The first step in an office refurbishment is stripping out the existing fit-out. A strip-out also applies if you’re fulfilling your makegood obligation and your former landlord needs to prepare for a new office fit-out. So what exactly will this entail?
What does a Sydney office strip-out involve?
A Sydney office strip-out project essentially involves removing a wide range of fixtures and finishes from your workplace, such as:
– Furniture
– Joinery
– Wall finishes
and,
– Floor finishes.
If you were able to take a tour through most Sydney offices, you’d likely see plenty of carpet and carpet tiles. Indeed, these are the most common flooring options in office fit-outs. However, you’ll probably see a range of other finishes throughout lobbies, breakout rooms, kitchens, and seminar rooms, such as tiles, vinyl, stone, timber, and floating floors.
Below, we’ll take a look at some of the different floor finishes, and how exactly we go about removing them in a Sydney strip-out operation.
Different types of flooring
Broadloom carpet
Broadloom carpet is a common floor finish in offices across Sydney and the rest of the country. This kind of carpet tends to be the more traditional choice, while carpet tiles are the more modern carpet selection. However, there is a wide range of broadloom carpets to choose from.
Removing broadloom carpet can be done quickly and easily, though in large quantities you will need manpower. Large amounts of carpet are heavy once rolled up, so the biggest issue in this process is lifting and removing the carpets. Parting broadloom carpet from the floor is not difficult and can be done quickly with a small crowbar, especially once you’ve pulled up an initial section.
We’ll be able to remove your broadloom carpets quickly and efficiently, cutting pieces where required. We’ll do this efficiently while maintaining a safe approach to our work at all times. This means you can sit back and focus on other aspects of your new office, or your work!
Disposing of broadloom carpet is actually quite an eco-friendly process. This is because the carpet is highly recyclable, and there are many opportunities for reuse and repurposing. For example, old carpets are commonly used as mats, for cleaning and in gardening applications.
Smooth edge nail board
Carpets are often held down with smooth edge nail boards, which are laid along walls. These can be a little tricky to pull up, and have caused many a pricked finger! It’s best you leave this proecess to the pros, and at Sydney City Rubbish we’ll handle your carpets and nail boards with ease.
Carpet tiles
Carpet tiles are very common in offices and other business premises, for a few different reasons. They’re a very affordable option, come in many different colours and designs and installation is extremely simple.
What’s more, removing carpet tiles is also a pretty straightforward process. We use a floor scraper to remove carpet tiles quickly and easily, without damaging them. That means they’ll still be in good enough condition for reuse, if that’s the plan.
Like broadloom carpet, carpet tiles are very easy to dispose of in a sustainable manner. They can be fully reintegrated into the manufacturing process (in commercial quantities), and easily reused or sold as second-hand flooring when in good condition.
Vinyl
Vinyl is usually found in office kitchens and breakout areas, as well as bathrooms and wet areas. It’s usually glued down to concrete or a screed, using a strong adhesive. For that reason, vinyl flooring in your office can be a little more difficult to remove than carpet or other materials.
At Sydney City Rubbish, we can remove vinyl with ease, so you don’t have to. We’ll use scraping tools and blades to cut through the vinyl, removing it piece by piece. Vinyl is another material that we can ensure is disposed of in an eco-friendly manner, and not simply dumped into landfills.
Ceramic or porcelain tiles
Removing tiling from a floor is a little more difficult than removing carpet, vinyl or floating floors. It’s even more difficult to do this without damaging the tiles. However, the latter can be done if it’s performed by professionals, with the right expertise and equipment.
The tools that are often required to remove floor tiling include:
– Chisels
– Hammers
– Jackhammers
– Tile stripper
– Vaccuums
– Trowels.
What’s more, it’s so important that whoever is removing the tiles, is equipped with the right Personal Protective Equipment (PPE). Removing tiles comes with a range of risks and hazards, including dust, sharp tile chips and slip and fall injuries (to name a few).
PPE that should be worn includes:
– Dust masks
– Safety glasses
– Work boots
– Knee pads
– Safety gloves
– Durable clothing.
Our professional strip-out experts are always equipped with the necessary PPE to ensure a safe project, every single time.
Once tiles have been removed, we’ll take the waste to a certified recycling facility. Old tiles are often crushed up and used for applications such as road base or filler, or even the production of new tiles. If required and if the tiles are in good enough condition, we will remove them carefully and ensure they’re ready for re-use.
Floating floors
Floating floors are an affordable yet stylish option and will sit comfortably on top of your concrete base floor. It’s easy to install and makes maintenance and repairs far less expensive, and stress-free. These are just a few of the reasons why floating floors are so common in offices across Sydney.
We’re able to remove your floating floors carefully and swiftly, ensuring that no damage occurs to the floorboards or tiling system. Most floating floors are timber, which means they’re an eco-friendly choice of flooring. They’re also highly recyclable, which adds to their popularity in Sydney office fit-out projects.
Once we’ve removed your floor coverings…
… we can prep your concrete for installation of new floors. This will include grinding and where necessary, using an ardit leveller to ensure your base is level. Grinding will remove any leftover glue or imperfections in your floor that may have impacted the floor coverings in your office.
Once we’re done, your concrete will be ready for a fresh covering. Our sister company, Niche Projects, will work with you throughout your Sydney office fit-out to ensure that you select the best flooring options for your office, and that they are installed to perfection.
Ready for a Sydney office strip-out?
For a professional Sydney office strip-out, get in touch with Sydney City Rubbish today. We’re ready to help.
