditions walkthrough where there are no current drawings, and we will tell you when we think a design professional needs to be involved.
What tends to drive the cost on an office renovation?
Scope, condition and system work, in roughly that order. Moving walls is manageable; moving what is inside and above them - mechanical, electrical, fire protection - is usually what moves the budget. Finish selections matter less than people expect.
Thinking about an office renovation?
A walkthrough is the fastest way to find out what your space actually needs and what the work involves.