When you’re managing a major construction project, storage elements can quickly become one of those “hidden” challenges that catch you off guard. Whether it’s a new school, hospital wing, or council office building, getting the storage and shelving right from the start saves you headaches, delays, and costly snagging later on.
The reality? Most main contractors know their trades inside out, but storage design often gets left as an afterthought until the final fit-out phase. That’s when problems start piling up – wrong specifications, delivery delays, installation headaches, and compliance issues that could have been sorted months earlier.
Why Storage Elements Need Early Attention
Think about it – every building project has storage requirements that are integral to the structure itself. Built-in cupboards, archive rooms, medical storage areas, school resource rooms. These aren’t just “furniture” that gets added at the end; they’re functional elements that need to integrate with your mechanical systems, comply with specific regulations, and meet the end user’s operational needs from day one.
The challenge for main contractors is that storage often spans multiple trades and disciplines. You’ve got structural considerations, electrical requirements for lighting, sometimes HVAC integration, plus all the compliance boxes to tick. It’s exactly the kind of multi-faceted element that benefits from having a specialist partner who understands the bigger picture.
How Rackline Supports Main Contractors Through Storage Design
At Rackline, we’ve worked alongside main contractors on hundreds of builds, and we’ve seen firsthand how the right approach to storage design makes everything run smoother. Our role isn’t just supplying shelving – it’s being your storage partner from initial design through to final handover.
• Expert Consultation from Day One
When you bring us in early, we can review your architectural drawings and identify potential storage design challenges before they become problems. Our team understands building regulations, health and safety requirements, and the specific compliance needs for different sectors.
For schools, we know about DfE guidelines for storage accessibility. For healthcare facilities, we understand infection control requirements and the need for easy-clean surfaces. For offices and council buildings, we’re up to speed on fire regulations and accessibility standards.
• Technical Drawings and 3D Visualisation
Once we understand your storage design requirements, we create detailed technical drawings that integrate seamlessly with your architectural plans. These aren’t just product catalogues – they’re proper engineering drawings that your trades can work from, with all the mounting details, electrical requirements, and structural considerations clearly marked.
We can also provide 3D visualisations that help you and your client see exactly how the storage design will look in the finished space. This is particularly valuable for areas like school libraries, hospital consulting rooms, or reception areas where the storage needs to look right as well as function properly.
Site Surveys and Custom Manufacturing
Every storage design project is different, and off-the-shelf solutions rarely fit perfectly into construction projects. That’s why we offer comprehensive site surveys and custom UK manufacturing.
• Pre-Installation Site Surveys
Our team will visit your site at the appropriate stage of construction to verify dimensions, check for any variations from the original storage design drawings, and ensure everything’s ready for installation. We coordinate with your other trades to make sure electrical points are in the right places, any required structural work is complete, and access routes are clear.
This approach virtually eliminates the “it doesn’t fit” conversations that can derail project timelines. We catch any issues early and adjust our manufacturing accordingly.
• UK-Based Custom Manufacturing
All our storage solutions are manufactured here in the UK, which gives us the flexibility to handle custom requirements without the delays you often get with overseas suppliers. Need shelving that fits around existing pipework? Storage units with specific locking requirements? Archive systems with particular weight capacities? We can adapt our designs to match your project’s exact needs.
The UK manufacturing also means we can maintain quality control throughout the process and respond quickly to any last-minute changes – something that’s invaluable on construction projects where things inevitably evolve.
Sector-Specific Expertise
Different building types have very different storage requirements, and understanding these nuances is crucial for main contractors who work across multiple sectors.
• Schools and Educational Facilities
Educational projects often have the most varied storage needs – from early years classrooms with low-level accessible storage, through to secondary school science labs needing chemical storage compliance, and sixth form areas requiring more adult-oriented solutions.
We work with main contractors to ensure storage solutions meet DfE guidelines, provide appropriate accessibility for different age groups, and integrate with IT systems where required. Our team understands the importance of durable finishes that can handle daily use by hundreds of students, plus the need for easy maintenance and cleaning.
• Healthcare and Hospital Builds
Medical facilities have some of the most stringent requirements when it comes to storage design. Infection control, easy-clean surfaces, secure pharmaceutical storage, and accessibility compliance are all critical factors.
When we work with main contractors on healthcare projects, we ensure all storage solutions meet NHS requirements and relevant medical device regulations. We also understand the workflow considerations – how medical staff need to access supplies quickly and efficiently during their daily routines.
• Office and Council Buildings
Commercial and public sector buildings need storage solutions that balance functionality with professional appearance. Archive storage needs to handle significant weight loads while maintaining security. Reception areas require storage that looks good and integrates with the overall design aesthetic.
We help main contractors specify storage that meets commercial building regulations, provides appropriate security levels, and can adapt to changing organisational needs over time.
Preventing Delays and Reducing Snagging
One of the biggest advantages of partnering with Rackline early in your project is how it reduces delays and snagging issues at the end.
• Coordinated Delivery and Logistics
We coordinate our deliveries with your project timeline, bringing materials to site exactly when you need them. Our logistics team understands construction sites – they know about access restrictions, delivery windows, and the importance of protecting materials until installation.
We can also phase deliveries across different areas of your project, so you’re not trying to store everything in one go while other trades are still working.
• Professional Installation Teams
Our installation teams are trained specifically for construction environments. They understand site safety requirements, coordinate with other trades, and work to construction timelines rather than general commercial schedules.
Most importantly, they install to engineering specifications rather than just “making it fit.” This means everything is properly secured, compliant with regulations, and ready for immediate use when you hand over to your client.
Compliance and Quality Assurance
Meeting compliance requirements is non-negotiable on construction projects, and storage elements are no exception.
• ISO Standards and Certifications
Rackline maintains ISO 9001 quality management and ISO 14001 environmental management systems. This means our processes, from initial design through to final installation, meet internationally recognised standards for quality and environmental responsibility.
For main contractors working on storage design projects with specific sustainability targets or quality requirements, our certifications provide the documentation and assurance you need for your project records.
• Health and Safety Integration
All our storage design solutions are created and installed with health and safety at the forefront. We provide method statements, risk assessments, and compliance documentation that integrates with your overall project health and safety file.
Our team is CSCS certified and understands construction site safety requirements. We’re not just storage suppliers – we’re construction industry partners who understand your responsibilities and help you meet them.
What You Get When You Partner with Rackline
When you choose Rackline as your storage design partner, here’s what you can expect:
Early Stage Support:
- Expert review of architectural plans and storage requirements
- Compliance advice for your specific building sector
- Custom design solutions that integrate with your project
- Detailed technical drawings for your trades to work from
Project Management:
- Dedicated project manager as your single point of contact
- Regular progress updates and delivery scheduling
- Coordination with your other trades and suppliers
- Pre-installation site surveys to verify everything’s ready
Manufacturing and Quality:
- UK-based custom manufacturing with quality control
- ISO 9001 and ISO 14001 certified processes
- Flexible production to handle project changes
- Quality assurance testing and documentation
Installation and Handover:
- Professional installation by CSCS-certified teams
- Full health and safety documentation and risk assessments
- Coordination with your project timeline
- Complete installation documentation for your project records
- Aftercare support and maintenance advice
The storage design elements of your build don’t have to be a source of stress or delays. With the right partner involved early enough, they become just another smoothly managed aspect of your project.
If you’re planning a project where storage is going to be a significant element, it’s worth having a conversation early on. We can review your plans, discuss your requirements, and show you exactly how we can support your project from start to finish.
Get in touch with our team at Rackline to discuss your upcoming storage design projects, get us a call on 01782 770144, email info@rackline.co.uk or fill in the form below and our team will be in touch.