Facility audit and why is it needed before the project?
The biggest mistake when working with real estate is to start with an idea without understanding the real limitations. A space may look attractive on the plan or during viewing, but have technical, regulatory or constructive nuances that radically change the picture. That is why a facility audit is not a formality, but a basic risk control tool. At CITEK Studio, a facility audit is a separate professional service and at the same time a mandatory analytical basis for further work. Without it, it is impossible to honestly talk about either the concept, the budget, or realistic scenarios for using the space.
What does an audit actually give the client?
An audit is the answer to a simple but critical question: what are we really dealing with. Not with an idea, not with a desire, not with an idea, but with a specific facility in specific conditions.
During the audit, we analyze:
planning possibilities and limitations;
constructive and load-bearing elements;
engineering systems and their condition;
regulatory requirements and possible legal restrictions;
real scenarios of space use;
compliance of the object with your goals and budget.
As a result, the client receives not abstract advice, but a clear understanding: what can be changed, what will be difficult, and what is economically or technically unjustified.
When is an audit especially important?
An audit of the object is critically necessary in situations where a mistake is costly.
For example:
before buying an apartment, house or commercial premises;
before signing a lease agreement;
when planning renovation or changing the function of the space;
if the object seems “profitable” for the price, but raises doubts;
when it is important to understand the real budget even before the start of design.
In such cases, an audit works as a filter that filters out problematic solutions before they turn into financial losses.
What problems does an audit protect against?
In practice, most difficult situations arise not because of poor design, but because of poor initial analytics.
An audit allows you to avoid:
buying a facility with critical structural or regulatory limitations;
planning solutions that “eat up” space and do not work;
overestimated expectations about the capabilities of the space;
unexpected costs during implementation;
delays due to technical surprises.
In essence, an audit is a way to pay once for clarity, rather than several times for correcting errors.
Audit as a basis for concept and design.
At CITEK, an audit is a self-sufficient document “not for ticking”. It is the base on which the concept is built. It is the results of the audit that determine in which direction it makes sense to move further. Without an audit, the concept risks being disconnected from reality. With an audit, it becomes a logical continuation of the actual data: the capabilities, limitations, and potential of the space. Therefore, in full-fledged projects, the audit always precedes the concept and sets the framework for all subsequent decisions. An important point is that the audit does not oblige the client to the full project.
This is a separate service for those who want to:
check the idea;
assess the feasibility of the investment;
make a considered decision without pressure.
As a result, the client receives a clear picture of the object: strengths and weaknesses, the approximate scale of intervention, risks and recommendations for further steps. This gives the main thing – control over the situation even before the start of investments.
Why an audit is a smart start in any case.
An audit does not make the project more expensive. It makes it smarter. This is the first step that allows you to speak in the language of facts, not assumptions. And regardless of whether you are planning a full design project or simply evaluating the object, an audit always works in your favor. At CITEK, we believe that it is better to take an honest look at an object once than to spend a long time correcting the consequences of decisions made without understanding reality.
