The Ultimate Guide to Office Fit-Outs: What to Include (and How Much It Costs in 2025)

Why should you upgrade your office space in 2025? Today's tenants strongly prioritise modern, high-quality work environments. Offices that lack contemporary amenities or smart technologies will find it increasingly difficult to attract, and more importantly retain quality occupiers. To remain competitive, landlords and owners need to consider well-targeted capital improvements such as fresh cosmetic upgrades, renovated tea points and kitchens, new HVAC installations, acoustically insulated phone booths and pods, and digital security or smart access systems.

Leanspace is ideally positioned to help. By connecting property owners with specialist suppliers and offering a streamlined fit-out finance process, Leanspace enables you to execute meaningful upgrades, without the prohibitive upfront capital commitment many banks require.

What Is an Office Fit-Out?

An office fit-out is the process of transforming an empty or basic commercial space into a fully functional, branded, and equipped workplace. This includes every step from design and planning through infrastructure, furniture, and technology installation, all customised for a company’s operations and brand. There are two primary categories: a Cat A fit-out provides the landlord’s base infrastructure (including raised floors, ceilings, air conditioning, and basic finishes) ready for tenant occupation, while a Cat B fit-out focuses on tenant requirements such as office layout, furniture, technology systems, signage, and meeting rooms.

Finance models in 2025 vary according to the project type. Cat A fit-outs are typically organised by landlords and funded with operating leases or bundled agreements, supporting long-term asset improvement. Cat B fit-outs are led by occupiers and most commonly financed through asset-based lending or revenue-share arrangements, syncing repayments to business cash flow and yield cycles.

Typical Office Fit-Out Costs in 2025

According to Bluewood Interiors and Turner & Townsend, office fit-out costs in London continue to rise with inflation and material expense. A Cat A fit-out generally costs between £126 and £170 per square foot, reflecting essential base infrastructure and systems. Cat B fit-outs typically cost £200–£310 per square foot for custom finishes, with high-quality or hybrid office designs, where technology, AV, and premium materials feature, often surpassing £300 per square foot. As a result, more landlords and tenants are adopting flexible finance solutions that allow projects to start immediately and spread payments over several years.

With user-friendly tools like the Office Fit Out Estimator, owners can choose their approximate unit size, select preferred finish quality, and instantly estimate project costs. If you want a more detailed breakdown, Leanspace offers tailored proposals and expert guidance at each step (Request Detailed Quote, Finish Quality Details).

Leanspace Flexible Financing: How It Works

Office fit-out finance in London has evolved beyond traditional bank loans. Leanspace connects owners and fit-out finance providers with agreement types like revenue share, convertible, equity stake, and fixed interest. This flexibility allows landlords and businesses to match the right finance model to their objectives and project scale:

• Revenue share aligns repayments to net operating income, which is ideal for upgrades driving higher rents.
• Convertible agreements combine income participation with a future equity option, offering upside if the property appreciates.
• Equity stakes let investors share in asset value uplift, often with no monthly repayments.
• Fixed interest loans provide predictable cost spreading and are popular for smaller works or office pod installs.

Leanspace typically facilitates fast finance from £10,000–£400,000, with transparent terms and funding agreed in a matter of weeks. Refurbishment costs are then spread over 12 to 60 months as manageable monthly payments, removing large capital hurdles and enabling action on upgrades that deliver value. Many agreements are 100% tax-deductible, and finance can cover all project elements: design, build, technology, more.

With Leanspace, finance agreements can launch instantly and work often begins within  a few weeks of approval. Whether implementing a single improvement or a full transformation, Leanspace’s tailored approach ensures a fast, expert-backed route to office upgrades in London.

What’s Included in an Office Fit-Out (and Cost Estimates)

A comprehensive office fit-out covers multiple domains, each contributing uniquely to design, efficiency, and user experience:

• Design and Planning: From space planning, 3D visuals, to compliance checks, this stage typically costs £15–£25 per square foot.
• Partitioning and Layout: Creating meeting rooms, breakout zones, and offices with glazed walls and joinery usually costs £20–£40 per square foot.
• Flooring and Ceilings: Installing raised flooring, acoustic ceilings, and carpeting adds around £15–£30 per square foot.
• Mechanical and Electrical Systems: Lighting, HVAC, fire systems, and cabling represent some of the largest costs, averaging £40–£60 per square foot.
• Furniture, Fixtures & Equipment: Providing ergonomic chairs, desks, kitchen units, and storage generally costs £30–£80 per square foot, depending on specification.
• Technology and AV Integration: Equipping the workspace with video conferencing systems, interactive displays, and IT infrastructure adds another £10–£25 per square foot.
• Branding and Finishes: Adding artwork, biophilia, wall graphics, and feature lighting typically costs £5–£15 per square foot.

Key Upgrades: 

Office Pods & Booths:

Essential for modern hybrid work, phone booths and meeting pods, extremely popular now, range from £4,000–£15,000 each, depending on size and provider. Trusted Partners like Meavo, Hushoffice, and Spacemann provide acoustic pods and flexible furniture that tenants actively seek and which are in high demand, currently. 

Smart Access Security:

Modern smart access and security solutions (including app-based entry and automated control) cost from £3,000–£8,000 for a small- to medium-sized office system, with larger, multi-access control and analytics setups costing £12,000–£25,000+. Subscription management is typically £8–£25 per user/month. These upgrades can deliver rent premiums of £8–£13 per sq ft annually(City University).

Upgraded Amenities (Tea Points, Kitchens, Breakout Areas):
Premium tea points or kitchens range from £7,000–£25,000 depending on size and finish. Large breakout or social/collaboration spaces can add £10,000–£40,000+. These enhancements also contribute to improved EPC scores (Knight Frank).

HVAC Upgrades:
Modern HVAC upgrades cost from £25–£60 per sq ft, with smart energy-efficient systems for mid-to-large offices running £35,000–£180,000+. Well-specified solutions can deliver rent increases of 15–25% (Savills). These not only reduce environmental impact but also enhance energy ratings and long-term asset value. Increasingly, these elements are incorporated into finance packages, allowing landlords and tenants to reach targets like BREEAM or EPC A without needing large up-front investments.

Plug-and-Play Wiring:
Fully installed modular plug-and-play wiring averages £39 per sq m for smaller offices, £55–£75 per sq m for larger footprints, supporting 10–15% rent premiums.

Interior Painting:
Professional office painting costs £12–£25 per sq m or about £0.75–£2.20 per sq ft, depending on scale and decorative finish.

Sustainable Lighting:
LED retrofits start from £40 per fitting. Complete, sensor-enabled systems average £2,500–£8,000 for smaller spaces and £15,000–£75,000+ for large offices.

The Strategic Impact

Minor upgrades, painting, kitchens, plug-and-play wiring, typically cut vacancy by 2+ percentage points and deliver 3–7% rent increases in London’s competitive market. Tenants now expect quality and tech-driven environments, rewarding landlords who invest in efficiency, sustainability, and modern amenities.To initiate a project with clear scope, timeline, and budget, submit an online proposal for fast evaluation and funding match; once terms are agreed, contractors deliver works and the asset is relisted as a move-in-ready space with refreshed marketing.

For immediate scoping support or to get started on your own fit-out project, use the Leanspace cost estimator or contact the team for a tailored proposal and expert guidance.