Hidden cost
Poor acoustics cause a loss of 28 minutes per day per staff member, nearly 100 hours per year. In a firm of 25 accountants billed at 90 euros excl. tax/h, the loss exceeds 220,000 euros annually, well beyond the initial fit-out budget.
Typologies
Fitting out an accountancy firm
Fitting out an accountancy firm: blending open space and closed offices, acoustics, client confidentiality. The Kytom method, budgets and detailed ROI.
11
cities covered
1 200+
spaces transformed
66
passionate people
"Blending open space and closed offices"
You will recognise your situation if…
- Client conversations audible from the staff open space.
- Meeting rooms saturated during annual accounts season.
- Partners isolated, cut off from operational teams.
- Interns and work-study students placed at uncomfortable temporary workstations.
Issues and impacts
Human risk
<a href="https://www.anact.fr/ressources" rel="noopener" target="_blank">ANACT</a> notes that 45% of employees in the accounting sector report feeling tired from ambient noise. During tax season, pressure rises by 30 to 40%: a poorly calibrated space triggers turnover and sick leave, particularly among junior profiles already scarce on the market.
Reputational or regulatory risk
Accounting professional secrecy requires confidentiality (article 226-13 of the French Penal Code). Receiving a client in a space where a competitor's files are audible exposes the firm to complaints to its professional body. The RGAA and GDPR add requirements regarding screens visible from the reception area.
How Kytom approaches it
Kytom designs the accountancy firm as a system of three connected zones: a confidential front office to receive clients (3 to 5 rooms of 8 to 12 m² depending on size), a collaborative middle office for teams organised by portfolio, and a focused back office for review phases. Kytom interior designers size each zone based on a usage audit carried out over 2 weeks, integrate acoustics from the design stage (partitions of at least 38 dB, class A absorbing ceilings) and select furniture from references such as Vitra or similar. Over 850 m² on average, the layout accommodates a workforce of up to 55 staff without saturation, with 11 offices able to operate in France and Spain.
Our method
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1. Diagnose
Observation of client flows, acoustic measurement over 5 working days, interviews with partners, assignment managers and assistants. Deliverable: a map of uses and a confidentiality matrix by file type (micro-business, SME, mid-cap, statutory audit), validated with the firm's management.
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2. Frame
Definition of the programme: ratio of closed offices to open space (often 40/60), number of client rooms, café area, work-study zone. Deliverable: a costed functional programme, a 12-week schedule and a detailed budget estimate item by item, validated by the partners' committee.
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3. Design
2D plans, photorealistic 3D views of client and staff spaces, furniture and material selection. Deliverable: a complete design file, a simulated acoustic study, signature mood boards for the firm and a firm all-trades quote committing Kytom to the final result.
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4. Deliver
Management of contractors, coordination outside tax season to preserve production, turnkey delivery with assembled furniture and operational networks. Deliverable: a completed firm, an as-built documentation file, a defects liability guarantee and a 6-month follow-up included.
Cost and ROI
Cost range per m²
900 to 1600 euros excl. tax/m²
Depending on acoustic level, furniture chosen and complexity of the client front office.
Timeline
12 weeks on average
From diagnosis to delivery, outside tax season, for a firm of 600 to 1000 m².
Typical ROI
Payback in 2 to 3 years
Productivity gains, lower turnover and increased billing of client appointments.
Anonymised field feedback
"We wanted to keep the collaborative spirit of the portfolio teams while isolating partners and client appointments. The blend of closed offices and open space was calibrated down to the workstation, with no loss of usable floor area."
-41% in 6 months
Acoustic complaints
x2.5 during tax peaks
Available client rooms
-18% over 12 months
Staff turnover
Frequently asked questions
What ratio between closed offices and open space should be planned?
For a firm of 30 to 50 staff, Kytom recommends 35 to 45% closed offices (partners, assignment managers, client appointments) and 55 to 65% open space in clusters of 4 to 8 workstations, calibrated according to the share of audit assignments.
How many client meeting rooms should be planned?
Allow for 1 room per 8 to 10 staff on average, plus a dedicated videoconferencing room. For a firm of 40 people, plan 5 to 6 spaces, including 2 that are modular for client management committees.
How can confidentiality be ensured in the open space?
Acoustic partitioning of at least 38 dB, class A absorbing ceilings, screens oriented away from circulation routes and phone booths for confidential calls. Kytom integrates these elements from the design stage, validated by measurement after delivery.
Can a fit-out be carried out during tax season?
Not advisable between January and May. Kytom schedules 78% of accounting projects between June and November, with phasing in 2 or 3 stages if necessary to maintain teams' production on site.
What budget for a 600 m² firm?
Between 540,000 and 960,000 euros excl. tax depending on the level of finish, the acoustics required and the furniture selected. Partitioning accounts for 18 to 25%, furniture 25 to 35%, technical works packages 20 to 28%.
How can work-study students and interns be integrated?
Plan for 12 to 18% of dedicated flex workstations, ideally near assignment managers to encourage knowledge transfer. Furniture identical to the rest of the open space, no relegated zone, a sign of employer attractiveness.