One of the first questions businesses ask when planning a new office is how long the project will take. The honest answer is that it depends on a number of factors, but understanding those factors gives you far more control over your programme.
For most commercial office fit outs, the total journey from initial planning through to occupation runs between three and nine months depending on the procurement route and scale of the project. For a design and build approach, where design and construction overlap, the total programme typically sits between three and six months. A traditional procurement route, where stages run in sequence, will generally take between four and nine months. The physical construction phase typically takes six to fourteen weeks. However, the planning and design stages that come before work starts on site are just as important to factor in, and underestimating them is one of the most common causes of delay.
This guide sets out the key stages involved, what typically affects how long each one takes, and how to give your project the best chance of running to programme.
What Affects How Long an Office Fit Out Takes?
No two fit out projects are identical, and several variables will shape your timeline from the outset.
The size and complexity of the space is one of the most significant factors. A straightforward fit out of a smaller office will complete considerably faster than a large, multi-floor project involving structural alterations or complex mechanical and electrical installations.
The condition of the building matters too. A shell and core space requires more extensive base build work before occupant-specific elements can begin. A space that has already been Cat A fitted is ready for a Cat B fit out much sooner. Understanding where your space sits in terms of its current specification will help you set realistic expectations from the start.
Whether your team remains in occupation during the project is another consideration. A refurbishment carried out in a live working environment requires careful phasing and closer coordination with your day-to-day operations. This typically adds time to the construction programme, though a well-organised contractor will plan specifically around your needs.
Finally, the procurement route you choose has a direct bearing on overall timescales. A design and build approach, where a single team manages design and construction together, typically moves 30 to 40 per cent faster than a traditional route where consultants and contractors are appointed separately.
The Key Stages and Typical Timescales
Breaking the project into its main phases makes it easier to understand where time is spent and where the critical decisions need to be made.
Workplace consultancy (two to four weeks). Before design begins, it is worth taking time to understand how your business and your people actually use the office. This stage produces the data and insight that shape the brief, and investing in it properly at the start prevents costly changes later in the project.
Design development (four to eight weeks). Your brief is translated into spatial layouts, furniture arrangements, material palettes, and technical drawings. This stage requires active engagement from your team, as decisions made here drive the build programme that follows.
Contractor appointment and pre-start (six to eight weeks). Once a design is agreed, your contractor will prepare a detailed programme of works, carry out surveys, coordinate with building management, and obtain any necessary licences to alter from the landlord.
Construction (six to fourteen weeks). For most mid-sized Cat B fit outs, the build phase runs from six to ten weeks. Larger or more complex projects will extend this further. Projects involving significant structural works, new mechanical and electrical installations, or phased delivery across an occupied building will sit at the higher end of this range.
Furniture installation and handover (one to two weeks). Once the main construction is complete, furniture is delivered and installed, AV and IT systems are commissioned, snagging is completed, and the space is handed over ready for your team to move in.
Design and Build vs Traditional Procurement
The route you choose to deliver your fit out has a significant effect on how long the whole process takes.
With a traditional procurement route, a design team is appointed first and completes the full design package before the project goes out to tender. Only then is a contractor appointed and construction begins. The two main phases run in sequence, which adds time overall. If design changes are required once work is on site, they must be resolved across two separately appointed teams, which can cause further delays.
A design and build approach brings design and delivery under a single appointment from the outset. This allows the two phases to run in parallel, decisions to be made faster, and the project to reach site sooner. For businesses with a defined move date, a lease expiry, or a limited licence period from the landlord, this integrated model often makes the most practical and commercial sense.
How Long Does an Office Refurbishment Take?
If your project involves refurbishing an existing space rather than fitting out a new one, the programme works a little differently.
The scope of construction may be lighter, particularly where the project focuses on a cosmetic refresh, new finishes, or a layout reconfiguration rather than a full replacement of building services. However, working around a live business requires phasing and adds coordination that a vacant space would not.
A targeted refurbishment of a smaller office can be completed in four to six weeks. A more comprehensive refurbishment involving M&E works, structural changes, or phased delivery across a large floor plate will typically take two to four months. The scale of what you want to achieve, and how much disruption the business can accommodate, are the two variables that matter most.
How to Keep Your Project on Programme
The projects most likely to overrun share the same underlying causes. The brief changes after design is complete. Materials are ordered too late. Decisions that could have been made early are deferred until they become urgent.
The most effective way to protect your programme is to make the key decisions early and commit to them. That means defining a clear brief before design begins, identifying long-lead items in the first weeks of design so they can be ordered ahead of construction, and giving your project team the information they need to plan the programme without interruptions.
It also means choosing the right partner. A contractor who understands your business, communicates clearly, and manages the programme actively will consistently deliver faster and with fewer surprises than one who does not.
We start every project with a consultancy phase designed to build this foundation. Understanding how your organisation works, what your people need, and what the space has to achieve before any design begins means the project moves with clarity from day one. If you are at the early stages of planning a fit out and would like to talk through what your project might involve, our team is happy to help.
