How We Plan a 100+ Workstation Office Installation

2 days ago

3 min read

A 100-workstation installation isn't a bigger version of a 10-workstation job.

At that scale, there can be thousands of individual components, several delivery trucks, more than one manufacturer, and a building full of other trades working toward the same move-in date. The work that happens before the crew arrives decides whether the project finishes on time.

We've written before about the 5 things you need to know for a large-scale office installation. This time, we're opening up our own process. Here's how ECS Solutions plans a large installation, step by step.

✅ 1. Drawing and Scope Review

Everything starts on paper. Before a single installer is scheduled, we review:

The floor plan and furniture plan, checked against each other
The furniture specification, so we know every component on every station
The typicals: how many workstation configurations there are, and how many of each
Electrical and data locations
Anything that looks outdated, inconsistent or unclear

Questions get raised now, in writing. A wrong orientation caught on a drawing costs minutes. Caught after 40 workstations are built, it costs days.

✅ 2. Site Visit

Drawings don't show you the building. We walk the site to confirm dock access, elevator size and availability, the route from dock to floor, building rules, and the real state of construction.

This is where we plan how product will physically move through the building, and how many trips it will take.

✅ 3. Receiving and Inspection

On large projects, furniture often arrives over days or weeks, from several manufacturers. We receive it, count it against the order and inspect it for visible damage.

Shortages and damage are documented right away and reported to the dealer, so replacements are on order while there's still time to absorb them.

✅ 4. Storage and Staging

Staging is what keeps a large install organized.

Product is sorted by floor, by area or by workstation type, so that when it reaches the floor, each crew has exactly what it needs, where it needs it. Depending on the project, that happens in our secure, climate-controlled storage with phased delivery to site, or in a designated staging area on site.

Poor staging is one of the biggest causes of lost components and wasted installer hours. Good staging is invisible: the crew just keeps building.

✅ 5. Crew and Schedule Planning

We build the schedule backward from move-in day. That means deciding:

How many installers are needed, and for how many days
Which areas go first, based on access, construction progress and move-in priorities
Whether work happens during the day, after hours, or both
When the electrician and IT team need access to finished stations

On larger jobs, crews are often split by task. One team on worksurfaces and panels, another on storage and seating, with a lead installer checking quality as each area is completed.

✅ 6. Installation

The crew works area by area, following the drawings. A lead installer stays in contact with the client, the dealer and other trades throughout. Packaging and debris leave the floor as we go, so the space stays safe and clean, and hard hats and safety protocols stay on for the whole job.

✅ 7. Deficiencies

On any large install, some items will come up: a damaged panel, a missing bracket, a worksurface waiting on a replacement part. Every deficiency is tracked with its location and status, and replacements are ordered immediately.

✅ 8. Final Walkthrough and Sign-Off

When installation is complete, we walk the space with the client or project manager. We check every area, make adjustments, and agree on anything still open. Outstanding parts are installed on a return visit, and the project is signed off once the list is closed.

What It Means for Your Project

All of this planning has one goal: a predictable install, no surprises, and a space ready for your team on the date you were promised.

ECS Solutions has spent over two decades installing, relocating and reconfiguring workplaces across Ontario and Canada, working with brands including Herman Miller, Steelcase, Teknion, Haworth and Framery. We're a CAMSC Certified Supplier and a participant in the WSIB Health and Safety Excellence program.