Seddon Plant & Engineering
Providing equipment to the construction industry and catering to both the elevated trade and commercial landscaping sectors, Seddon Plant and Engineers sought a modern space that would be highly functional for the team.
Having overseen the construction of the tax consultancy business Qdos’ new headquarters in Leicester, operations director Nicole Slowey was tasked with ensuring the premises fit out matched the brand values, style, and high bar for quality. Consequently, we were brought in to provide the furniture and final finishes for the office fit out.
Project Type - New office fit out
Sector - Finance
Project Turnaround - 4 weeks
Project Size - 3,000 sq ft
Heading up the project on behalf of Qdos, Nicole was a self-proclaimed novice at projects of this scope and calibre, so it was important we talked her through every step of the process, ensuring she felt involved and confident that every decision made was right for the company. We would ask questions throughout to gain a thorough understanding of how Qdos wanted the new space to look and feel to help inspire a unique, tailored design. This would help us to create a design that would be unique to the brand, the space and the needs of the team.
With this project happening during the height of the pandemic restrictions, we had to get creative to ensure Nicole and the rest of the Qdos team felt connected to the project throughout. Even in challenging conditions, we made sure that the client came first. With restrictions preventing warehouse visits, we sent Nicole test samples of chairs, soundboards and desk finishes before decisions were made. In all, this kept Nicole at the heart of the project and allowed us to work to around her timescale demands.
Working with a beautiful new build blank canvas, with a pitched roof in the upstairs office space, we endeavoured to bring a splash of colour and liveliness to the scheme whilst staying true to the branding and values of Qdos.
We drafted designs that complimented the open-plan aesthetic of the new build scheme, bringing in flashes of blue and yellow – the Qdos brand colours – throughout. This allowed us to strike a balance between professional and aesthetically pleasing. Whilst the open plan aesthetic would be prominent across both floors, we also ensured there were spaces for private meeting rooms and executive office spaces.
We provided a range of high-quality office furniture including chairs, desks and monitor stands for banks of desking for staff members, as well as fitting out meeting rooms and private offices.
Strict COVID-19 restrictions and unexpected issues caused disruption to our timeline. Still, we were able to weather the problems to ensure that, for Nicole and the Qdos team, the project was completed smoothly and on time. For instance, on installation, it was discovered the monitor arms weren’t the right size. We arranged for the manufacturer to visit the site, liaising with them so that our team could then fix the issue, without having to extend the project timeline.
An unexpected construction delay also postponed the fit-out process by two weeks. For Paul, this meant quick, transparent conversations with a host of furniture suppliers to delay deliveries and reorganise timeframes to accommodate all parties.
After some expert problem-solving, the smart and stylish new scheme was completed with 64 workstations. All the furniture has been carefully hand-selected to enhance the décor and branding of the space. Chairs, desk dividers and elements of carpeting benefit from an eye-catching blue finish, with splashes of yellow coming from plant pots and comfortable armchairs which provide breakout spaces for lone working. This makes the space more flexible for a variety of working needs. The rest of the scheme is nuanced with clean whites and bright wood finishes, ensuring the space feels professional and light.
We were successful in delivering the office refit to reflect Qdos’ brand values, whilst accommodating complex timescale challenges along the way.
Nicole Slowey, operations director at Qdos said: “Paul was really conscientious to the fact we’ve never been through this before and talked us through things we hadn’t considered – sending information and asking questions. For a novice like me who’d never gone through that process before, when things don’t go to plan, he went that extra mile which was really appreciated. Everyone loves the new office. It’s much more reflective of our brand as a whole.”
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Centurion House, 129 Deansgate, Manchester, England, M3 3WR
