The Elemental Breakdown

THE MARIS METHODOLOGY:

TOTAL PROJECT COSTING

At Maris Interiors, we do not provide loose estimates; we build precise cost plans. To achieve true cost control, we break the budget down into three distinct “pots” that must be ring-fenced early in the process:

• The Construction Pot (The Hard Costs) This covers the physical build: partition walls, ceilings, flooring and mechanical adaptations. We minimise the use of “Provisional Sums” (allowances for undefined work), defining the complete physical scope upfront so the price you see is the exact price you pay.
• The Agile Pot (The Tactile Layer)
  Furniture, Fixtures, Equipment and Audio-Visual technology frequently consume 15% – 20% of the total budget. We actively audit what existing assets can be reused. Retaining and reupholstering high-quality task chairs alone can save 15% – 20% of this specific budget line.
• The Soft Costs (Fees and Compliance)
  This details statutory approvals, building control and project management. Because we operate an integrated Design & Build model, many traditional professional fees are absorbed into our construction overhead, eliminating the expensive fee-on-fee layering typical of traditional procurement routes.

CEO’S CORNER:

THE TWO RULES OF VALUE ENGINEERING

If your initial cost plan exceeds the budget envelope, do not panic and do not blindly cut quality. Instead, apply the two golden rules of financial restructuring:

1. Target the Function, Not the Finish:

True Value Engineering is a “smart swap”. For example, swapping a highly bespoke metal pan ceiling for an exposed services aesthetic using high-performance acoustic rafts saves tens of thousands of pounds while actually increasing your floor-to-ceiling height.

1. Leverage the Tax Shield:

Capital expenditure on integral features – such as new electrical systems, modern lighting and air cooling – frequently qualifies for 100% tax relief via the annual investment allowance or full expensing mechanisms. Code your invoices correctly and let the corporate tax shield subsidise your mechanical upgrades.

MARIS TOOLS:

THE BUDGET LEAKAGE AUDIT

The most dangerous threat to your capital expenditure is not the headline construction price; it is the fragmented, invisible costs that surface mid-build. Rather than relying on a generic project checklist, we conduct a forensic audit of your tender returns to hunt down budget blind spots before you commit your capital.

The Technology Layer

What we look out for: Does the budget only cover passive data cabling or does it capture the fully functioning “active” network?

The leakage risk: Contractors often omit expensive network switches and Wi-Fi 6 points to artificially lower bids, leaving you with a massive, unbudgeted IT bill right before move-in.

The Invisible Architecture

What we look out for: Are high-performance sound baffles and acoustic rafts explicitly included in the baseline budget?

The leakage risk: Treating acoustics as an “optional extra” is a false economy. Retrofitting sound solutions later costs up
to three times more than installing them during the primary build.

The Operational Premium

What we look out for: Have the correct labour rates been applied based on the landlord’s strict building management rules for noisy works and access?

The leakage risk: If building management mandates that heavy drilling must occur at night or over the weekend, these premium out-of-hours rates will instantly blow through a standard daytime budget.