HOW MUCH DOES AN OFFICE FIT OUT COST?

One of the first questions we get when onboarding a new customer is how much does an office fit out cost? While we’d love to give you a definitive answer about office fit out or office refurbishment costs, the truth is the total tally depends on a lot of things.

In a way, it’s like asking how much a house costs without giving any other parametres to go by: location, surface, plot size, and more. The typical office refurbishment costs per square metre in 2021 and beyond range anywhere from £45 to £150, depending on the size and the desired amenities.

We know, it’s hard to guess where your project falls within this quite wide range. So we have prepared a calculator to help you get a clearer estimate of your office fit out costs per square metre or foot. Scroll down to get to the office fit out costs calculator or keep reading to find out what’s included in these estimates.

Want to know more about your own office fit out costs in Glasgow and Edinburgh? Use the calculator below or contact our team of consultants for further advice.

Cost Calculator:

Why Do You Need Office Fit Out or Office Refurbishment?

Some of the most common reasons why Scottish business owners are interested in the average office refurbishment costs and what such a project involves are:

• You want to make the switch to agile or hybrid working

• You are interested in the well-being of your employees

• Your lease is expiring and you are moving into a new office space

• Your business is growing and you need your office space to accommodate this growth.

The fit out cost depends on the reason why you embark on such a project and on several other factors that we’ll explore below. In the meantime, you can click here if you want to read more about office fit out and refurbishment in Glasgow and Edinburgh.

Typical Office Fit Out Costs – What to Keep in Mind When Calculating Your Budget

Office fit out pricing depends a lot on the outcome you have planned. This is why it’s important to start by asking yourself what it is that your office refurbishment or office fit out needs to accomplish. Before you can answer the ever-present question ‘how much do I need to spend on office fit out and refurbishment’ keep in mind that most of your costs depend on the level of finish and enhancements you want in your new office.

Usually, contractors will offer office fit out costs per square foot or per square metre. Some of the factors that influence the office fit out cost per m2 are:

1. The type of work entailed. If you need just a few cosmetic works like new flooring, new decorations, and a few new partitions, the office fit out cost per sq ft will be much lower than if you need structural changes. Tearing down existing wall or building new ones are costly endeavours, so expect them to add up to the total tally.

2. The type of ICT and AV systems you need. Current trends dictate that your ICT and AV systems are integrated within your office walls and furniture. This offers more flexibility (especially in the case of agile working) and allows for better designs and aesthetics. But, of course, the newer the technology and the more complex the installation process, the more expensive your fit out project will be.

3. Basic or premium finish? As expected, everything that carries the ‘premium’ label is more expensive.

4. Your timeline. When do you need to move into your office space? If you are on a tight deadline, you should expect to pay more for office fit out and refurbishment. Tight deadlines mean that your contractor team has to be larger and that most of the people involved in the project will work overtime.

5. The furniture. Fit out costs per square metre are highly influenced by the furniture you choose. In turn, this depends a lot on the number of employees you have and on the type of furniture you want to buy. The typical costs for office furniture range from £400 to £700 per person. This includes the usual desk and chair, but also the furniture in the common spaces. Thus, for an office with 20 employees, expect your office fit out costs to increase by an average of £12 000 from the furniture alone.

6. How old the building is. Older buildings usually entail a lot of complications because of all the wear and tear that accumulated over time. Moreover, older buildings need more paperwork before your office fit out project is approved.

7. Raised floors. Raised floors are ideal for optimum distribution management and power supply. Better yet, they allow all your cables to remain hidden and thus avoid poor aesthetics and tripping accidents. If your office space doesn’t have a raised floor, one may need to be added or different workarounds need to be found – both of which add to the final cost of your office refurbishment or fit out project.

Disclamer: The figures above are just an indication and not a quote. Contact the team to discuss your project in more detail:

Affordable Office Fit Out in Glasgow and Edinburgh – How to Cut Down on Costs?

The good thing about having a wide pricing range for fit out and refurbishment projects is that you can adjust the costs to some extent to fit your needs and your budget. We’ve worked on offices were the tally was £40 per square foot, but also on others where the final costs reached a whopping £400 per square foot.

Luckily, a lot of these costs are within your control. Here’s where to start if you want an affordable office fit out solution:

• Carpeting. Carpet ranges from £10 per square metre to £50 per square metre. If you have a large office space, the cost difference adds up quite quickly.

• Office partitioning. There are countless options when it comes to the materials and designs of office partitioning walls. For instance, if you opt for noise-reduction partitions, expect to pay more.

• Furniture. As you probably know from buying furniture for your home, you have quite a few options here, as well as price ranges. However, if you care about quality and the health of your employees, we don’t recommend cutting corners here. Instead, work with a turnkey office fit out solutions provider like Amos Beech for buying your office furniture. Due to our contacts and our experience in the field, we have preferential discounts from a lot of top-quality furniture sellers and you can benefit from them.

• Choose your level of fit out carefully. Typically there are three levels of office fit out, all with different costs. You can expect to pay £30-£40 per sq. ft for standard or basic office fit out, £40-£60 per sq. ft for mid-range office fit out and over £70 for high spec office fit out.

• Financing options. Are the office refurbishment costs too high for you to tackle upfront? We have flexible financing and leasing options for office fit out and refurbishment projects in Glasgow and Edinburgh. We can help!

Are Office Fit Out Cost Calculators Accurate?

Yes, they are, to some extent. The office fit out calculator created by the Amos Beech experts uses our 30+ years of experience in the field, as well as current market data to give you the best estimate possible.

However, you need to keep in mind that average office refurbishment costs may be accurate on paper, but, usually, when the contractors get to the location a lot of unseen problems pop up. Electrical wiring is one of the most common areas for such issues to add up to the cost really fast.

Another reason why you should treat office fit out calculators as purely estimative is that these projects tend to have a lot of scope changes from beginning to end. A lot of business owners or office managers end up changing their mind about one finish type or another and that will obviously change the cost.

Need a more accurate office fit out estimation? Talk to our skilled team of consultants. They can advise you on how to plan for project, as well as give you an estimative office fit out cost.