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6 Beneficial Questions – Part 4 – Insurance

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Insurance is something everyone needs in all walks of life……car insurance, home and contents insurance and even life insurance are things we just have in our lives without thinking about them too much.

But make sure you stop to think about the insurances that are required for someone to start work on your site.

Public Liability and Profesmusional Indemnity insurance are things your design and construct company should be able to give you without any questions asked.

By making sure the correct insurances are in place and current you will save yourself a lot of headaches should an unfortunate accident (whether it be big or small) happen during the construction of your new clinic?

6 Beneficial Questions – Part 3 – Timelines

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Timelines are key when it comes to new fit outs and you need to be sure the information you are getting is correct (and not being fed to you in order to secure a signature on a contract!).

Whether you have negotiated a lease-free period for your new tenancy or you need to be out of your current tenancy by a certain date it is very important that you and your staff can make a smooth transition from one tenancy to the other with minimal disruption.

Ask for a general timeline on projects similar to yours and if this seems unreasonable don’t be afraid to ask for previous client details in order to get references on efficiency.

6 Beneficial Questions – Part 2 – Experience

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Along with being capable of putting together the perfect fit out for you experience is another major factor when choosing a design and construct company for your new medical, dental or veterinary clinic.

Find out how long they have been established for and become familiar with their story.

The last thing you want is to appoint a company that has only been in the game for 5 minutes.

Experience is extremely important not only for knowledge of current products and standards but over time, like everything, we learn from our mistakes and therefore by selecting a company that has been working within the industry for a number of years you can rest assured that they have most likely come across most possible site problems and already have ways of addressing and solving them before it becomes a timeframe issue.

Not Your Average Laundromats by Yellowtrace

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Who thought doing the laundry could be this much fun! https://www.yellowtrace.com.au/not-your-average-laundromats-retail-hospitality-interior-design/
Not Your Average Laundromats.

VOC’s and You

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Volatile Organic Compounds or VOC’s are a scary thought in any establishment but they are something we need to avoid like the plague when it comes to using them within a healthcare environment.

 

VOC’s are dangerous chemicals found in many coatings and paints that are released into the air through reaching boiling point. Now the thought of paint reaching boiling point seems quite impossible in day to day life and therefore nothing to worry about right? Wrong………unfortunately these nasty VOC’s can reach boiling point at room temperature and therefore having them within an environment where 80% of the people have compromised immune systems is a big no no.

 

Luckily most of the big brand paint and coatings companies these days are VOC free but it is always worth checking this with your fit out company before any works take place.

The Importance of Security

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The safety of your staff and patients should be your number one priority so making sure you set aside enough time to go through the best security options for your clinic during the initial design stage is imperative.

 

We are seeing a drastic shift in security these days in which many people are going away from the traditional lock and key solution and moving into digital technology.

 

While it is important to make sure bad things can’t just waltz into our buildings it is just as (or if not more) important that we put systems in place that ensure exiting in an emergency is as swift as possible.

 

By using software and swipe cards in place of a traditional key you are able to configure locks, manage access rights and assign schedules meaning we no longer have to worry about replacing locks when keys are lost or stolen and have complete control of the access to your building anytime, anywhere.

 

One question we get asked a lot when it comes to digital security is ‘but what happens when it fails?’. We understand that this is a legitimate concern and the thought of being locked up inside a building because of a malfunction can be a scary thought but rest assured that most digital security systems are set up to automatically default to unlock should anything out of the ordinary happen. This means easy egress for everyone inside the building.

 

Of course there are lots of options to be considered and this is where speaking with an experienced security rep is imperative.

 

You can’t put a price on piece of mind and by making sure you go through the options thoroughly you are ensuring the safety of the most important people to your business.

6 Beneficial Questions – Part 1 – Examples

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When you sit down for your first meeting one of the most important things that need to be discussed before you start getting down to the nitty-gritty is are the design and construct team you are talking to capable of doing your project?

This may seem like a silly thing to discuss considering you have gone to a design and construct company and they should know what they are doing right? But it is not always that straight forward.

It is very important that you see examples of previous projects and make sure they have completed or are capable of designing fit outs similar to what you envisage for your medical, dental or veterinary clinic.

Not only will this give you the piece of mind that you are dealing with healthcare professionals that can deliver what they promise but by looking at past projects you may pick up some nifty ideas for your own upcoming fit out!

Take a Look Down

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One thing we find to be overlooked by clients when purchasing a new tenancy are the underground services and what work may need to be done before construction can take place.

 

Although invisible, underground services such as electrical, gas, sewerage and water are extremely important and certain steps need to be taken in order to make sure it is ok to start construction. This includes making other tenants in the building and utility companies aware that works will be taking place and some interruptions may be in the pipeline.

 

By ruling out any hazards and potential safety issues early it will save a lot of headaches down the track if the floor needs to be accessed.

6 Beneficial Questions

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There are some very simple questions that you should ask your design and construct company before appointing them to take on your new medical, dental or veterinary clinic.

Some things you may want to cover in your initial meeting are:

Examples

– How many projects have they done in the past that are of a similar nature to what you are after?

Experience

– How long have they been in the game for

Timelines

– How long do they envisage your project will take to complete and do you think this is a reasonable timeframe

Insurance

– Are all the required insurances available for your viewing and up to date

Payment Terms

– How often should you be expecting invoices


Schedule of Works

– If appointed will they be able to provide you with a detailed schedule of works in order for you to follow your projects progression

Follow our 6 part series over the coming weeks to find out which questions will ensure you get exactly what you want when designing your new clinic.