Incoming tenants, letting agents and fit-out project managers taking on a new commercial unit
Getting existing floors ready before a new fit-out begins
A handover date is a narrow window to assess and clean existing floors before contractors, furniture or new staff arrive.
When a new lease starts, the existing floor coverings are rarely mentioned in the handover paperwork beyond a dilapidations note. Carpet tiles left by a previous occupier, stone entrance floors dulled by years of footfall, or vinyl marked with old furniture indents are all inherited as-is.
Before fit-out trades move plant and materials through the space, it's worth knowing whether the existing floor can be cleaned and kept, or whether it genuinely needs replacing. That decision affects budget as much as it affects the finished look.
We assess what's there, clean a test area if useful, and give you a straight answer on what's salvageable before trades start work on top of it.
- On-site assessment of existing carpet, stone or vinyl before fit-out starts
- Test-patch cleaning so you can judge results before committing
- Protection recommendations if floors are being kept through the fit-out
- Quoted on floor area and access, not a fixed rate
- Independent of the fit-out contractor, reporting directly to you
Assessing what you've actually inherited
Previous occupiers rarely leave floors in the condition described in marketing photos. We look at wear patterns, staining, and whether damage is surface-level soiling or something more structural like carpet backing failure.
Stone and vinyl floors in reception areas often just need a proper clean and reseal rather than replacement.
Deciding between clean and replace
If carpet tiles are structurally sound but soiled, cleaning is usually far cheaper than a full retile and can be done before fit-out trades arrive.
Where wear is uneven or backing has delaminated, no amount of cleaning will fix that — we'll tell you plainly rather than clean something that won't hold up.
Protecting cleaned floors through the build
If floors are cleaned before other trades move in, temporary protection boards or film over walkways reduce the risk of undoing the work.
We can advise on protection but don't supply or fit hoarding materials ourselves — that's usually arranged through your fit-out contractor.
- Protection over main walkways
- Covering during wet trades (plastering, painting)
- Re-clean after fit-out completion if needed
Fitting around the handover timetable
Handover dates and fit-out programmes are usually fixed, so we work to your timetable rather than the other way round, including early morning or weekend access where the building allows it.
The short version
- • Existing floors are assessed honestly before fit-out work begins.
- • Cleaning is quoted on area and access, the same as any commercial job.
- • We can time work to fit around a fixed handover programme.
Questions we get asked
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Get the existing floors assessed before your fit-out programme locks in.