Office fit out checklist: 10 things to do before you start

Before you do anything else

The biggest mistake businesses make when planning an office fit out is rushing to appoint a designer or contractor before they have clarity on the fundamentals. Take the time to work through this checklist it will save you significant time, money and stress further down the line.

1. 01
   Define your headcount present and future

   How many people do you need to accommodate today? And in 3–5 years? Getting this wrong is the most common cause of an office that either feels cramped from day one or wastes money on space you don't need. Work out your peak occupancy (not just headcount with hybrid working, peak occupancy is typically 60–75% of headcount) and plan from there.

2. 02
   Establish a realistic budget

   Before you approach designers or contractors, have a budget in mind even if it's a range. A London CAT B fit out typically costs £65–£160 per sq ft for construction alone, plus furniture, AV, fees, and contingency. Without a budget, you risk wasting weeks of design time on a scheme you can't afford. Use our AI Brief tool to generate an indicative cost plan in minutes.

3. 03
   Understand what the landlord is delivering

   What is the condition of the space you're taking? Is it a fresh CAT A, an existing CAT B fit out, or a shell? What M&E is in place? What is the quality of the raised floor and ceiling grid? The answers will significantly affect your budget and programme. Commission a technical survey before you sign the lease.

4. 04
   Negotiate the landlord contribution before you sign

   In the current London market, most landlords will offer a fit out contribution or rent-free period. This is best negotiated before you sign once you're committed, your leverage disappears. A contribution of £15–40 per sq ft is reasonable on a 5–10 year lease. A Setro consultant can help you benchmark what's achievable in your specific building and market.

5. 05
   Align your stakeholders internally

   Office fit outs fail when different stakeholders have different visions and no-one resolves the conflict early enough. Before briefing any designer, get alignment on the key decisions: How will people work? How much space for collaboration vs. focused work? What image does the office need to project? Who has sign-off at each stage? Document the answers it becomes the brief.

6. 06
   Map your programme against your lease

   A typical London CAT B fit out takes 14–22 weeks from instruction to handover. Map that against your lease start date and rent-free period. If your rent-free ends before you can move in, you're paying rent on an empty office. Build your fit out programme before you finalise your lease terms it could be worth significant money.

7. 07
   Check landlord approval requirements

   Almost all commercial leases require landlord approval (licence for alterations) before you can begin fit out works. The approval process can take 4–12 weeks and requires detailed drawings and specifications. Factor this into your programme and appoint a solicitor to review the licence before you sign it.

8. 08
   Decide on your procurement route

   There are three main routes: (1) appoint a designer separately then tender to contractors; (2) appoint a design and build contractor who does both; (3) appoint a consultancy like Setro to manage the whole process. Each has different implications for cost certainty, design quality, and risk. For most occupiers, a design and build or consultancy-led approach offers the best balance.

9. 09
   Think about sustainability from day one

   Sustainability is much easier (and cheaper) to build in from the start than to retrofit. If BREEAM certification is relevant to your ESG commitments, it needs to be specified upfront. Even if formal certification isn't required, specifying low-carbon materials, energy-efficient M&E, and waste diversion from day one costs little extra and future-proofs your office against tightening regulation.

10. 10
    Plan the move, not just the fit out

    The fit out is one part of a much larger change management challenge. How will you communicate the move to staff? What IT infrastructure needs to be in place from day one? How will you manage the physical move IT equipment, furniture, document storage? Businesses that plan the move alongside the fit out have a significantly smoother transition than those who treat it as an afterthought.