The office remodeling approach that prioritizes function over photos

Your lease renewal is coming up, and the office feels increasingly outdated. Employees complain about inadequate meeting spaces and layouts that no longer support hybrid work patterns. Leadership agrees renovation makes sense, but nobody knows where to start.

Should you do a quick cosmetic refresh or commit to major remodeling? How do you keep the business running during construction? What technology infrastructure needs planning now versus what can be added later?

Office remodeling decisions affect daily operations for years. The difference between renovation success and expensive failure comes down to understanding what type of project you actually need and planning the details that matter before construction starts.

What is office remodeling and when does each office renovation approach make sense

Office remodeling projects fall into three categories, and understanding the differences helps you choose the right scope for your needs.

1. Office renovation (cosmetic refresh)

Office renovations update a space’s appearance without major structural changes. This approach focuses on visual and surface-level improvements rather than altering the layout, making it the least invasive and most budget-friendly option.

Typical updates:

• New paint colors and wall finishes
• Updated flooring or carpeting
• Modernized lighting fixtures
• New furniture or reupholstery
• Decorative elements like art, plants, and branding graphics

Best for: Companies that want a quick, affordable refresh to improve aesthetics, boost morale, or align the office with updated branding without disrupting operations.

2. Office space renovation (functional reconfiguration)

Office space renovations improve workflow, space efficiency, and collaboration by rethinking the layout. This approach involves moderate changes to how the space is organized and used, possibly requiring minor construction upgrades.

Typical updates:

• Reconfiguring desks and workstations
• Adding collaborative zones, meeting rooms, or quiet areas
• Installing modular furniture for flexible use
• Updating electrical or IT infrastructure to support new layouts
• Enhancing acoustics or lighting to match functional needs

Best for: Teams experiencing growth, shifting work patterns like hybrid work, or inefficiencies in how their current space supports daily operations.

3. Office remodeling (full-scale transformation)

Office remodeling completely redesigns the office to align with long-term goals, brand identity, and employee needs. This is the most comprehensive and costly approach, often involving construction, and structural changes.

Typical updates:

• Rebuilding walls or changing the floor plan entirely
• Installing new HVAC, electrical, or plumbing system
• Creating dedicated zones like lounges, wellness rooms, or event spaces
• Integrating advanced technology and sustainability features
• Custom-designed furniture and fixtures

Best for: Companies undergoing major transformations such as rebranding, rapid growth, or relocating within the same building with the opportunity to redesign from the ground up.

How to remodel an office

Whether planning a full renovation of office building or a targeted refresh, design trends make terrible starting points for renovation decisions. Offices need solutions to actual problems, not Instagram-worthy spaces that frustrate everyone who works in them.

• Audit the space with data, not assumptions. Track which meeting rooms stay booked and which sit empty. Measure how many employees actually use collaborative areas versus how many avoid them.
• Survey employees about daily frustrations. What leadership assumes employees want rarely matches what actually makes their workdays easier. Specific questions about pain points reveal real renovation priorities.
• Budget based on scope and existing conditions. Cosmetic updates cost considerably less than structural changes. Older buildings require more infrastructure work than newer construction.
• Decide between phased work and full closure. Phased approaches keep parts of the office operational but extend total duration. Full closure happens faster but requires alternative workspace for everyone.

Technology infrastructure to plan during renovation

Technology infrastructure decisions made during office building renovation affect daily operations for years afterward. Treating tech as an afterthought creates expensive problems that require additional construction to fix later.

• Electrical capacity and data connectivity. Older buildings often lack sufficient power or network infrastructure for modern workplace systems. Upgrading these foundational elements during renovation costs less than retrofitting later.
• Video conferencing infrastructure. Meeting rooms need adequate power outlets, data ports, camera mounting points, and acoustic treatments built into walls and ceilings. Adding these later means visible conduits and patched drywall.
• Meeting room reservation displays. Hardwired displays outside conference rooms need power and data planned during renovation for clean installation. Joan displays attach wirelessly to any surface without requiring construction work, making them ideal for adding room booking functionality anytime.
• Sound masking systems. These improve speech privacy in open layouts and require speakers distributed throughout ceilings. Retrofitting means exposed wiring or costly ceiling work.
• Smart lighting and climate controls. Running control wiring during renovation enables features that let employees adjust their environments. Adding them afterward requires expensive electrical work through finished spaces.
• Access control and security infrastructure. Card readers, cameras, and security sensors need power and network connectivity at every access point. New entry points and reconfigured spaces require security consideration during design.

Joan technology that grows with your renovated space

Renovations change how your office looks. Coordination changes how it works. Joan brings meeting room and desk booking, visitor management, parking and asset reservation, workplace digital signage, and analytics together in one platform that works in any office layout.

Instead of managing several contracts or learning a different tool for each task, your team works with a single platform. Office teams have one point of contact, and employees only need to learn one interface.

Whether you’re in a new space or an older building with no plans to remodel, Joan adapts to what’s already there and expands as your needs evolve.

Your workplace runs more smoothly, uses space more effectively, and avoids the disruption and cost of construction. Talk to a Joan specialist to see how it could work in your office.