CASE STUDY · MANCHESTER
An opening date conflicts with lead times.
Office refurbishment · Procurement Strategy · Construction Coordination
The situation
An office refurbishment in Manchester came to us with an intended opening date but outstanding decisions on specialist equipment and bespoke joinery. The programme assumed that these items would be available immediately after selection.
What we did
We mapped the decisions, approvals and supplier lead times against the opening target. Our team compared standard alternatives, phased occupation and a revised opening date, while identifying what the appointed team considered essential for safe, functional occupation.
Our recommendation and the trade-offs
We explained that a partial opening could support some operational needs but would also introduce separation requirements and later disruption. Delaying the opening was another option to assess, rather than disguising the pressure in an unrealistic programme.
What we made clear
Our recommendation was to make procurement decisions against current supplier information and agreed responsibilities. An early programme is a planning tool, not a guarantee of delivery, and we kept that distinction clear.