Fit-out programme
How long does an office fit-out take?
- 01See the floorFloor access, plans, headcount, decision owners.
- 02CoordinateClient decisions, building information, specialist inputs.
- 03FreezeApproval lead times and changes.
- 04Procure and makeApproved specifications and vendor lead times.
- 05Build and installWorking hours, lift access, material inward, sequencing.
- 06Test and hand overSystem readiness and decision closure.
- 6 stages
- Dependencies named
- Not a universal promise
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How long does an office fit-out take from survey to handover?
A commercial office fit-out runs through 6 stages, from seeing the floor to handover.The programme depends on area, starting condition, approvals, specification, long lead items and building access.What follows is a typical stage sequence, not a universal promise.
No week count is published here, because the honest one depends on your floor.
What sets the programme
Area
How much floor is being built, and in how many parts.
Starting condition
A bare shell, which is an empty concrete floor, a warm shell, or an existing office.
Approvals
Landlord sign off on the drawings, and clearances where the fire systems change.
Specification
What the furniture, the finishes and the systems are built to.
Long lead items
Screens, electrical equipment, air conditioning plant and made to order furniture.
Building access
Working hours, lift slots and the windows for bringing material in.
Decisions
How quickly each decision is closed, and who owns it.
The stages
A typical stage sequence, not a universal promise.
The table scrolls sideways on a narrow screen.
| Stage | What happens | Typical dependency |
|---|---|---|
| See the floor | Measure the floor, confirm the starting condition, building rules and business requirement. | Floor access, plans, headcount, decision owners. |
| Coordinate | Bring layout, furniture, services and technology onto one coordinated drawing set. | Client decisions, building information, specialist inputs. |
| Freeze | Agree scope, responsibilities, specification, commercials and programme. | Approval lead times and changes. |
| Procure and make | Order long-lead items, manufacture joinery and furniture, and prepare the site. | Approved specifications and vendor lead times. |
| Build and install | Execute the work in the agreed sequence and coordinate specialist interfaces. | Working hours, lift access, material inward, sequencing. |
| Test and hand over | Commission systems, close snags, and hand over the agreed scope with documentation. | System readiness and decision closure. |
The order holds on most projects. The time each stage takes does not.
What commonly changes the programme?
Late landlord approvals
Or base building information that arrives incomplete.
Restricted access
Working hours, lift slots or windows for bringing material in.
Late changes
Changes made after drawings or procurement have been frozen.
Long lead items
Screens, electrical equipment, air conditioning plant or furniture.
Occupied renovation
Phased handovers around a team that is still working on the floor.
Client nominated vendors
Dependencies that sit outside the fit-out contract.
Where you are now
You have the floor and a target date
Get the floor read before quotations freeze.
Questions about timelines
How long does a commercial office fit-out take?
It runs through 6 stages, from seeing the floor to handover, and the length depends on the project.
WurkSpaces publishes the stage sequence rather than a week count, because an honest number needs the floor.
How long does an office fit-out take for a 20,000 sq ft floor?
There is no published duration for a floor of that size, because area alone does not set the programme.
The date for your own floor is fixed at the plan stage, before anything is ordered.
Who is responsible if the handover date is missed?
WurkSpaces is. One contract carries one project lead and one date, so one party is answerable for it.
What the contract says about a missed date is agreed in writing before any work starts.