How much does an office refurbishment cost in London?

For most occupiers the answer is £50 to £150 per square foot for a Cat B refurbishment at standard to good specification, £100 to £150 per square foot for Cat A, and £80 to £120 per square foot for a design and build at mid range spec. Premium schemes go past £200. This guide explains what sits inside those ranges and how to work out where your project lands.

Cost by office size

Ranges are for standard to good specification Cat B work in London. Add 4 to 12 weeks for design, consents and procurement before work starts. Furniture, IT and AV are usually priced separately. Full cost guide.

Worked examples

3,000 sq ft, 25 people, standard spec. Two meeting rooms, a tea point, open plan desking, new carpet and decoration, some new lighting. Around £70 to £100 per sq ft, so £210,000 to £300,000 before furniture. A boutique firm will usually price this more keenly than a mid market contractor and deliver in six to eight weeks.

10,000 sq ft, 80 people, good spec. Six meeting rooms, phone booths, a proper kitchen and breakout, feature ceiling and lighting in reception, full data and AV. £100 to £140 per sq ft, so £1m to £1.4m before furniture, twelve to sixteen weeks on site. Mid market design and build territory.

30,000 sq ft headquarters, premium spec. Multiple floors, client suite, staff restaurant, wellness space, high end joinery and lighting. £150 to £220 per sq ft, so £4.5m to £6.6m before furniture, twenty to thirty weeks with phasing. Enterprise contractors, usually with an independent architect and cost consultant.

What moves the price

Specification. The gap between standard and premium is mostly finishes, lighting and joinery. A feature ceiling in reception can cost more than the carpet for the whole floor.

Cellularisation. Every meeting room adds partitions, doors, glazing, its own lighting and mechanical balancing. Open plan is cheaper per foot than a floor full of offices.

Mechanical and electrical. If the base build air conditioning cannot support your layout, or the electrical distribution is at capacity, the M&E line can double. Get a survey before you fix the budget.

Occupied or empty. Working around staff adds 20 to 40% to the programme and a corresponding amount to preliminaries.

Building constraints. Listed buildings, limited lift access, restricted delivery hours in the City and Westminster, and out of hours noise rules all add cost.

Dilapidations. If you are leaving another space, the reinstatement cost belongs in the same budget. See the de-fit contractors page.

What is usually excluded

Furniture (budget £1,500 to £4,000 per workstation), IT hardware and cabling beyond containment, AV equipment, professional fees where an architect or project manager is appointed separately, building control and landlord fees, the landlord's own works, and VAT. A square foot rate that includes everything is rare and worth asking about explicitly.

Cat A versus Cat B

Cat A is the landlord's base build and is priced into the rent, not into your project. Cat B is your fit out and is the number this guide is about. Read the Cat A vs Cat B explainer if the terms are new.

Cost questions

How much does an office refurbishment cost per square foot in London?+

Cat B refurbishment typically costs £50 to £150 per sq ft for standard to good specification, and £200 or more for premium finishes. Cat A runs £100 to £150 per sq ft. Full design and build at mid range spec usually lands between £80 and £120 per sq ft.

What is not included in the square foot rate?+

Usually furniture, IT and AV, professional fees if you appoint an architect separately, statutory fees, landlord costs and VAT. Always ask for a schedule of exclusions with any quote.

Is it cheaper to refurbish or to relocate?+

A light refurbishment of occupied space is nearly always cheaper. A heavy refurbishment with phasing costs and disruption can approach the cost of a fresh Cat B in a new building, especially where the landlord contributes a rent free period.

How do I get an accurate price?+

Give three contractors the same brief: floor area, headcount, number of meeting rooms, a target spec (standard, good, premium) and any known constraints. Ask each for a square foot rate with a schedule of what is in and out. Differences of more than 25% usually mean the briefs were read differently.

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