Producing a Timeless Classic

The start of 2019 has been a busy period for the abs group, but we’re not complaining, far from it, as we enter the fourth month of the calendar year our processes effectively showcase our ability to produce timeless, classic work for our highly valued clients through our expert services.

Thus, our latest work has included winning a bid at Classic House for a CAT A transformation for none other than London Property Magnate. The project requirements included a connection to be built from one building to the other, creating a link between the door buildings on the third floor in addition to a staircase refurbishment.

Within the same building, Prezzo has premises that they requested to be refurbished after viewing our work. Prezzo asked us to carry out the work on their offices in the building, which ultimately branched out to a CAT B fit-out, which included an acoustic meeting space.

The works completed by our expert team were appreciated so much by the company, that we were asked to finalise the job by creating a Roof Terrace for the building for all to enjoy.

Through a workplace and property appraisal, we were able to develop a plan and strategy to revive the current working environment and make better use of the current structure to introduce new, improved facilities and eventually expand their workforce.

The abs group were only too pleased to provide Design, Planning and Fit Out of such works. Our professionalism and workmanship have essentially lead to the modernisation, renovation & refurbishment of the existing premises to allow the integration of new and effective business connection.

Furthermore, an office refurbishment is a great idea to reassess your working environment and identify key issues that lead to a better future for all concerned, from team members to clients. It also eradicates the need to move premises.

The abs group can assist you and help you to assess your building for improvements, much like the case study above.

With extensive experience in occupied refurbishment projects, as office refurbishment contractors, we know that your staff cannot be disrupted, so our team will work alongside you to develop a suitable outcome. Our duty to health and safety also ensures we can work in and around your workforce if necessary.

Now is the time to call abs group on 01245 360060 to discuss your project and allow us to produce the timeless classic you require.

Ensure Your Fish & Chip Shop Is The Plaice To Be!

Whether the specials consist of a battered sausage, chips in newspaper or a nice piece of fresh fish, abs Group has a great deal of success partnering with Fish and Chip facilities – we’re able to transform your establishment and make it ‘the plaice’ to come and taste England’s most famous and well loved delicacy!

We are the leading specialist in refurbishment of Fish and Chip shops in the South East of England and offer a completely bespoke service, to fit to customer requirements and find the perfect solution for all your catering needs.

From the beginning we’re able to walk you through every stage of the process to make sure that your preparation, cooking and serving areas work well for you and your customers, while meeting on budget every time.

Our extensive knowledge of fitting out Fish and Chip shops and fast food premises means that we understand the specific requirements and challenges faced in this specific industry. We have taken the time to cultivate relationships with other partners, which allows us to offer you, the best quality products, fitted to the highest standard, at the right cost.

To carve out an excellent reputation for your Fish and Chip shop and maintain a community leading customer response, it is important to have clever space-saving solutions, health, safety and hygiene objectives fully fulfilled in addition to your overall eye-catching shop design.

We’re proud to present a case study on a recent job we have had the pleasure of working on:

Fish and Chip chain, Churchills, called upon our professional service, which involved the refurbishment of their premises in Bar Hill, North West Cambridge. A complete re-design and refit of the shop was undertaken, including all cooking and serving equipment required for the facility.

Thus, your equipment and fittings need to be able to withstand heavy use in a potentially hazardous environment. We use only the highest quality materials and products; from wall cladding to steel worktops, frying ranges to flooring, with expert design, supply and install courtesy of our qualified and dedicated shop fitters, craftsmen and engineers.

We pride ourselves on vision and honesty, with us there is complete transparency. We want you to experience the transformation of your shop in the most positive way – we know and understand the time constraints of a closure of your shop and the financial impact of that closure, so we work to the quickest achievable timescales coupled with high quality delivery.

We also offer you, a complete service:-

  • Financing
  • Project Management
  • Design and Space Planning
  • Shopfitting
  • New Furniture / Equipment
  • Move management

We can assist with helping you to finance your project, by way of introduction to financing companies that we partner with. We designate a project manager to you for the entirety of the project, this project manager will work closely with you, to deliver your tasty vision!

But don’t just take our word for it, our testimonials speak for themselves – we’re quite the catch of the day, ourselves…

“In 2014 we set out exciting new plans to re-brand all our 35 fast food stores at a fairly aggressive rate, and so I knew we would need to appoint a building contractor that we could trust. We researched long and hard to find the right company and carried out a tendering process to which the abs Group clearly stood out as competitive but also quality focused. The delivery of the projects to date have been outstanding! Nothing is ever too much trouble and the team at abs have really helped us to value engineer the projects and create a shop fit that stands out from the crowd. I would highly recommend them and in fact already have on several occasions!”— Paul Goodgame, Operations Director, The Chesterford Group

Perhaps we have left you with a taste for change? It’s time to call abs group on 01245 360060 to discuss your project today!

Autumn Interior Scenes

With the summer fast disappearing as we head into the season of Autumn, Britain will once again be riot with red, orange and yellow hues as the abundance of trees across the nation change colour and their leaves blanket the ground. Naturally, this makes for a wonderful time to explore the great outdoors, but is your indoor interior up to scratch?

The season full of colour and texture is a perfect time to consider change within your shop or office. Nothing epitomizes the change in season quite like the golden leaves falling, perhaps a change to your business interior may also be on the cards?

Cooler days and beautiful sky mornings set the scene for a business to thrive in a new professional environment. This time of year is the perfect opportunity to celebrate natural textures throughout a home or office, whether it be a complete rip-out or changing the layout of your furniture.

Just because the leaves are turning brown, doesn’t mean your business has to go down the same route. Extend the colourful season through your own creative ideas. Although if you need a helping hand, The abs Group are at your beck and call for all your interior design needs.

In addition, having more space for customers, new features and extra room to maneuver might be high on the agenda and eradicate the need to move premises as we approach a new calendar year in a few months.

The ABS Group provide an interior design and space planning service combining the creativity, flare & vision you would expect from an interior design consultancy with an extensive technical & architectural knowledge base.

We start by understanding your business, its culture, any budgetary constraints and your future requirements, to ensure your design will align with your strategy, as well as being visually pleasing. The detail and quality of information we take at this initial stage forms the foundations of your project which are vital to the end result.

As part of taking your brief, we will carry out a workplace audit and map your existing circumstances. This often helps determine the size and type of new work space you require. Sometimes this process highlights new alternatives, for example re-engineering your space and adopting new working practices within your existing property rather than moving.

If you are thinking of revamping your company’s interior design further in the Autumn season and beyond, then hiring a professional team to do the work on your business premises can be to your advantage. Here at The abs Group we visualise the space in a way that you had not thought possible before – we can be key in helping you getting the space and design you desire – call The ABS Group on 01245 360060 to discuss your project with the team today!

A Welcomed Office Refurbishment Is A Chance To Refresh

In case it’s slipped your notice, it’s ‘a bit’ hot across Britain at the moment! We’re currently experiencing a heatwave that’s been at its highest in over 40 years. But does the weather’s ambience make you a feel a little fatigued when sitting at your desk?

Unlike a summer’s holiday getaway to a warm foreign country, where you’ll no doubt be relaxing by the pool and lapping up the sun’s rays; the same cannot be said when you have to get up and go to work – without a pool to jump into.

Are you currently sitting in a cramped office that may not have air conditioning or any other mod cons? Maybe it’s time to consider your office space for the future.

Perhaps as a result, productivity in your office has been hugely impacted, or maybe your staff are literally melting from the heat at their desks? Office space can be notoriously hot and if your office isn’t equipped properly it can lead to high temperatures leaving staff hot, drained and lethargic which in turn will reduce that all important productivity.

With this in mind, The Approved Code of Practice and guidance suggests the minimum temperature in a workplace should normally be at least 16 degrees Celsius or at least 13 degrees Celsius if the work involves rigorous physical effort. However, these temperatures are not an absolute legal requirement, nonetheless employers have a duty to determine what reasonable comfort will be in their particular workplace circumstances.

Thus, The FMJ reported in 2014 that around one third of workers lose productivity due to uncomfortable office temperatures. 29% of workers estimated that they don’t work for between 10 – 30 minutes a day due to it being too hot or too cold. Around 6% of office workers felt more than 30 minutes per day was wasted where they could not work efficiently because the office temperature was not conducive to working efficiently. When these results are fully analysed it suggests that around 2% of office hours are wasted each year due to problem office temperatures.

If your company is feeling the pinch of restricted productivity, an Office refurbishment is a great idea to reassess your working environment and identify key issues that lead to a better future for all concerned.

It also eradicates the need to move premises, but having said that, sometimes moving your business is just not possible. If you’re existing business premises are tired, worn, run-down and not motivating to employees. The ABS Group can assist you with your office refurbishment and will help you to assess your building for improvements.

By inviting us to review your existing offices, we will carry out a workplace and property appraisal and develop office planning schemes that will revive the office environment and make better use of the current structure to introduce new, improved facilities and expand your workforce.

With extensive experience in occupied refurbishment projects, as office refurbishment contractors, we know that your staff cannot be disrupted, so our contracts managers will work alongside you to develop a suitable project programme. Our duty to health and safety also ensures we can work in and around your workforce if necessary.

Call The ABS Group on 01245 360060 to discuss your project today!

Are You Making The Most of Your Shop Floor Space?

Do you ever have the predicament of balancing the display of many products as possible while trying to create an orderly, well-organised shop that still gives the impression of space? Well, you’re not alone.

Here at The abs Group we’re able to  provide an interior design and space planning service combining the creativity, flare & vision you would expect from an interior design consultancy with an extensive technical & architectural knowledge base – we have achieved the desired result for many of our clients!

One of the first considerations you should take into account when it comes to the layout of your shop is the floor dimensions, as well as the size of your shelving, customer engagement and strategic product placement all coming into effect later on.

As the old age saying goes; fail to prepare, prepare to fail. Thus, taking the time to plan will give you the opportunity to explore different shop layouts and find the right balance between making the most of your floor space and enhancing your customer’s overall experience when they visit you in store.

When the customer does visit your premises, you want them to be attracted to identify items quickly that catch their eyes. In addition. using versatile retail shelving and fittings will give you more freedom to change your displays and freshen up the shop layout every so often. This approach essentially helps you make the most of your available floor and wall space, while saving valuable customer time.

Other important factors to consider within your shop are the following:

  • Use lighting to illuminate space – lighting systems add variety and bring forgotten parts of your store to back to life.
  • Keep everything neat and tidy but avoid crowding products too closely together as it can make the space look cramped.
  • Painting one wall a bright, bold colour not only adds visual appeal to your store, but it can also make it appear larger – this effectively acts like a feature wall you would find in a modern home.
  • One of the oldest shopfitting tricks in the book is to place mirrors opposite windows and by other sources of natural light. This will reflect light around the shop and help to create the illusion of space.
  • Displaying items on various levels maximises space and can enhance the visual appeal of your store.

It can often be difficult to implement the above information in a short space of time for many busy business owners, not only are The abs Group able to make the most of your shop floor space we are the experts when it comes to design strategy. The detail and quality of information we take at this initial stage forms the foundations of your project which are vital to the end result.

As part of taking your brief, we will carry out a workplace audit and map your existing circumstances. This often helps determine the size and type of what you require. Sometimes this process highlights new alternatives, for example re-engineering your space and adopting new working practices within your existing property rather than moving.

To learn more information about our services, please call The ABS Group on 01245 360060 to discuss your project today!

Combine Creativity, Flare & Vision With ABS!

From a business point of view, it’s always a good idea to combine creativity, flare and vision. We all want our premises to be welcoming and memorable, whether that be an office space or a shop floor. It’s all about impressing the customer/client as soon as they walk through the door, first impressions count for a lot after all!

From time to time we may consider a change and want to get a team of professionals to do it all for us, perhaps getting the old team from Changing Rooms back together with Carol ‘Smiley’ Smiley may be a bit of a hard task – it’s safe to say we want our business looking the bee’s knees without Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen’s ‘touch.’

It’s only human nature to give the impression you’ve forked out for the pleasure, whether that is fact or fiction. Nevertheless, here’s how to get started on that new modern feel for your company, while saving on those pennies…

Before you even think about coming up with new ideas, the old saying of out with the old and in with the new needs to be preserved. You can do this by decluttering the areas you want to renovate, the primary function of a room takes priority over anything else – plan the necessities and work around them.

Once you have the dreaded decluttering process down to a tee, it’s time to to think about igniting inspiration into your home once more! Picking the right colour schemes on your colour chart is important, as well as combining this with fabric samples and photographs to give that warm welcoming feeling to those who are interested in your product and/or service.

If your premises is within a small space, less is often more. The worst thing you can do is overfill the office or shop floor with statement furniture and then not actually be able get access to what a customer really visited for, without climbing over a few things first including the people you work with… Perhaps buy one piece of furniture that you love and maximise its potential for future years to come.

The ABS Group provide an interior design and space planning service combining the creativity, flare & vision you would expect from an interior design consultancy with an extensive technical & architectural knowledge base. We have carefully chosen our design team from a broad range of backgrounds so that we can operate effectively across a variety of sectors.

Some clients simply require us to come up with a design package for a tender, while others fully outsource the entire transformation process, including tendering and project management.

We start by understanding your business, its culture, any budgetary constraints and your future requirements, to ensure your design will align with your strategy, as well as being visually pleasing. The detail and quality of information we take at this initial stage forms the foundations of your project which are vital to the end result.

As part of taking your brief, we will carry out a workplace audit and map your existing circumstances. This often helps determine the size and type of new work space you require. Sometimes this process highlights new alternatives, for example re-engineering your space and adopting new working practices within your existing property rather than moving.

Call The ABS Group on 01245 360060 to discuss your project today!

Set Your Sails For A New Business Horizon

Moving your company is something you may have considered for some time now, whether it be down to cheaper overheads or just relocating to a better central location amongst other reasons. However, while it might not seem an easy task of uprooting your business, there’s no doubt it cane feel like an exciting new beginning!

A new business location can be the start of new opportunities, such as growing your client base and increasing your revenue. But with it comes challenges that are worth being made aware of:

  • Studying your location ensures you know it’s the right place to start your new company chapter.
  • Avoid taking unnecessary items with you – this is a new beginning so the need for a modern feel can be just the ticket. Out with the old and in with the new as they say… Prepare in the right way by taking the essentials and anything that isn’t can be given to charity or recycled.

  • Organising business possessions/furniture early can save a lot of headaches later down the line. Supplies such as boxes, bubble wrap and packaging tape will be some handy tools as you begin the task of heading to pastures new.
  • The decision to relocate your business can impact on your staff for many work/personal reasons, make sure employees are given enough warning into the new and exciting transition for your business.

With the help of The abs Group, we can get you off and running quickly and efficiently. We have all the resources required to relocate your business. We have not only the vehicles and equipment for the job, but some of the most experienced staff to match.

We can offer sound advice from the inception of any forthcoming project. Although the actual physical move or change may be many months away, this is the best time to call for free advice and consultation, which may well have an impact on your relocation strategy and could save on overall costs.

The ABS Group can be on hand to attend planning meetings, departmental briefings, to liaise with other contractors where required, to ensure continuity and communication lines are maintained, but also to give practical advice and solutions should any unforeseen circumstances occur.

As in many aspects of life, good preparation is the key to success. Any changes to workplace environments can be a stressful time and can mean loss of productivity if not carefully planned and executed.

Whatever plans you are considering, The ABS Group offer a free consultation to assess your requirements. Our experienced staff will carefully quantify and analyse each aspect of any proposed moves or changes, working with you and your staff to formulate a strategy to minimise any disruption to your business.

Call The ABS Group on 01245 360060 to discuss your project today!

What Does Your Office Space Say About Your Company?

Like it or not, your office space design says a lot about your company and its culture within. We are highly sensitive to our environments and will unthinkingly adjust ourselves accordingly. So what do your surroundings say about you and your company?

The chances are, you’re still working in an office designed—consciously or not—to support an idea of work that came into its heyday about one hundred years ago. While it may worked in your favour in the past, when does there come a time for change to a more modern feel and fit with the current trends?

What might our work spaces look like if we did design them to support the kind of work today’s economy requires? Designing a work space for ourselves and our companies that’s both fit for purpose and authentic?

After all, the fundamental unit of production in the knowledge economy is the team – a happy team is always more productive!

The team’s space is their home base. It should foster a sense of team territory and belonging, and play a key role in orienting the individual to the team identity.

If the team is how knowledge gets created, the team’s space is where their knowledge is located. Make all surfaces writable: walls, space dividers and even tabletops. Customer-oriented teams surround themselves with the daily rituals of their customers. Creative teams saturate their spaces with inspiration. Productive teams use space to visualize workflow.

New ideas and new directions spring from serendipitous encounters and ad hoc conversations. Creativity is an iterative process, and creative spaces should be too with the addition of furniture that perfectly compliments your office environment.

Modern really is the word you’ll be looking for the most, when you consider having your office redesigned. Better still, your new furniture can be make or break as to whether your brand spanking new office is a success or a complete FAIL.

If you’re the boss, consider making your workspace a priority. You could in turn build a culture and an organization that can thrive in a knowledge and modern economy.

With this in mind, The ABS Group has a dedicated office furniture team on hand to help you to choose the right product against any aesthetic and technical needs to suit your office and will coordinate the incorporation of the products into your office environment.

Our experienced team can arrange, supply, deliver and install anything from storage, seating, workstations, conference suites and specialist items through to tailor-made designs adapted to fit. We offer efficient work space solutions, storage audits, space analysis and needs analysis to guarantee that comfort, ergonomics, functionality and form unite seamlessly with branding and workplace relationships for a more productive office work space.

If you would like to find out more information regarding our services, call The ABS Group on 01245 360060 to discuss your project today.

Effective Ways to Save Money on Your Project

Do you want to reduce the expense of building or renovating your shop fit out? The abs Group can help! Check out some simple techniques that are guaranteed to keep the process efficient and effective, as well as saving you money in the long run!

The Planning Process

You can get more value for your money by assigning a shopfitter such as The abs Group. During the initial stages of project planning, we can provide a project management service within our fit out cost. This in turn makes the most of this cost by relieving you of valuable time and unnecessary stress. In addition, we’re able to get started on the all important contractor quotes. Rather than estimating costs solely based on previous jobs.

We can also prevent any delays in the schedule, by identifying errors in design that may cause lengthy delays in obtaining permits. These documents are essential and will be certified before any building works may commence. Therefore, the earlier these are discovered the less it will impact on the timeline, if at all.

The abs Group have endless knowledge and experience within current trends and products, we also understand the pros and cons of materials and product design from a construction perspective and can provide insight on how this can assist, or affect, you and your company.

Considered a Cheaper Alternative?

Alternative products and materials can be a cheaper and practical option to consider within your fit out project. This can be crucial to cutting costs and remaining under budget. Luckily, The abs Group use the best products and materials that are cost effective to your business.

Time is Money – Consider When The Right Time is To Get Started on Your Project

A complete fit out will require the closure of your business for a period of time – also known as a ‘shutdown’. It’s important to know that a project of this calibre will take time and after all, time is money!

A proactive approach into considering the best time for your project to begin will eradicate any impact of the closure – you can base this on previous years when your business may have been a little less quieter.

You will also have to take into consideration your staff, advising them early as possible of the store’s redevelopment will encourage them to take leave during the works, further minimising outgoing costs. It’s also recommended to inform customers of a potential closure ahead of time. If possible, arrange an alternative purchasing method or location during this time. If your business provides a service, this allows time for clients to schedule their appointments around the project and are less likely to reach out to a competitive company during shutdown process.

However if you would rather not go down this route, our extensive experience in occupied projects, as contractors we understand that perhaps you don’t want staff or your customers to be disrupted, so our contracts managers can work alongside you to develop a suitable refurbishment project programme. Our duty to health and safety also ensures we can work in and around your workforce if necessary.

Alternatively, by inviting us to review your existing premises, we will carry out a workplace and property appraisal and develop planning schemes that will revive the working environment and make better use of the current structure to introduce new, improved facilities and expand your workforce – this approach may save you further money as a refurbishment can benefit you rather than a complete fit out.

Sometimes moving your business is just not possible. If you’re existing business premises are tired, worn, run-down and not motivating to employees. The ABS Group can assist you with your office refurbishment and will help you to assess your building for improvements.

If you would like to find out more information into our services at The ABS Group, you can call us on 01245 360060 to discuss your project requirements today!

The Space Planning Significance

Space planning can be incredibly beneficial in terms of your building’s interior design, planning your extra space requirement can make a big difference to business premises. The detail and quality of information we take in the early stages forms the foundations of your project which are vital to the end result.

The significance of space planning starts by understanding all factors from your business, culture, budgets and future requirements. This approach ensures your design will align with your strategy, as well as being visually easy on the eye.

We maximise the utilisation of all available space in the efficient and effective manner according to our client’s special needs and requirements. If we look at them from a financial perspective, it is evident that space is one of the most valuable assets for any company.

Our team of experts at The ABS Group can utilise the space you have in the best and most practical or stylish way possible within your commercial building or offices.

Included in the project brief, will be an audit on your workplace, taking into consideration your existing circumstances. This often helps determine the size and type of the new work space you require.

The process of a scaled floor plan will enable you to determine the right sizes of furniture to purchase, and where to put any existing pieces that you already have. It can also sometimes highlight new alternatives, for example re-engineering your space and adopting new working practices within your existing property.

With this in mind, it’s best to hire experience and skilled professionals, who are proven within the area of providing such services for many years. A small space can be managed efficiently in numerous ways or layouts with our help, whilst a large space can be mismanaged without the relevant expertise.

We are able to design and build entire projects from conception through to completion and provide architectural, interior design and project management skills independently, or as part of an integrated service.

The design team that will carry out your project, come from a broad range of backgrounds so that we can operate effectively across a variety of sectors. The ABS Group provide a space planning service as well as many intriguing interior intelligence. We are able to combine the creativity, flare & vision you would expect from an interior design consultancy with an extensive technical & architectural knowledge base.

If you would like to find out more information regarding our services into space planning or interior design, call The ABS Group on 01245 360060 to discuss your project today.