Refurbishment · Fit out · Design & build
Office Refurbishment London
Office Refurbishment London upgrades and fits out offices of every size, from a light refresh of the space you occupy to full Cat A and Cat B fit-outs and design and build. Send us your brief and we will arrange a survey and a detailed quote.
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Get an office refurbishment quote
Answer a few questions about your space in two short steps and we will be in touch to discuss your project and arrange a survey. You then receive a detailed, itemised quote. There is no obligation to proceed.
- Refurbishment, Cat A, Cat B and design & build
- From a single floor refresh to full-building projects
- Anywhere in London, from the City to Croydon
- Itemised quote with exclusions and a programme
Prefer to read first? Our guides cover office fit-out costs per sq ft, the difference between Cat A and Cat B and dilapidations at lease end.
Request a fit-out quote
Two steps, about two minutes. We will be in touch to arrange a survey and quote.
Where to start
Office refurbishment in London: what we do
What is the difference between an office refurbishment and a fit-out? An office refurbishment upgrades an existing office, for example with new finishes, lighting, layout changes or furniture. An office fit-out makes a space usable for a tenant and is usually described as Cat A (the landlord’s base finish) or Cat B (the tenant’s own design).
Most businesses come to us at one of three moments: the lease is being renewed and the space needs a refresh, the team has changed and the layout no longer works, or a new floor needs fitting out before the move. Whichever it is, we survey the space, turn your brief into a design and cost plan, handle approvals and deliver the work, with one team responsible from start to finish.
Office refurbishment
Upgrading the office you already occupy: new layouts, finishes, lighting, kitchens and meeting rooms, often phased or carried out out of hours so you can keep working.
Cat A fit-out
The landlord-standard finish that turns a shell into a usable, empty floor: raised floors, ceilings, lighting, air conditioning and fire systems.
Cat B fit-out
The fit-out that makes the space yours: partitions, meeting rooms, kitchens, furniture, IT, AV and brand finishes, designed around how your team works.
Design & build
Space planning, design and construction under a single contract, so there is one point of responsibility and one programme.
Upgrade in place
Refurbishing the office you already have
Many London businesses refurbish rather than relocate, especially when the lease has years left or the location suits the team. A refurbishment can be as light as new flooring, lighting and decoration, or as extensive as a new layout with meeting rooms, phone booths, a better kitchen and upgraded air conditioning.
When a refurbishment makes sense
Common triggers include a lease renewal, a change in how many people come in each day, a growing team that needs more meeting space, tired finishes that no longer reflect the brand, and high energy bills from old lighting and air conditioning. A refurbishment can also form part of a lease negotiation: landlords sometimes contribute to works in return for a longer commitment.
Working while you stay in occupation
Refurbishing an occupied office takes careful planning. We phase work zone by zone, move teams temporarily where needed, schedule noisy work out of hours, keep escape routes and services running, and protect IT and equipment. It usually takes longer than working in an empty floor, but avoids the cost and disruption of moving. Tell us in your brief if you will stay in the building.
2026 costs
Office refurbishment costs in London (2026)
Office refurbishment in London typically costs £40–£95 per sq ft for a light to mid refurbishment, £60–£95 for Cat A and £120–£200 for a standard Cat B fit-out, rising to £220–£380 or more for a premium headquarters, excluding VAT and professional fees. Every building and brief is different, but these benchmarks give a useful starting point for budgeting before we survey your space.
| Specification | Typical cost per sq ft | Typically includes |
|---|---|---|
| Light to mid refurbishment | £40–£95 | Decoration, flooring, LED lighting and minor layout changes in an occupied office |
| Cat A | £60–£95 | Landlord base finish: raised floors, ceiling grid, air conditioning, emergency lighting |
| Cat A+ (“plug and play”) | £95–£140 | Cat A plus meeting rooms, kitchen, carpet, paint and basic furniture |
| Cat B standard | £120–£200 | Full fit-out: partitioning, M&E, joinery and finishes |
| Cat B premium / HQ | £220–£380+ | Bespoke design, premium finishes, AV, stone and feature joinery |
Ballpark budgets by office size
| Office size | Cat A (£60–£95) | Cat B standard (£120–£200) | Cat B premium (£220–£380) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2,000 sq ft | £120k–£190k | £240k–£400k | £440k–£760k |
| 5,000 sq ft | £300k–£475k | £600k–£1m | £1.1m–£1.9m |
| 10,000 sq ft | £600k–£950k | £1.2m–£2m | £2.2m–£3.8m |
What changes the cost
The main factors are the specification, the condition of existing services, whether you stay in occupation, out-of-hours working and building rules on access and deliveries. Expect premiums in the City and at Canary Wharf, where estate rules and loading restrictions add labour cost, while reusing sound partitions, ceilings and M&E can cut costs significantly. Our quotes list every inclusion and exclusion so there are no surprises. For more detail, read our guide to office fit-out cost per sq ft in London.
Estimate your own budget
Enter your floor area, choose Cat A, Cat B or design and build and a specification level, and see a London budget range in seconds.
From brief to handover
Office design and build
Good office design starts with how your people actually work, not with furniture catalogues. The design stage turns your brief into a space plan, a specification and a cost plan you can approve before anything is built.
One team, one contract
With design and build, we handle space planning, design and construction under a single contract, which keeps communication simple and responsibility clear.
Writing a good brief
Cover headcount and attendance, ways of working, meeting and storage needs, look and feel, lease dates, budget, building rules and any sustainability targets. We will fill in the gaps at the survey.
Specification
Office fit out London: Cat A and Cat B
Cat A is the landlord’s base finish: raised floors, suspended ceilings, lighting, air conditioning and fire systems, with an open, empty floor. Cat B is the fit-out on top: partitions, meeting rooms, kitchens, furniture, IT, AV and branding. “Cat A+” or “plug and play” sits between the two, adding basic meeting rooms, a kitchen and furniture so smaller teams can move straight in.
Knowing which you are buying matters, because it changes the scope, the cost per sq ft and who pays. Read our guides to Cat A vs Cat B fit-out and what a Cat A fit-out includes.
Our approach
What to expect from us
- A survey before any price. We look at the space, services, access and building rules first, so the quote reflects your building.
- An itemised quote. Every line priced, with exclusions and provisional sums stated, so you can see exactly what is included.
- A realistic programme. Design, approvals, ordering and site time set out week by week.
- One point of contact. A named project lead from survey to handover.
- A clean handover. Snagging, certificates, operation and maintenance manuals and the health and safety file.
If you are comparing options, our guide to choosing an office fit-out company in London sets out what to look for in any proposal.
The process
How an office refurbishment runs
- Brief and survey. Headcount, ways of working, budget and deadline, then a survey of the space, services and access.
- Design and cost plan. Space plan, specification, M&E design and a detailed price.
- Approvals. Landlord licence for alterations, building control and fire strategy.
- Build and handover. Strip-out, construction, finishes, furniture and IT, then snagging and handover.
A light refurbishment of a few thousand sq ft can take a few weeks on site; a full Cat B fit-out of a larger floor often runs for several months, plus design and approvals beforehand.
Compliance
Landlord consent, regulations and dilapidations
- CDM 2015. Commercial clients have legal duties on construction projects. We explain them and take on the principal contractor role where required.
- Building Regulations. Works affecting fire safety, means of escape, ventilation and energy performance usually need building control approval.
- Landlord consent. Most leases require a licence for alterations before work starts, which can take several weeks, so we start the paperwork early.
- Fire strategy. New layouts must keep escape routes, fire doors and detection compliant.
- Dilapidations. What you build now may need removing when the lease ends. See our office dilapidations guide.
Commercial refurbishment beyond the office
The same approach works for showrooms, studios, clinics and client suites within office buildings: a clear brief, landlord consent, compliance and an itemised quote. Mention any specialist use in your brief.
Sustainability
Many occupiers now set sustainability targets, often using frameworks such as SKA ratings for fit-out, BREEAM or WELL. Reusing existing elements, choosing low-carbon materials and diverting waste from landfill can cut both cost and carbon.
Coverage
Office refurbishment across London
We cover the whole of London, including the City, Shoreditch, Canary Wharf, King’s Cross, Southbank, Westminster and Victoria, Hammersmith, Croydon and Stratford. We work in multi-let towers, period buildings and business parks alike. See the full list of boroughs we cover.
Questions
Frequently asked questions
How much does office refurbishment cost in London?
What is the difference between an office fit-out and an office refurbishment?
How long does an office refurbishment take?
Can you refurbish our office while we keep working?
What is the difference between Cat A and Cat B fit-out?
Do I need landlord permission to refurbish my office?
Can a building be refurbished with tenants in occupation?
What EPC rating does a commercial office need?
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Send your brief, get a detailed quote
Tell us about your space and timescale and we will be in touch to arrange a survey.
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