Common Pitfalls

THE MARIS METHODOLOGY:

THE “PRE-MORTEM”

We recommend conducting a “Pre-Mortem” workshop early in the process. Ask your team: It is six months after the move and the project has failed. Why?
Here are the three most common causes of failure we identify in this process:

1. The Reactive Trap – Moving without a strategy is the most dangerous pitfall.

The Error: Making decisions based on “knee-jerk reactions to symptoms” such as a sudden rent hike or a lease expiry, without considering the wider business goals.

The Consequence: You end up in a building that is cheaper but in the wrong location for your talent, leading to attrition.

2. The Disconnected Timeline – Treating the lease and the fit-out as separate workstreams.

The Error: Signing a lease without having a fit-out partner review the technical constraints.

The Consequence: Discovering too late that the “landlord works” are delayed, or that the “Licence to Alter” takes 8 weeks longer than expected. This causes “programme drift” and forces you to pay double rent (on the old and new office simultaneously).

3. The “Soft” Failure (Change Management) – Ignoring the human element.

The Error: Assuming that if you build a beautiful office, people will automatically like it.

The Consequence: “Internal fatigue” and resistance. If you don’t manage the transition, staff may view the move as an imposition rather than an upgrade.

THE CFO’S CORNER:

FINANCIAL BLIND SPOTS

Budgets often fail because they are too narrow. They focus on the rent and the construction but miss the hidden liabilities.

“Dilapidations” is the most frequently overlooked cost.

The Risk: Your old lease likely carries an obligation to return the space to its original condition.

The Strategy: As advised in the guide, “Commission a dilapidations survey 9–12 months before lease expiry”. Do not wait until you hand back the keys.

The “Scope Creep” Tax Changes cost money.

The Risk: “Unchecked client-side changes mid-build inflate cost fast”. Deciding to move a wall after it has been built is ten times more expensive than moving a line on a drawing.

The Strategy: Lock the design at the end of Phase 5 (Technical Design). Implement a strict change control process thereafter.

MARIS TOOLS:

THE “RED FLAG” CHECKLIST

Use this list to audit your project health. If you recognise these symptoms, pause and recalibrate.

The “Gut Feel” Decision: Are you choosing a location because of executive preference rather than “data, occupancy audits or employee feedback”?

The Rushed Brief: Are you rushing to design without defining the “Why”?

The Late Engagement: Are you leaving landlord negotiations until the last minute? “Lack of alignment between landlords and contractors on approvals can cause weeks of delay”.

The Hidden IT Cost: Have you budgeted for the physical migration of servers and the new AV hardware, or just the furniture?