How Long Does an Office Refurbishment Take?
Most office refurbishments take 2 to 6 weeks on site for a light refresh and 8 to 20 weeks or more for a full Cat B fit-out, with a further 6 to 14 weeks beforehand for briefing, design, approvals and ordering; from first meeting to move-in, a 5,000 sq ft London fit-out is typically four to six months.
| Project | Typical size | Pre-construction | Time on site | Total, start to move-in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Light refresh (decoration, carpet, lighting) | 1,000–5,000 sq ft | 2–4 weeks | 2–6 weeks | 1–2.5 months |
| Mid refurbishment (some new rooms, kitchen) | 2,000–10,000 sq ft | 4–8 weeks | 4–10 weeks | 2–4 months |
| Cat B fit-out | 2,000 sq ft | 6–10 weeks | 6–10 weeks | 3–5 months |
| Cat B fit-out | 5,000 sq ft | 8–12 weeks | 8–14 weeks | 4–6 months |
| Cat B fit-out | 10,000 sq ft | 10–14 weeks | 12–20 weeks | 6–8 months |
| Cat B fit-out | 20,000 sq ft+ | 12–20 weeks | 16–26 weeks | 7–11 months |
These timescales assume the space is empty and approvals go smoothly. Office Refurbishment London plans the full programme, including approvals and long-lead items, before work starts so you can set a realistic move-in date.
What are the stages of an office refurbishment?
- Brief. Headcount, attendance patterns, team needs, meeting room numbers, budget and target date.
- Survey. Measured survey, condition of services, asbestos information and building rules.
- Space plan and concept design. Layout options, look and feel, and an early cost plan.
- Detailed design and specification. Drawings and specifications for every element.
- Approvals. Landlord's licence for alterations, Building Regulations, fire strategy and any planning or listed building consent.
- Procurement. Ordering long-lead items such as glass, air conditioning equipment, furniture and joinery.
- Construction. Strip-out, first fix services, partitions, ceilings, second fix, finishes and joinery.
- Commissioning and snagging. Testing services, fixing defects and installing IT and AV.
- Handover and move-in.
Work out a budget for your own floor area, scope and location with our office fit-out cost calculator.
How long does each stage take?
| Stage | Typical duration |
|---|---|
| Brief and survey | 1–3 weeks |
| Space plan and concept | 2–4 weeks |
| Detailed design | 3–6 weeks |
| Landlord licence for alterations | 4–8 weeks, can be longer |
| Building Regulations approval | Often runs alongside design |
| Lead times for glass, furniture and plant | 6–12 weeks, ordered during approvals |
| Construction | 2–26 weeks depending on scope |
| Commissioning, snagging and IT | 1–2 weeks |
What slows an office refurbishment down?
Landlord approval. The licence for alterations is often the longest wait. Landlords and their surveyors review drawings, and lawyers draft the licence. Submitting complete information early helps.
Long-lead items. Air conditioning units, bespoke glass, furniture and some flooring can take 8 to 12 weeks. Ordering after design is fixed, but before approvals finish, can save weeks.
Design changes. Changing the layout once ordering or building has started causes delay and cost.
Hidden conditions. Asbestos, old wiring or services that do not match drawings. An asbestos refurbishment survey before work helps.
Building rules. Many London buildings restrict noisy work, deliveries and lift use. In the City and Canary Wharf, a lot of work may need to be out of hours.
Occupied working. Phasing around staff adds weeks.
Can you refurbish an office while staying in it?
Yes, by phasing the work. The team decants into one part of the floor while the other part is refurbished, then swaps. Noisy work moves to evenings and weekends. Phasing typically adds around a quarter to a half to the time on site and increases cost, but it avoids temporary offices. For some projects, a short move to serviced space for the duration is quicker and simpler.
If you are still weighing up your options, start with our guide to office refurbishment costs.
How long does a Cat A fit-out take?
A Cat A fit-out of a floor in a multi-let building is usually 8 to 16 weeks on site depending on size and the condition of services. It is often done by landlords between lettings. Our guide to Cat A fit-outs in London explains what is included.
How long does a Cat B fit-out take?
As a rule of thumb, a London Cat B takes 6 to 10 weeks on site for 2,000 sq ft, 8 to 14 weeks for 5,000 sq ft and 12 to 20 weeks for 10,000 sq ft. Our guide to Cat B fit-outs covers scope and cost.
Next step
Planning an office fit-out?
Send us your brief and we will be in touch to arrange a survey and a detailed, no-obligation quote.
Request a quoteHow do you plan a refurbishment around a lease?
If you are moving into new space, work back from your move-in date and lease end on the old office. Leave time for dilapidations works on the old office if you plan to do them yourself, which often means overlap between the two leases. If you are refurbishing your current office ahead of a lease renewal, check whether the landlord will contribute and agree any licence before starting. Our guide to office dilapidations in London explains timings at the end of a lease.
What can speed up an office refurbishment?
- Agree a clear brief and sign off the design quickly.
- Use one team for design and build to reduce handovers. Our guide to design and build explains how this works.
- Submit landlord and building control applications early.
- Order long-lead items as soon as the design is fixed.
- Choose standard products with short lead times where possible.
- Reuse existing services and partitions.
- Hold weekly progress meetings and make decisions promptly.
Related reading: office refurbishment checklist and office strip-out.
What does a typical 5,000 sq ft programme look like?
As an example, a 5,000 sq ft Cat B fit-out in an empty floor with sound Cat A services might run like this:
| Weeks | Activity |
|---|---|
| 1–2 | Brief, measured survey and services survey |
| 3–5 | Space plan, concept design and budget |
| 6–9 | Detailed design, specification and fixed price |
| 7–14 | Landlord licence and Building Regulations, in parallel |
| 10–18 | Long-lead items manufactured |
| 15–27 | Construction on site |
| 27–28 | Commissioning, snagging, IT and furniture |
| 29 | Move-in |
Every project differs, but the pattern is the same: around half the overall time is spent before anyone starts on site. That is why starting early matters more than trying to shorten the build.
How long does a small office refurbishment take?
For a small office of 1,000 to 2,000 sq ft, a light refresh is often two to four weeks on site, and a refurbishment with a few new meeting rooms and a new kitchen is often four to eight weeks. Small offices can sometimes be refurbished over a few long weekends and evenings to keep the business running. Our guide to small office fit-outs has more on smaller projects.
How long does it take to get a quote?
For a small refresh, a quote can follow within a week or two of a survey. For a Cat B fit-out, a fixed price normally follows space planning and design, often 4 to 8 weeks from the first meeting, though a budget range can be given much sooner.
Plan your programme with us
Tell us your target date and we will build a programme around it, including approvals and lead times, so you know early whether it is realistic. Request a quote and we will be in touch.
Frequently asked questions
How long does an office refurbishment take?
How long does a 5,000 sq ft fit-out take?
What takes longest in an office refurbishment?
Can you refurbish an office while staying in it?
How can I speed up an office refurbishment?
Related guides
Next step
Planning an office fit-out?
Send us your brief and we will be in touch to arrange a survey and a detailed, no-obligation quote.
Request a quote