Tell HN: Our renovation on a budget
1. Our budget didn't go nearly as far as I thought it would. The landlord gave us $38/ft for a 4100 sq ft space. After talking to architecture firms, I learned we would need twice as much to make it worth their time.
2. Moving in pre-renovation was the smartest thing we did. We negotiated our lease to allow us to occupy immediately, stay throughout the renovation, and pay half-rent for the first six months. This time spent working together made our design better.
3. Don't assume your urban office has good network access. When we moved in, the building only had DSL. It took Comcast three months to deliver a copper drop. Luckily, a local ISP got us a microwave link in two weeks.
4. Bathrooms are underrated. Your money can go much further in a 60 sq ft bathroom than in a 1000 sq ft work floor, and people will thank you for it.
5. A/C: Lots to think about here. Did the space have ample cooling power? Would we have a server room, and did that room have its own thermostat/HVAC zone? Would we need A/C outside normal business hours? We got lucky on HVAC: The building has independent systems for each tenant, so we didn't have to pay the high nighttime fees.
6. Carpet isn't evil. I was afraid carpet would make the space look dated. But as time went on, it became clear that carpet was the right choice for flooring. It's great at sound insulation, and it conceals imperfections in the floor that would otherwise look atrocious underneath a reflective surface like vinyl or wood.
I have a lot more info to share that I couldn't here due to the character limit. Just ask.