What Is FF&E?

If you’re in the process of commissioning a new building, then aside from the various aspects of the construction project, you’ll also need to plan what furnishings, fixtures and equipment the building will require. This process of selecting furnishings and fittings for a new building is known as FF&E. To find out more about FF&E, read this guide from the Rosehill team…

FF&E stands for Furniture, Fixtures and Equipment and refers to the process of planning, choosing and purchasing the furniture, fixtures and equipment that are required to complete a new building.

In other words, FF&E means any item outside the construction package that is required to ‘complete’ a building.

The items that are classed as FF&E include:

Furniture – chairs, desks, sofas, lockers, and beds.
Fixtures – these are items that are ‘fixed’ in place, such as lights, counters, shelving, and some types of fitted cupboards.
Equipment – items that are required for the intended function of the building e.g. computers, telephones, servers, monitors etc.

It’s important to note that FF&E does not include ‘fixed’ items such as toilets and basins. As these are integral to the fabric of the building, these items should have been included as part of the construction project.

FF&E is typically a process that is undertaken by the building owner directly, or by a specifier, architect, interior designer or other type of buyer. It is rare for a construction company to undertake the FF&E process directly.

How much should you budget for FF&E?

If you’re new to the world of FF&E (or building projects in general for that matter), it can be difficult to know how much you should budget for furniture, fixtures and equipment.

Here at Rosehill, we’d recommend allocating around 10% of your construction budget to FF&E.

However, there is a very significant caveat to the above statement. The overall cost of your FF&E is going to be determined by the purpose/function of the building. For example, if you’re building a new laboratory, your FF&E is likely to be significantly higher than someone building a new office or shop.

The key point to takeaway is that FF&E is rarely – if ever – accounted for within construction packages. You’ll need to ensure you have a separate budget for FF&E in addition to the budget for the construction of the building.

Note – it can be a good idea to set aside an FF&E reserve. This is a budget allocation that is set aside to cover any unexpected expenses that may arise during the FF&E process.

What is the process of selecting FF&E?

The process of selecting FF&E for a building project typically begins with the building owner.

Based on what furniture, fixtures and equipment they require for their building, they may choose to work with one or multiple suppliers of FF&E.

For example, if a building owner has commissioned a new office building, they may work with the following types of FF&E suppliers:

A contract furniture company to supply the desks and chairs throughout the building.
An interior designer to supply curtains and related decor.
An IT company to provide office equipment such as computers, monitors and servers.

In short – the number and type of FF&E suppliers involved in a building project will usually be determined by the function of the building. So, a relatively simple building like an office will have fewer FF&E suppliers than something like a hospital or laboratory.

How are FF&E providers chosen?

If you’re wondering how you go about finding and selecting FF&E providers for your building project, then there are a number of ‘best practice’ ways to do so.

The most common ways FF&E providers are selected is via an FF&E consultant, an RFP process or a bid process. We’ve provided more detail on each of these processes below.

FF&E consultant

FF&E consultants are individuals or companies that specialise in handling the complete end-to-end FF&E process on behalf of building owners.

An FF&E consultant will typically take care of everything from working with the design team (if there is one) through to coordinating with FF&E suppliers. There can be a considerable amount of work involved, including (but not limited to):

Planning.
Creating a project procurement strategy.
Developing an RFP (request for proposal).
Sourcing and managing FF&E suppliers.
Negotiating contract and purchase agreements.
Product acceptance, QA and project close out.

As you can see, there can be many steps involved in an FF&E project. This is especially true for larger projects where there may be a larger and more varied volume of furnishings, fittings and equipment being purchased. Things can certainly be more complex if you are working with multiple FF&E suppliers, too.

If you decide to go down this route, then it’s important that you look for FF&E consultants that offer truly ‘turnkey solutions’. This means that they are able to handle every aspect of the FF&E process.

Note – the use of FF&E consultants is the favoured option for many building owners as it is highly convenient. Be aware, though, that you’ll usually be expected to pay a management fee for an FF&E consultant’s services.

RFP process

Should you want to take a more ‘hands-on’ process and be directly involved in the selection of FF&E suppliers, then you may want to run a request for proposal (RFP) process.

Running an RFP process requires you to write an RFP document which sets out key pieces of information for potential suppliers, such as:

A description of the project.
Required warranties on FF&E items.
Required standards/specifications that FF&E items must meet.
Requirements that the supplier must meet (e.g. levels of experience, insurance, and qualifications etc).

These are just a few of the types of information that you’ll usually need to include in an RFP document.

This process can be quite involved and time-consuming and will require you to manage the FF&E suppliers you select. In many cases, running your own RFP process for an FF&E project is only suitable for larger companies that have their own procurement officers/departments.

Bid process

In a bid process, you assign either your project’s architect or an interior designer to manage the selection of FF&E suppliers.

The architect or interior designer will plan out what FF&E items you require and the respective specifications, finish and colour of each item.

Once the architect/designer has decided upon the required specifications for the FF&E items they will then create bid packages (these packages are usually divided up based on the types of items required e.g. a seating package, table package etc). They will then solicit bids from FF&E suppliers.

What is the FF&E process?

As you’ve just read, there are a number of ways to initiate and manage the FF&E process for a building project.

But, what does the process actually involve? Below, we’ve set out the most common steps that are involved in an FF&E project.

Design

The first step in an FF&E project is a design exercise, whereby the architectural layout of the building is analysed.

Doing this will allow you to figure out what types of furniture, fixtures and equipment (and how many) are suitable for each space within your building.

At this point you don’t have to decide upon the exact make and model of these items; instead, you simply want to arrive at a rough idea of what you’ll require.

Budget

Once you have a rough idea of what types of furniture, fixtures and equipment you’ll require (and the amount of said items), the next step is to begin the budget process.

But, how do you create a budget when you haven’t agreed upon specific FF&E items yet?

The answer is to look at similar projects and see what they budget for. This is where the true value of using an FF&E consultant will come in, as they’re likely to have plenty of experience and case studies to draw from.

It can also help to create a central database to capture, organise and share FF&E data. This will allow everyone involved in the FF&E project to keep a track of costs and arrive at a workable budget.

Specification

At this point, you should have a rough idea of what furniture, fixtures and equipment you need and an approximate budget.

The next step is to gather specification data. In other words, you need to decide upon the characteristics of your FF&E. For example, if your FF&E project is for a hospital, then you’ll want to ensure that any items of furniture that are procured have antimicrobial materials and are able to withstand a regular and rigorous cleaning regime.

Other environments – such as high-dependency settings like secure hospitals – it’s vital that you specify furniture that has anti-ligature products.

The point here is ultimately that you need to think very carefully about the contexts in which your FF&E will be placed, how they will be used, and any risks or dangers they may be required to mitigate.

Sourcing

With the required specifications decided upon, the next step is to source items of FF&E that meet the required standards.

When sourcing FF&E we highly recommend maintaining a central spreadsheet where you can keep track of each item of FF&E that you’ve looked at. This will make choosing the final items of FF&E much easier. It can also be used to easily compare individual items.

Procurement/purchasing

When you have agreed which FF&E items are suitable for your project, the next step is to procure them.

Whether you choose to do this yourself or use a procurement agent, the key piece of information you should obtain is the lead time for each item.

You need to know when you can expect FF&E items to arrive on site. This is especially important in the case of fixtures and equipment. Should they arrive late, this can result in a ‘domino effect’ where important parts of the project become subject to delays.

Likewise, you don’t necessarily want your FF&E to arrive too early, as you may end up having to pay for storage space etc.

Quality control

It is essential that every item of FF&E is inspected on arrival at your building. If any damage is identified, then you should take photos and determine (if possible) how the damage was caused and by whom.

Close out

The last stage in a typical FF&E project is ‘close out’. This involves the building owner walking through the project space, inspecting all items of furniture, fixtures and equipment to ensure they are installed correctly and are free from damage.

In many cases, FF&E suppliers will require the building owner to sign off the project and bring it to a close.

Whilst this isn’t a definitive overview of the FF&E process, it should give you an idea of the steps that are typically involved.

Looking for an FF&E provider?

If you’re involved in a building project and are looking for an FF&E provider that can offer a complete turnkey solution, speak to Rosehill today.

For over 40 years we’ve been supporting building projects as varied as student accommodation, school and colleges, hotels and leisure facilities, residential care facilities and more.

To speak to a member of our FF&E team call 0161 485 1717 or email: sales@rosehill.co.uk.

Find out more about Rosehill’s FF&E services now

For more commercial and contract furniture buying guides, advice and information, read the Rosehill blog…

What Is Contract Furniture? | When Do I Need to Order Contract Furniture? | What Fire Safety Regulations Apply to Contract Furniture?