Office Refurbishment Checklist: From Brief to Handover

Office refurbishments rarely go wrong because of the building work itself. They go wrong because a decision was made too late, an approval was missed or a cost was not budgeted. This checklist follows the order in which we run refurbishments for London businesses, so you can see what needs to happen and when. Use it to plan your own project or to check that nothing has been left out before work starts.

Stage 1: brief and budget

• Agree why you are refurbishing: growth, hybrid working, brand, wellbeing, sustainability
• Confirm headcount now and in three to five years
• Decide desk-sharing ratio and space types needed
• List must-haves: meeting rooms, focus rooms, kitchen, showers, storage
• Set a budget for construction, furniture, IT, fees, VAT and contingency
• Agree key dates, including any lease events
• Appoint an internal project lead with authority to make decisions

Budget guide: in London, a light to mid refurbishment typically costs £40 to £95 per sq ft and a standard Cat B fit-out £120 to £200 per sq ft, excluding VAT. See office refurbishment cost, office fit-out cost per sq ft and m² and the office fit-out cost calculator.

Stage 2: lease and building checks

• Read the lease alterations clause: what needs consent?
• Check reinstatement obligations at lease end
• Obtain building rules: working hours, noise, loading bay, lifts
• Get as-built drawings and services information from the landlord
• Check for asbestos survey records in older buildings
• Confirm the fire strategy and any constraints
• Consider dilapidations: will new works increase lease-end costs?

See office dilapidations and office refurbishment planning permission and building regulations.

Stage 3: design

• Survey the space and measure accurately
• Develop layout options and test against the brief
• Choose finishes: flooring, ceilings, walls, joinery
• Design lighting, power, data and AV
• Check heating, cooling and ventilation capacity for the new layout
• Plan acoustics for meeting rooms and open plan
• Specify kitchens and tea points
• Agree furniture: reuse, new or a mix
• Review sustainability options
• Get a detailed, itemised cost plan

See office interior design in London, modern office design ideas, office flooring and glass office partitions.

Stage 4: approvals

• Submit licence for alterations application to the landlord
• Building Regulations approval where required
• Planning permission if any external or change-of-use works
• Listed building consent if applicable
• Fire engineer or insurer sign-off where needed
• Agree method statements with the building manager

Stage 5: appointing the fit-out team

• Decide on procurement route: design and build or traditional
• Compare quotes on the same scope
• Check insurance, health and safety and references
• Agree a fixed price, programme and payment terms
• Confirm who is principal designer and principal contractor under CDM
• Sign a written contract

See choosing an office fit-out company in London and office design and build.

Stage 6: construction

• Pre-start meeting and site set-up
• Strip-out of existing fit-out where needed; see office strip-out
• First fix services: power, data, mechanical, fire
• Partitions and ceilings; see suspended ceiling installation
• Second fix, finishes and joinery
• Commissioning of services and fire systems
• Regular progress meetings and cost reports
• Manage change requests in writing

Typical programmes are covered in how long office refurbishment takes.

Stage 7: IT, furniture and move-in

• Order connectivity early
• Install network, Wi-Fi and AV
• Deliver and install furniture
• Set up access control and security
• Plan the move or return of staff; see office relocation in London
• Prepare staff guides to the new office

Stage 8: handover and aftercare

• Walk-round inspection and snagging list
• Snags completed and signed off
• Operation and maintenance manuals received
• Certificates: electrical, fire alarm, emergency lighting, Building Regulations completion
• Warranties for equipment and finishes
• Defects period agreed
• Record photos of the completed office, useful for future dilapidations

Budget checklist

VAT applies to most refurbishment work; see VAT on office refurbishment and dilapidations.

The most commonly missed items

• Landlord consent and licence fees
• IT lead times
• Furniture lead times
• Out-of-hours working premiums
• Making good after removing old fit-out
• Future dilapidations created by new works
• Staff communication

How to use this checklist

Print or copy the checklist into your project tracker and assign an owner and date to each line. Review it at every project meeting. Items do not always happen in strict order; design and approvals overlap, and IT planning should start as soon as the layout is fixed. What matters is that every item has a named person responsible and a date by which it must be done. If an item does not apply, mark it as not applicable rather than deleting it, so the decision is recorded.

Refurbishing while you stay in the office

If staff will keep working during the refurbishment, add these items:

• Phasing plan showing which areas are closed and when
• Temporary meeting rooms, desks and kitchen facilities
• Dust, noise and safety controls agreed with the fit-out team
• Out-of-hours working for the noisiest tasks
• Weekly updates to staff on what is happening next
• Clear signage and safe routes past work areas

Sustainability checklist

• Reuse existing partitions, furniture and finishes where practical
• Specify LED lighting with presence and daylight controls
• Choose flooring and ceiling products with recycled content and take-back schemes
• Separate and recycle strip-out waste
• Check air conditioning efficiency and controls
• Record products used for future reporting

Health and safety checklist

• Asbestos records checked before any intrusive work
• Construction phase plan in place under CDM
• Fire alarm and escape routes maintained throughout the works
• Safe separation between work areas and occupied areas
• Permits for hot work and work at height

Questions to ask before you sign a contract

• Is the price fixed, and what exactly is excluded?
• Who is responsible for design, and who carries design risk?
• What is the programme, and what happens if it slips?
• How are changes priced and approved?
• What warranties and defects period are included?
• Who will be our day-to-day contact on site?
• How will you protect the building and other tenants?

Clear answers to these questions, in writing, prevent most disputes during a refurbishment.

After you move in

The first few weeks in a refurbished office reveal how well the design works in practice. Schedule a review after a month to adjust desk settings, meeting room booking rules, lighting scenes and air conditioning controls. Keep a list of small changes to be completed during the defects period, and gather staff feedback while it is fresh.

Using the checklist with your team

Share the checklist with whoever owns each workstream from the start. Facilities usually takes the landlord, building manager and access items; IT takes data, AV and the move of equipment; HR and the office manager take communication with staff. Agree one person who signs off each stage before the next begins, and review the list at your weekly project meeting. Ticking items off in a shared document gives everyone the same view of progress and makes it obvious when a decision is holding up the programme.

Get help with your refurbishment

Our team handles the survey, design, costing, approvals and build, and stays responsible through to handover. Request a quote through our form and we will start with your brief.

Frequently asked questions

Related guides

• Office Fit-Out Cost per Sq Ft and per m² in London (2026)
• Cat A vs Cat B Fit Out: What’s the Difference? (2026)
• How Long Does an Office Refurbishment Take?
• Office Refurbishment Cost: London and UK Prices (2026)
• Do You Need Planning Permission for an Office Refurbishment?
• Office Fit-Out Cost Calculator London (2026)
• Office refurbishment and fit-out in London
• Areas of London we cover