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 Category A (Cat A) fit-out provides the landlord’s base infrastructure (including raised floors, ceilings, air conditioning, and basic finishes) ready for tenant occupation.
• A Category B (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. Landlords often use operating leases or bundled agreements for Cat A, while tenants fund Cat B through revenue-share finance or asset-based lending 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.
• High-quality or hybrid office designs, where technology, Audio Visual systems, and premium materials feature, often surpass £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 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.

What is included in an Office Fit-Out (with cost estimates)

A comprehensive office fit-out covers all features required for a modern, operational workplace. London fit-out costs per sq ft in 2025 include:

Design & Planning

• Includes space planning, workplace strategy, 3D visuals, and compliance reviews; typically £15–£25/ft².

Resource & Professional Fees

• Project administration, building control, architect/engineer input; £2–£4/ft².

Preliminaries

• Site setup, welfare, logistics, safety, contractor management; £4–£6/ft².

Enabling Works & Strip-Out

• Removal of old installations and prepping space; £1–£2/ft².

Partitioning & Layout (Solid & Glazed Partitions, Internal Doors)

• Room and zone creation with stud or glass partitions and doors, typically £20–£40/ft² (for joinery-rich, glazed designs, use the upper end; Modus partitions alone £9–£20/ft²).

Ceilings

• Suspended/acoustic ceilings, bulkheads, feature elements; £2–£5/ft².

Raised Access Floors

• Modular underfloor systems, generally within flooring or partitions budgets.

Floor Finishes

• Carpets, LVT, stone, or resin; £5–£12/ft².

Decorations

• Painting, wallcoverings, feature surfaces; £1–£4/ft².

Acoustic Wall Finishes, Manifestations, Signage

• Branded wall panels, privacy glass graphics, wayfinding; £1–£4/ft².

Tiling (Kitchens/WC)

• Ceramic/porcelain finishes for wet areas; £1–£2/ft².

Blinds & Curtains

• Window treatments; £1–£2/ft².

Joinery

• Custom woodwork—kitchens, cupboards, reception desks, lockers; £5–£14/ft².

Mechanical and Electrical Systems (HVAC, Lighting, Wiring, Life Safety)

• Lighting, BMS controls, HVAC, fire, controls, cabling; £40–£60/ft²
  (or broken down as £7–£14/ft² electrical, £10–£20/ft² mechanical).

Data & IT Cabling

• £1/ft², also see Area.

Security Systems (Access Control, CCTV)

• £1/ft².

Technology & AV Integration

• Screens, VC, interactive displays, presentation suites; £10–£25/ft².

Branding & Finishes

• Biophilia, artwork, wall graphics, feature lighting; £5–£15/ft².

BWIC (Builder’s Work in Connection)

• BWIC (‘Builder’s Work in Connection’) covers minor construction and modification work required to install new systems (like forming holes for ductwork or electrical cabling). These costs are usually included within preliminaries.

Terrace, WC & Additional Landlord Works

• £2–£8/ft² if included.

Furniture, Fixtures & Equipment

• Desks, chairs, kitchen units, meeting and breakout furniture; £30–£80/ft² (furniture only: £16–£30/ft²).

Key Upgrades That Drive Value in 2025

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.

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. For context, EPC is a government-standard energy rating of office buildings, with an A rating being the most efficient. Upgrades like LED lighting, smart HVAC, and insulation can all contribute to achieving a higher EPC rating, helping meet tenant and regulatory requirements. (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). Increasingly, these elements are incorporated into finance packages, allowing landlords and tenants to reach targets like BREEAM (another Sustainability Certification) 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.