How Long Does an Office Fit Out Take? A Practical Timeline for London Workspaces

Planning how long an office fit out will take is one of the biggest factors in a successful move or refurbishment for any London business. Getting it wrong can mean paying rent on two spaces, delaying key hires, or asking your teams to work in a building site for longer than they should.​

This guide explains the main stages of an office fit out, the typical timescales you should allow, and the practical decisions that can speed things up or slow them down. It is written for companies planning an office fit out London and across the South East who want clear, realistic expectations rather than generic estimates.​

What affects your office fit out timeline?

Several variables combine to determine how long your office fit out will take. Understanding them early helps you design a programme that is achievable and safe, especially when you are choosing an office fit out company London to lead the project.​

Key factors include:

• The size of the space and number of floors
• The complexity of the design and level of customisation
• Whether you are starting from shell and core, Cat A, Cat A+ or an existing Cat B
• Landlord approvals, statutory approvals and building constraints
• Procurement lead times for specialist materials, services and furniture​

In London multi‑let offices, additional considerations such as delivery curfews, noise restrictions, listed building status and shared cores can also extend programmes. Working with established office fit out companies London means these building‑specific constraints can be anticipated and built into a realistic master programme.​

Cat A, Cat B, and where you start

The condition of the space at the point you take it on will have a direct impact on timescales.​

• Shell and core: You must first allow time for the landlord’s Cat A works before your own fit out can begin, often adding several months to the overall journey on larger schemes.​
• Cat A: This is the most common starting point. The landlord provides a compliant “blank canvas” with basic services and finishes; you then undertake your own Cat B fit out.​
• Cat A+: Some landlords offer a lightly fitted option, with simple meeting rooms or a tea point in place, which can reduce on‑site time but offers less flexibility.​

If you are still deciding what level of finish you need, it can help to look at wider office refurbishment London guidance and examples of Cat A and Cat B fit outs across similar London buildings before you fix your programme.​

Typical office fit out timescales by project type

Every project is different, but most London and South East office fit outs fall into recognisable patterns. The durations below refer to the on‑site construction phase and assume that design and approvals have been completed.​

Small in‑occupation refurbishment

For a light refurbishment of an existing office, typically 2,000–4,000 sq ft, you might expect:

• 1–2 weeks for enabling works and protection
• 3–6 weeks for phased refurbishment, often carried out around your teams or outside core hours
• 1 week for final commissioning, testing and snagging​

Programmes are usually extended slightly to allow for night or weekend working, moves and changes, and additional health and safety measures needed when operating in a live environment. This is where experienced office refurbisment companies London can phase noisy and disruptive work to minimise impact on day‑to‑day operations.​

Medium relocation fit out (5,000–10,000 sq ft)

For a typical relocation to a new Cat A office in London in the 5,000–10,000 sq ft range, a Cat B office fit out will often take around 8–16 weeks on site, assuming:

• A well‑resolved design and specification before you start
• Landlord approvals and Building Control sign‑offs progressing smoothly
• Reasonable lead times on key items such as glazed partitions, flooring and furniture​

Prestige Interiors has delivered this type of project in as little as 11 weeks for a full 2,000 m² education conversion and within a condensed six‑week programme for a multi‑floor Cat B fit out, where the brief, decisions and procurement were tightly controlled from the outset.​

Larger multi‑floor or complex projects

Where a project involves multiple floors, extensive structural alterations, complex M&E re‑engineering or highly bespoke interiors, you should expect:

• Longer detailed design and coordination periods
• A phased construction programme, sometimes 16–24 weeks or more
• Carefully staged handovers if different teams need to move in at different times​

In these cases, early engagement with an office fit out company London that has a track record in complex schemes is essential so that options such as fast‑track procurement, off‑site fabrication and shift work can be explored to compress the programme safely where needed.​

Inside a typical office fit out programme

Although durations vary, most office fit out programmes follow a similar structure. Understanding the sequence will help you plan internal communications, IT changes and staff moves.​

Typical stages include:

• Surveys, feasibility and concept design
• Detailed design, cost planning and value engineering
• Landlord licence to alter and statutory approvals
• Site set‑up, protection and strip‑out where required
• First fix services and partitions
• Second fix M&E, ceilings and joinery
• Finishes, furniture installation and branding
• Testing, commissioning, training and soft landings support​

A well‑run programme will overlap many of these stages where it is safe and logical to do so. For example, detailed design and procurement will usually continue while early enabling works and strip‑out are under way.​

Approvals, compliance and landlord coordination

Timelines are heavily influenced by how efficiently approvals and compliance are handled. For London offices, you should allow time for:​

• Landlord consent and any managing‑agent review
• Building Control sign‑off and compliance with current UK Building Regulations
• Fire strategy reviews and, where needed, third‑party fire engineer input
• CDM Regulations duties and principal designer or principal contractor coordination​

Prestige Interiors’ accreditations, including CHAS, SafeContractor, NICEIC registration and independent health and safety support, help to streamline these processes and give landlords confidence that works will be delivered safely and in line with regulations. Recognised waste‑carrier certification also means that strip‑out and refurbishment waste can be removed and disposed of responsibly without unnecessary delays.​

How Prestige Interiors programmes your project

A realistic, well‑communicated programme is central to Prestige Interiors’ approach to office fit out London projects in the capital and across the South East. The team typically:​

• Carries out detailed site surveys and checks existing Cat A or Cat B conditions to identify risks before you sign a lease
• Builds a master programme that integrates design, approvals, procurement and construction, with clear milestones for your internal teams
• Uses robust project management processes to track progress, manage contractors and keep stakeholders updated, aiming to maintain quality while safeguarding time and budget​

Because the company is independently owned and led by two women in a traditionally male‑dominated sector, clients often comment on the emphasis placed on communication, collaboration and service throughout the programme, as reflected in their case studies and testimonials.​

Practical ways to keep your office fit out on schedule

There are several proactive steps your business can take to protect the programme:

• Define a clear brief early, including headcount, ways of working and technology requirements.
• Nominate internal decision‑makers and agree how quickly design queries and change requests will be answered.
• Freeze major design decisions before ordering long‑lead items such as partitions, furniture and specialist finishes.
• Share building information, lease conditions and any existing surveys with your fit out partner as soon as possible.
• Plan IT migration, staff communications and move‑in dates around realistic milestones, not best‑case scenarios.​

Working with experienced office fit out companies London that understand local building stock, landlord expectations and regulatory requirements can make a substantial difference to both programme certainty and day‑to‑day disruption.​

FAQs

How far in advance should we start planning our office fit out?

It is sensible to start briefing and concept design three to six months before your target move‑in date for a medium‑sized relocation, allowing time for surveys, design development, approvals and procurement before work on site begins.​

Can we stay in the office while the fit out is carried out?

Yes, many refurbishment projects are delivered in occupation, but this usually extends the programme slightly to allow for phasing, night work or weekend work, and enhanced health and safety controls. This is where office refurbishment London specialists can phase works and manage risk so your teams can keep working safely.​

Do Cat A and Cat B both affect the timeline?

They can. If Cat A works are still to be completed, this landlord‑controlled phase will sit ahead of your own Cat B programme, whereas a fully completed Cat A space allows you to proceed straight to your tenant fit out once approvals are in place.​

How much contingency should we allow in the programme?

Allowing a modest time contingency for issues such as delayed approvals, supply‑chain challenges or unforeseen conditions uncovered during strip‑out is prudent, particularly in older London buildings where services and structures may not match existing drawings.​

How can we reduce the length of our office fit out?

Early engagement, fast decision‑making, pragmatic specification choices and openness to phased handovers are the most effective ways to shorten programmes without compromising safety or quality. Partnering with one experienced office fit out company London rather than splitting responsibility across multiple contractors can also help keep decision‑making and communication tight.​

Conclusion and next steps

Every office fit out timeline is unique, but understanding the stages, dependencies and typical durations will put you in a much stronger position when planning your next London workspace. When you are ready to shape the wider brief, explore design options or compare different approaches from office fit out companies London and office refurbisment companies London, using the main hub content on London office projects will help you turn a provisional programme into a confident delivery plan.