When fitting out and finishing an office or retail space, companies usually focus on construction costs, the quality of materials or the aesthetics of the space. Meanwhile, one of the biggest, yet often overlooked, expenses remain time. Every week of delay translates into real operational costs – from extended leases on the space currently occupied, through lost team productivity, to a delayed launch of operations at the new location. The solution lies in using the Design & Build model, where a single entity is responsible for the design and the entire implementation of the project. This solution can shorten project completion by as much as 25–30%, which for large projects translates to as much as six to eight weeks.
In the Polish context, the fit-out process – the finishing and furnishing of a given space – usually takes many months. In the traditional implementation model, the project goes through successive stages of design, tendering, contractor selection and construction work. Each stage depends on the completion of the previous one, which generates so-called ‘downtime’. In practice, this means a situation where a company moving premises is simultaneously paying for the space it currently occupies as well as preparing the new one, without yet being able to start operating there.
“Today, the question is no longer just “how much does an office cost”, but also “how quickly will the company be able to start working there”. In many cases, it is time that turns out to be the most expensive element of the entire process – management boards still very often analyse only the cost of the project itself. Meanwhile, in practice, a delayed opening of an office or commercial premises can mean greater losses than differences in the construction budget,” says Hanna Ruszkowska-Świąder, head of Design & Engineering at Tétris Poland, a part of JLL Group. “This is particularly evident in the retail and services sectors, where every week’s delay in opening translates directly into lost revenue,” she adds.
Why is it taking so long?
Tender procedures and the coordination of numerous independent entities usually take up the most time. The tender process alone can extend the schedule by as much as several weeks – from preparing documentation and collecting bids, through negotiations with contractors, so-called value engineering (searching for cheaper alternatives to reduce implementation costs), to the approval of subsequent design revisions with the designer and the final signing of contracts. Architects, contractors, furniture suppliers and IT and AV system installers operate separately, and every change requires further coordination between them.
Another problem is the late detection of design errors or the failure to verify the availability of materials before work begins. As a result, installation conflicts, the need for material changes or extended delivery times arise as early as the project implementation stage, when every correction affects the schedule and budget.
“In the traditional model, every design change requires an update to the cost estimate, which naturally delays implementation. Furthermore, contractors often only find out about long material delivery times after the tender has been completed,” says Małgorzata Wojciechowska, co-head of Pricing, Tétris Poland. “In the Design & Build model, such risks can be mitigated as early as the design stage, thanks to ongoing collaboration between the design team – the architect, designer and specialist designers – and the cost estimation department, which can verify the availability of materials and the feasibility of the delivery schedule on an ongoing basis. Designing within the set budget eliminates the need for subsequent changes resulting from cost overruns, and everyone responsible for the project works in sync from the very beginning,” says Ms Wojciechowska.
Everything in the hands of a single partner
More and more companies are therefore opting for the Design & Build approach, in which a single partner is responsible for the entire process – from design to construction and coordination of deliveries. This allows some activities to be carried out in parallel rather than sequentially. Orders for materials or equipment are placed during the design phase, and technical teams collaborate from the outset on installation coordination and scheduling.
According to market data, this model can shorten project completion by as much as 25–30 per cent, which in practice translates to a saving of six to eight weeks. From a business perspective, this means faster completion of works and an earlier return to full operational capacity for the organisation.
“The greatest value of the Design & Build model is the elimination of decision-making delays and fragmented responsibility. A single partner is responsible for both the design and the execution, meaning decisions are made faster and the risk of errors and delays is significantly reduced. In practice, hundreds of small decisions made in a single day rather than a week translate into real time savings,” says Krzysztof Poznański, commercial director, Tétris Poland.
Time is money
The importance of time is particularly evident in the case of large projects. In the project to modernise and expand 2,400m2 of office space occupied by the Polish branch of the consultancy firm JLL, the use of the Design & Build model allowed the schedule to be shortened by around six weeks. In practice, this meant reducing the costs associated with the company operating in a temporary set-up and bringing the new space into use earlier.
Timeliness is even more critical in the retail sector. Delaying a shop opening by a few weeks can mean missing out on the most profitable sales period, incurring additional marketing costs, or facing the risk of contractual penalties. In such projects, a rapid response to technical issues and the availability of alternative materials become crucial, allowing the original opening date to be maintained despite unforeseen complications.
“We encountered such a situation with a well-known Japanese clothing brand. Communication challenges arising from working with a foreign designer unfamiliar with Polish market realities meant that the opening of the brand’s first high-street store in a major Warsaw shopping centre was in doubt and could have been delayed by as much as two to three months. However, Tétris’ designers managed to find fabric substitutes of equivalent quality and coordinate the entire implementation process, thanks to which the opening took place on schedule and the tenant avoided losses amounting to millions of zlotys,” says Mr Poznański.
Design and Build
The benefits of the Design & Build model, however, go beyond the schedule itself. Companies also gain greater predictability of the process, a single point of responsibility and a simplified warranty model. This allows them to plan team relocations, the termination of existing lease agreements and communication activities related to the new location in advance. Equally important is the reduction of the risk of disputes between the designer and the contractor, which in traditional models often lead to additional delays.
Tétris is a subsidiary of JLL, a Fortune 500 company. It is a leading design-and-build firm. Its mission is to design and build vibrant spaces that inspire people to think better, work better and live better. With a global team of engineers, architects and designers, Tétris is able to provide a full range of services to meet clients’ needs, from design through to construction and the selection of furniture, fittings and equipment. Globally, since its inception in 2003, the company has expanded into 13 countries across three continents, with a team of over 820 people based in 33 offices. For more information, visit Tetris-db.com.
Tétris on social media: LinkedIn | Facebook | Instagram | YouTube
Contact: Magdalena Zawadzka, +48 885 210 916, mzawadzka@Tétris-db.com
JLL (NYSE: JLL) is a global advisory firm and leader in the commercial property market, helping clients to buy, build, lease, manage and invest in office, industrial, hotel, multi-family, retail and data centre properties. As a Fortune 500 company, it reported annual revenue of $26.1 billion as of 31 March 2026. It operates in over 80 countries worldwide, employing more than 113,000 people, and combines the strength of global know-how with local expertise. JLL has been operating in Poland for over 30 years, employing around 2,000 people across six locations. Guided by the motto “See a Brighter Way”, it shapes the future of the property market with a view to a better world, helping clients and communities. Equipped with global data sets and modern technology, it provides comprehensive property services. JLL is a brand and registered trademark of Jones Lang LaSalle Incorporated. Further information is available at jll.pl.
Warsaw Spire │ Plac Europejski 1 │ 00-844 Warsaw
JLL on social media: Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn.
Contact: Katarzyna Wiernicka-Ponikło, +48 603 639 030, katarzyna.wiernicka-poniklo@havas.com