Need to refurbish a commercial building, but can’t simply close the doors while the work is done? It’s a common challenge for hotels, retail sites, offices, universities and public buildings where day-to-day operations still need to continue throughout the project.

The good news is that refurbishment and construction work can often be carried out while a building remains live. The important part is making sure the project is planned around the people using the building from the very beginning.

Understand how the building is used

Before the programme is put together, you need to understand how the building actually works day to day. When is it busiest? Which entrances and routes need to stay open? Where can materials be stored, and how will deliveries and waste be managed?

These details can have a big impact once work starts. Getting them clear early means the construction work can be planned around normal operations, rather than constantly having the two competing for the same space.

Consider whether the work can be phased

You don’t always need to take an entire building out of use at once. On larger refurbishment projects, work can often be phased so that one area is completed and handed back before the team moves on to the next.

This can work particularly well in hotels, offices and retail environments, but it needs proper coordination. Different trades, deliveries, temporary access and material movements all need to happen in the right order, with enough flexibility in the programme to deal with changes along the way.

Think beyond noise and dust

Noise and dust are usually the first things people think about when refurbishment work is taking place in an occupied building, but there is much more to consider. Staff, visitors and members of the public still need to move around safely, deliveries cannot block important access points and construction areas need to remain properly separated.

Good communication makes a big difference too. Keeping everyone informed about where work is taking place, which areas are affected and what is coming next can prevent a lot of unnecessary disruption.

Be prepared for the unexpected

Anyone who works with existing buildings knows that they can throw up surprises once work gets underway. Opening up a wall, floor or ceiling can reveal previous alterations, hidden defects or existing conditions that were not obvious during the initial stages.

This is why some flexibility needs to be built into the programme. If something unexpected is uncovered, the client should understand what has been found, how it can be resolved and what it means for the cost and timescale before the project moves forward.

Experience on live sites matters

Working in an occupied building isn’t only about completing the physical construction work. The contractor also needs to understand how to sequence the project, manage access and keep disruption under control while everything else continues around them.

At Tower Park in Poole, VDL Southern carried out demolition, groundworks, drainage, brickwork and carpentry while the retail park remained open to the public. At Pennyhill Park Hotel in Berkshire, demolition, temporary works and structural installations were delivered within a live hospitality environment, with careful controls around noise, dust and access.

They are two very different sites, but the same principle applies. The construction programme has to work around the site, not the other way around.