Managing The Live Environment

THE MARIS METHODOLOGY:

THE “CHECKERBOARD” STRATEGY

At Maris, we treat the “Live Environment” as a military operation. Our methodology relies on rigorous segregation and precise scheduling to ensure your business never stops.

1. The Phasing Strategy (The Tetris Game)
We rarely refurbish an occupied floor in one go. We use a phased approach.

• Buffer Zones: We create an empty “buffer zone” (usually 10-15% of the floor).
• The Decant: We move a specific team into this “Swing Space.”
• The Build: We hoard off Zone A (floor-to ceiling acoustic barriers) and refurbish it.
• The Rotate: Once Zone A is complete, the team moves back in, and we attack Zone B.
• The Maris Standard: We maintain a “sterile corridor” for contractors, ensuring builders never use the same lifts or toilets as your staff.

2. The “Silent Works” Protocol
Construction is noisy. Business is quiet. We bridge this gap with a strict schedule.

• Noisy Works Restrictions: Demolition and drilling into the slab are restricted to 07:00–09:00 or 18:00–21:00.
• The “Stop Work” Button: We give the Client Project Lead the power to halt works immediately if a critical client meeting is disturbed.

3. Dust & Data Protection

Dust is the enemy of servers.

• Air Pressure: We use “Negative Air Pressure” in the construction zone to ensure that when a door is opened, air is sucked in to the site, not blown out into your office.
• Sticky Mats: Placed at every hoarding exit to trap dust from boots.

THE CFO’S CORNER:

THE COST OF CONTINUITY

Refurbishing in occupation is almost always cheaper than relocating, but it does carry specific premiums that must be budgeted for.

The “Out of Hours” (OOH) Premium:
To keep the office quiet during the day, much of the work must happen at night or on weekends.

• The Cost: Labour rates for OOH work are typically 1.5x to 2x the standard rate.
• The Trade-off: While this increases the construction line item, it protects revenue. If your trading floor goes down for an hour due to noise, the cost far outweighs the premium paid to a carpenter.

The Programme Extension:
Phasing extends the timeline. Refurbishing a 10,000 sq ft floor might take 12 weeks if empty, but 18 weeks if done in three phases.

• Strategic Advice: Calculate the cost of the extended programme (longer prelims, site management fees) against the cost of renting external swing space. Often, renting a WeWork for 3 months to clear the floor is cheaper than dragging the programme out for 6 months.

Maris Tools:

The Business Continuity Checklist

Before works commence, agree on these protocols with your Maris Site Manager.

• The “Red Dates”: Are there board meetings or investor visits where absolute silence is required? (Mark these in the site diary now).
• The Server Room: Has the IT Director signed off the dust protection plan for the server room vents?
• Access Routes: Have we designated a “Contractor Entrance” and goods lift schedule to avoid builders waiting in the client reception?
• Emergency Exits: As hoardings move, fire escape routes change. Are these clearly signposted daily?
• The “Swing” Capacity: Do we have enough desks in the temporary zone, or do we need to implement a mandatory “Work From Home” rotation for the displaced team?