Hotel FF&E Installation 101 (Part 2): Preparing for Success
As we mentioned in part one of this blog series, FF&E installation is a critical part of your hotel’s new construction. Since proper preparation plays a large role in making the installation of FF&E go smoothly, it’s a good investment of time to take the necessary steps to prepare. In this post, you’ll learn how hotel owners and developers can get ready for the installation phase of FF&E to ensure the success of their new construction.
Scheduling Deliveries
Scheduling is a big part of FF&E installation preparations. A significant negative ripple effect can occur if the schedule suffers from interruptions or delays, much like knocking over that first domino. Some disruptions are unavoidable, but many are avoidable. Therefore, an important step to take is to ensure an active, responsive, and experienced procurement provider will be involved in installation schedule communications. Good FF&E providers will also partner well with the contractor and align product delivery dates effectively with GC deliverables.
Preparing the Installer
Your FF&E installer should be well-prepared before any installations begin. This means getting them acquainted with your manufacturers and setting up the expectations for communication between them and your contractor. For the hotel project to be successful, everyone must work as a team. An experienced independent FF&E installer will know exactly how to do this and will ask the right questions along the way so they are well-prepared before they begin.
Back-Up Plans
Things happen, and it can get messy if everyone isn’t kept up-to-date on the day-to-day changes on-site. The installation team needs to be aware if the construction schedule has changed, as that could change truck accessibility, elevator usability, and even back-up storage considerations.
A good installation team prepares back-up plans for the unexpected so your new hotel construction project experiences the impacts of delays and disruptions as little as possible.
Contractor vs. Installer Contracts
Some hotel owners and developers hire their contractor to do FF&E installation instead of hiring an independent installer. The convenient part of this is that the contractor is already on-site. However, a GC may be more expensive and less experienced since installing FF&E is not their specialty.
Whether you use your contractor for installation or hire a separate installer, make sure your contracts are clear, include everything that everyone needs to get their jobs done, and include local approvals that coincide with installation plans.
Delivery and Path of Travel
Consider the path FF&E must take to get from A to B, from transit, to delivery, to movement up an elevator or through a lobby, to installation. Every aspect of this needs to be thought out ahead of time, from who is responsible for trash and disposing of packaging to how and when a main elevator, driveway, or entrance will be available for moving goods. You’ve made an investment in your FF&E, and there’s nothing worse than it getting damaged or lost because of a lack of proper planning! Also, not having a working elevator to use can add cost and delays.
It takes an experienced team to properly prepare for a successful installation. At Innvision, we know about the products being installed and how to create an installation schedule that works closely with your construction team. We help hotel owners and developers prepare for the FF&E installation phase in a proactive, intelligent way. To learn more about how Innvision can make your next hotel design project a success, reach out today!
