Fitting out without closing: the Kytom method to manage a project on an occupied site, phasing by zones, ~12 weeks, zero days of lost activity.
"We can't close for 3 months"
A temporary relocation of 100 employees costs between 25,000 and 60,000 € per month (flex rent, IT, furniture). Over a 14-week project, the hidden bill quickly reaches 200,000 €, excluding the loss of productivity estimated at 8% during poorly prepared transition phases.
The average increase in musculoskeletal disorders reported during a poorly phased project reaches 22%. Noise, dust and repeated relocations impair concentration. Across 300 exposed employees, an average of 4 additional sick leaves per quarter is observed, a direct burden for HR and occupational medicine.
Regulations require the continuity of safety conditions during the works. A lack of a prevention plan engages the employer's liability. 31% of fire incidents in offices occur during a project, hence the obligation of a rigorously maintained PPSPS and permanently clear exits.
Kytom manages fitting out on occupied sites through a breakdown into zones of 80 to 150 m², delivered in cycles of 2 to 3 weeks. Each zone is isolated by temporary acoustic partitions (attenuation measured at 38 dB), with dedicated circulation and acoustically intrusive works postponed until after 6 p.m. Our 11 agencies mobilise a dedicated site manager for each project, responsible for the prevention plan compliant with R4214 and for weekly reporting to the real estate department. The method, deployed on more than 200 occupied sites since 2006, secures an overall timeframe of 12 weeks for 850 m² on average, without relocation, with an incident rate below 2%. Each phase is jointly validated with the works management director, HR and the works council.
Audit of the occupied site over 3 to 5 days: mapping of flows, acoustic measurements according to the reference framework applicable to offices, survey of IT, safety and logistics constraints. Deliverable: a 25 to 40-page report with a zoning plan, identification of critical zones and a risk matrix validated by the works management director and the real estate department.
Development of the sequencing by zones with HR, the works council and the operator. Definition of work slots (day, evening, weekend), the R4214 prevention plan and the internal communication plan. Deliverable: a detailed 12-week schedule, with weekly milestones and a budget framed within plus or minus 5%.
Technical design of the temporary acoustic partitions, validation of low-emission materials (A+ label), order of signature furniture (Vitra, Knoll) and calibration of the field teams. Deliverable: complete execution file, signed PPSPS, employee communication kit (signage, emails, internal FAQ) deployed 15 days before the start.
Project carried out by successive zones, weekly reporting to the steering committee, regular acoustic and air quality measurements. Acceptance per zone with a contradictory checklist. Final deliverable: digital DOE, maintenance log, feedback at 3 months measured on employee satisfaction and real usage indicators.
"We renovated 1,100 m² in 14 weeks without a single employee being forced to work from home. Acoustic complaints dropped from the eighth week onwards, and the works council praised the method."
Yes, in 85% of Kytom projects on occupied sites, provided the floor area exceeds 600 m² and a buffer zone of at least 80 m² remains available. Below that, a partial relocation of 2 to 4 weeks sometimes remains economically preferable.
Expect 8 to 12% additional cost, linked to phasing, temporary acoustic protections and work outside business hours. This additional cost remains well below the 180 €/m² of an average temporary relocation.
Noisy works (drilling, demolition) are postponed until after 6 p.m. or to Saturdays. Temporary acoustic partitions attenuate 35 to 40 dB. Weekly acoustic measurements ensure compliance with the 55 dB threshold applicable in office areas.
The works council is consulted from the framing of the project onwards, in accordance with the obligations applicable to information and consultation on working conditions. Kytom provides a consultation file including phasing, forecast acoustic measurements and prevention plan. The legal consultation period remains a minimum of 1 month to be anticipated.
A prior network audit identifies the critical points. Switchovers are scheduled on weekends with the IT department, with temporary redundancy activated. On our occupied-site projects, unplanned IT interruptions remain extremely rare thanks to scheduled weekend switchovers and temporary redundancy.
Yes, our 11 agencies cover France and Spain, with a local dedicated site manager. Centralised management ensures the consistency of reporting for multi-site real estate departments, particularly useful for portfolios of more than 5,000 m².