How to Make Sure You’re Getting a REAL Quote from Your Shopfitter 

When you’re starting off a project and looking to properly finance, it’s important to get a realistic idea on project costing. The reality is, when you get several quotes from various shopfitters, you may find some will underquote you by several thousand dollars only to later charge you more as the job goes on and things develop. By that point it’s too late to turn back, so you’re best to get a fair quote in the first place and have your shopfitters STICK TO IT. If it seems too good to be true, it probably is. That being said, there are a few ways to qualify if the quote your shopfitter has given you really covers all aspects of your fitout, from design right the way through to post-project maintenance. Read on to know what your shopfitter should be considering when quoting your project! 

At Total Fitouts we use many methods to get you a fair and realistic quote on your fitout. We look thoroughly into all aspects including size, potential challenges, accessibility and always consider the types of fixtures and fittings you’re hoping to install. Being that we have such broad trade connections we have different material options to suit every budget and can usually work out a plan for YOUR budget, should it be reasonable. Regardless of how much or little you want to spend, we will always use the most time and cost efficient methods to get the job done. Through stages 1 and 2 of our Fitout Process, 1) Initial Project Discussion 2) Onsite Consult, we work to gauge what you really need and want out of your business space and seek to get a clear congruent vision for the project, as well as give you things to consider that may help improve workflow in your business. 

Initial Project Discussion

In the Initial Project Discussion you can expect to talk with one of our fitout experts about your project brief, time frames, tenancy location, design requirements, any existing designs, style guides or fitout guidelines and lease documents. Also in this step, we want to learn about YOUR inspiration for the project, what ambience you want to achieve in your design and how you want people to feel in that space – it’s not always just about putting in the necessities, but designing a space that draws your customers in and makes them want to stay! For each industry theres a different set of needs. In retail fitouts it’s about putting your best foot forward and making sure you have the best possible displays to showcase your stock. In offices, it’s about creating an ergonomic office space that staff can enjoy and clients can feel comfortable in. For medical fitouts, it’s about getting in all the essentials and having a nice balance of professionalism and relaxation in the design. 

Onsite Consult

Once we’ve moved through the initial discussion and have a good understanding of where you’re at, we move onto the Onsite Consult. In this step our shopfitters will take the time to re-cap on the initial project discussion. From here our fitout experts begin the site inspection and measure, they will review the tenancy and explain the whole fitout process to you. Next – budget and financing. Our fitout experts will talk to you about your budget and begin to look at the space from with this budget in mind, coming up with the best solution to get you as close to your budget as possible. If the budget is too low, at this point our shopfitters will explain to you thoroughly why it’s not possible and help revise a new budget with you for the project. At this point it’s important to remember that site access (or lack there of) can play a huge role in getting the job done and can cause extra time and machinery to achieve your desired fitout. This will be one of the major considerations for our shopfitters and should be for you too when choosing a tenancy.

At the end of a thorough inspection and a mutual understanding of undertakings, we are always confident in our assessment and know costing is truthful and fair, so we at Total Fitouts will always promise to deliver a fitout ON TIME and ON BUDGET.

If you need a quote from one of our local shopfitters,  don’t hesitate get in touch, we’d love to hear from you!

P. 0880 348 888 or contact your local Total Fitouts office.