Selected project experience

Real projects. Clear commercial insight.

Real Office Fit-Out Case Studies Our case studies are based on real office fit-out projects, with genuine project scopes, tender information, cost planning, procurement decisions and delivery challenges. They show how office fit-out costs are built up in practice, including CAT B fit-out costs, contractor pricing, specification choices, programme constraints, value engineering and project risk. The aim is to provide useful, real-world insight into how fit-out budgets are developed and where costs can change during design, tender and delivery. Explore our case studies to see examples of real office fit-out projects and the cost and pre-construction decisions behind them. A selection of confidential workplace projects demonstrating how building condition, programme, design, services and specification affect fit-out cost.

Six workplace projects

At a glance

Finance · Central LondonCat A to Cat B workplace
1,204 m²Two floors
£2.998m15 weeks
 FMCG · Central LondonMultinational headquarters
1,843 m²Two floors
£3.499m18 weeks
 Healthcare · South EastTwo-floor workplace
896 m²Two floors
£860k10 weeks
 Manufacturing · ZurichInternational headquarters
634 m²One floor
CHF 2.28m10 weeks
 Pharmaceutical · ZugMultinational headquarters
2,129 m²One floor
CHF 3.551m13 weeks
 Technology start-up · LondonShell & Core to Cat B HQ
1,395 m²One floor
£2.363m16 weeks
Case study 01 · Finance

Central London finance workplace

Conversion of a newly completed Cat A space into a fully operational Cat B workplace across two floors, including loose furniture, a small catering kitchen and additional WCs.

LocationCentral London
Project typeCat A to Cat B
Area1,204 m²
Programme15 weeks
Value£2.998m
Benchmark£231/sq ft

Project complexity

The new Cat A accommodation contained a poorly coordinated base-build ceiling. This created avoidable interfaces between partitions, lighting, ventilation, fire protection and the existing sprinkler system.

Principal scope

  • Two-floor Cat B workplace
  • Partitions, doors and moving walls
  • Specialist joinery and refreshment areas
  • Small catering kitchen
  • Additional WCs and plumbing
  • Ceilings and floor finishes
  • Lighting, power, voice and data
  • HVAC and sprinkler alterations
  • Acoustic treatments and finishes
  • Loose furniture

Commercial insight

A new Cat A installation is not automatically economical to convert. Earlier coordination of the ceiling, sprinkler system, lighting, ventilation and partition layout could have reduced alterations and improved cost efficiency.

Case study 02 · FMCG

Central London multinational headquarters

A two-floor Cat A to Cat B headquarters with structural alterations, an internal staircase, premium feature walls and extensive building-services installations.

LocationCentral London
Project typeCat A to Cat B HQ
Area1,843 m²
Programme18 weeks
Value£3.499m
Benchmark£176/sq ft

Project complexity

Structural alterations and the new internal staircase created interfaces with the existing building and services. Feature walls and wall cladding added approximately £358,000, making architectural specification a major cost driver.

Principal scope

  • Two-floor headquarters
  • Structural alterations
  • Internal staircase
  • Partitions and doors
  • Premium feature walls
  • Specialist joinery
  • Raised floors and floor coverings
  • Lighting, power, data and HVAC
  • Fire and plumbing alterations
  • Existing furniture relocation

Commercial insight

Architectural works represented 58% of the cost. Structural interventions, premium feature finishes and high-value flooring had a substantially greater impact than the furniture strategy, which principally reused the client’s existing furniture.

Case study 03 · Healthcare

Healthcare workplace fit-out outside the M25

A two-floor Cat A to Cat B healthcare workplace conversion delivered within a concentrated 10-week programme.

LocationSouth East England
Project typeCat A to Cat B
Area896 m²
Programme10 weeks
Value£859,836
Benchmark£89/sq ft

Project complexity

Strip-out and enabling work preceded the new fit-out. Despite a project value below £1 million, building services accounted for almost 42%, demanding close coordination with the architectural layout and short programme.

Principal scope

  • Two-floor workplace
  • Strip-out and enabling works
  • Partitions, doors and frames
  • Raised-access flooring
  • Ceilings and decorations
  • Refreshment and washroom works
  • Lighting and small power
  • Voice, data and electrical power
  • HVAC and fire systems
  • Graphics and signage

Commercial insight

Architectural work and building services together represented 88.6% of expenditure. Preliminaries remained significant because the fixed cost of safely managing a short project does not reduce in direct proportion to its overall value.

Case study 04 · Manufacturing

International manufacturer’s Zurich headquarters

A high-specification Cat A to Cat B headquarters created within a challenging building and delivered over a compact 10-week programme.

LocationZurich, Switzerland
Project typeCat A to Cat B HQ
Area634 m²
Programme10 weeks
ValueCHF 2.28m
BenchmarkCHF 334/sq ft

Project complexity

The building increased the coordination required between the Cat B layout, existing conditions, architectural packages and services. The compact floorplate carried a high level of specification and services content.

Principal scope

  • Single-floor headquarters
  • Builders’ and external works
  • Raised-access flooring
  • Partitions and moving walls
  • Specialist joinery
  • Ceilings and acoustic treatments
  • Wall cladding and finishes
  • Lighting, power, voice and data
  • Security and access control
  • HVAC, fire and plumbing

Commercial insight

The high rate demonstrates how a relatively compact headquarters can carry a significant overall cost where the specification, services content, furniture allowance and constraints of the existing building are substantial.

Case study 05 · Pharmaceutical

Multinational pharmaceutical headquarters in Zug

A large single-floor Cat A to Cat B headquarters delivered for a multinational pharmaceutical company within a fast 13-week programme.

LocationZug, Switzerland
Project typeCat A to Cat B HQ
Area2,129 m²
Programme13 weeks
ValueCHF 3.551m
BenchmarkCHF 155/sq ft

Project complexity

Design, procurement, services coordination and installation progressed in parallel. High-value small-power, partitioning, cellular-office, pod-system and furniture packages required early decisions to protect the programme.

Principal scope

  • Single-floor headquarters
  • Solid and glazed partitions
  • Cellular offices and pod system
  • Raised floors and ceilings
  • Tea points and specialist joinery
  • Lighting, power and AV
  • HVAC, plumbing and fire detection
  • Testing and commissioning
  • Move management and furniture
  • Client-direct permitting, access and branding

Commercial insight

The programme made early package definition and timely procurement essential. Architectural work and building services represented 65.6%, while furniture and professional inputs reflected the scale and coordination demands of the headquarters.

Case study 06 · Technology start-up

Central London start-up headquarters

A one-floor Shell & Core to Cat B headquarters in an older Central London building, including structural alterations and new WC accommodation.

LocationCentral London
Project typeShell & Core to Cat B
Area1,395 m²
Programme16 weeks
Value£2.363m
Benchmark£157/sq ft

Project complexity

The older building created additional interfaces between the new design, existing structure and services strategy. Achieving the required EPC performance was a principal challenge and influenced HVAC, lighting, electrical and architectural decisions.

Principal scope

  • Shell & Core to Cat B HQ
  • Strip-out and enabling works
  • Structural alterations
  • Solid and glazed partitions
  • Ceilings and raised floors
  • New WCs and public health
  • Tea point and joinery
  • HVAC coordinated with EPC targets
  • Lighting, power, voice and data
  • Security, AV and furniture

Commercial insight

Building services were the largest cost group at 42%. The project demonstrates why EPC targets should be established early: energy-performance decisions affect services capacity, controls, infrastructure and architectural coordination, with direct cost and programme consequences.

Client identities have been withheld for confidentiality. Project information has been summarised and values rounded for presentation. Weekly expenditure figures are simple programme averages; actual expenditure varies during delivery.

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