In Situ - the office building

My heart goes pitter pat at the opportunity to walk a new building.
There is something magical about a concrete floor, exposed columns, I-beams and miles of wire hanging out like a clothes line ready for wash.

This space needs occupants, activity. We are a long way from moving people in. Our first step: field measure the space.

An office relocation requires a floor plan of the walls, columns, windows and heating ducts. Anything that takes up floor space. . Duh!
But field measuring the building for the office move is a challenge.
Taking pictures of the space, as you are work, is a great reminder.

Field measuring this is like another archeological dig.

Consistency and a methodology are good friends when gathering information.
Accurate drawings of the new office building are key to a beautifully, profitably designed office and a ultimately a successful move.

Here are 5 Steps to saving time in developing an accurate floor plan..

1. Begin with a blue print or a floor plan supplied by the building owner or sketch out your own plan first. This way you won’t miss anything in the heat of the measurements.

2. Take overall measurements of the space. The measurement should be to the (¼“) one quarter inch. No matter how long and wide the space is, have the overall number. This is not an estimate or a guess, it is a north to south and east to west measurement. The answers to these two measurements are your proof, just like in elementary school.

3. Start by measuring in one spot and working your way all around the room until you are back in the same spot.

4. Measure the wall thicknesses, locate the floor mounted heating units and other floor occupied items like “dog houses” (floor mounted utility boxes)

5. When finished, addup the individual room measurements, they should match your overall measurements. If they don’t match, analyze the information eek don't remeasure. Check for the inconsistency? Did you measure from center line or from the exterior of a column? or both?

Still not measuring up? - Check where you began your measurements.
Did you measure from wall to wall? Or from heating duct to heating duct.?
Did you begin at a window or did you begin at the wall.
Check for wall thicknesses, and column inconsistencies. One space had a double wall built, another a sheet of lead installed both for privacy. Both that increased the thickness of the wall and we lost a few inches. Sometimes columns have roof drains nestled in the i beams which makes them look the same but not measure the same.

I don’t know why, but it always seems to be a hazy, hot and humid inside the building when I’m measuring. Take your time, bring lots of water to drink and be patient. You don’t want to have to come back.

Lesson two: It is what it is!

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