Changing the Use of a Mezzanine Floor
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Having been in the industry for over 25 years and installed hundreds of mezzanine floors, at Cubex Contracts we appreciate that a new mezzanine can be a big investment for your business. Yes, it is a cheaper (and simpler!) solution than relocating your entire business, but it remains an investment never-the-less. So wouldn’t it be good if you could adapt that investment to accommodate changing business needs? Well good news, you can! You can change the use of an existing mezzanine floor to better suit business demands in 2022 and beyond!
If the last few years have taught us anything, it’s that our ways of working and business demands can change in an instant – and change again. Whether you’re looking to reduce the size of your existing mezzanine due to a change in workplace demand or perhaps you need to increase its size for additional storage or production areas, Cubex can deliver the solution.
What do we need to consider?
When it comes to installing a new mezzanine floor, we look at two very important factors to ensure your bespoke mezzanine meets your specific needs:
- How can a new mezzanine installation accommodate our client’s usage requirements?
- How will a bespoke mezzanine floor work best within the existing infrastructure of our client’s premises?
And when it comes to changing the use of an existing mezzanine, we look at two very similar factors:
- What is the new purpose of the mezzanine floor going to be?
- What is required to ensure the new design of the mezzanine continues to adhere to building regulations?
The Purpose
Similarly to installing a new mezzanine floor, it’s important to understand exactly what your new space will be used for when changing the use of an existing mezz. We often see clients wanting to expand their storage space to house additional stock, increase their production areas to accommodate growing business demand or create new office spaces and meeting areas to support additional business operations; we partner with our clients to transform their workplace and when change comes knocking again, we’ll be there!
Building Regulations
Although building regulations have not changed significantly within the last few years, they are still a key element to consider as part of a workplace refurb. Time and time again we partner with new clients whose existing mezzanine structures lack specific design calculations and/or drawings. In these situations, it’s not uncommon for there to be an absence of approval for building regulations and other key safety features. And this needs rectifying… pronto!
When installing a new mezzanine, building regulation approval is required in all cases. If however you changing the use of an existing mezzanine, depending upon the overall scope of works, it is likely your project will require building regulation approval, but that’s not to say that it definitely will.
Don’t worry, Cubex Contracts will advise you accordingly to remove any confusion. In the meantime, as a general rule of thumb when changing the use of a mezzanine floor, you must have building regulation approval if:
- the means of escape in the event of a fire or other hazardous occasion for both the people on the floor and those under it are affected
- there are changes to the structure of the building
- your refurbishment makes any changes to the number of toilet facilities, insulation or compartmentation of the building
If building regs are not adhered to then there is the potential that should an incident occur, the lives of individuals could be at risk and as a business owner and/or landlord of the premises, you could be held culpable. Also, your local council has the right to enforce the removal of the works previously undertaken in order to return the building back to its original structure (at your expense!), in addition to sending you a hefty fine.
This might sound like it could cause you a real headache, but there is no need to panic because Cubex are here to help! Once appointed, we’ll administer the building regulation application on your behalf – what a result!
Don’t just take our word for it…
Cubex Contracts can help with all of the necessary adjustments and fit-out that converting a mezzanine may require, including the initial design concept right through to the finishing touches. Here’s what one of our customers had to say after they partnered with Cubex:
“Many thanks to Cubex Contracts for your help with making some alterations to our existing mezzanine floor – we now have a larger mezzanine area with the addition of a meeting room and additional office space that has been fitted out to match our existing offices. The project was completed in a week and was installed in a quick and efficient manner. From my first contact with Cubex, every member of their team was professional and helpful, making the overall project an easy and stress-free experience. The result is that we now have greater room to house personnel as well as a central meeting space for our other regional offices.”
Andy Johnstone
Northern Commercials (Depot Manager Northampton)
Helping your vision become reality
Perhaps you are unsure about the process of changing the use of your mezz and are just looking for some advice this stage, or maybe you want a site survey and design proposal putting together to help your vision come to life, here at Cubex Contracts we love creating space for businesses to grow, helping clients realise the best possible potential from one of their most expensive assets… their premises! And converting an existing mezzanine floor is a really easy way to realise those possibilities.
From the need to the solution, we’re in it for the duration, and if we’ve learned one thing over the last 25 years it’s that our clients have a problem to solve:
- More space
- Less space
- Reconfiguration
- Adaptation
The triggers vary, but our clients generally have the same things in common:
- They’re not planners, designers, builders, installers or project managers.
- Timescales are often tight and disruption needs to be kept to a minimum.
- They know what result they want, but don’t know how to achieve it.
- Results are often intangible (better staff collaboration, better use of space, happier workplace).
If you’d like to discuss how changing the use of your mezzanine floor could benefit your business, get in touch with Cubex Contracts today. You can call us on 01933 460422 or just click here to email us.