Commercial fit-out costs in the UK vary wildly — and most businesses don't know what's reasonable until it's too late.
Typical Cost Ranges (Rough Guide)
£40–£80
Light refurbishment per sq ft
£80–£150
Standard office fit-out per sq ft
£150–£300+
High-spec fit-out per sq ft
But here's the truth:
Two projects with the same specification can differ by hundreds of thousands of pounds.
Why Costs Vary So Much
- Contractor margin stacking — Multiple layers of markup
- Over-specified design — Gold-plated solutions you don't need
- Duplicated scopes — Paying twice for the same work
- Risk pricing — Contingencies on top of contingencies
- Lazy procurement — No competitive pressure
Your Risk
Without independent oversight, you're negotiating blind.
You don't know if £150/sq ft is fair or inflated. You don't know if that M&E system is necessary or over-engineered. You don't know if you're being quoted market rates or contractor rates.
What You Can Do
Get an independent cost review before you sign. We'll show you:
- What you should actually be paying
- Where costs are inflated
- What you can challenge
- What realistic market rates look like
Request an Independent Cost Review
Get clarity on what you should really be paying.
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Why Refurbishments Go Over Budget
Common causes of overspend and how to stop them.