What Does Office Fit-Out Cost per Sq Ft Include?
The fit-out cost is the price of turning an empty shell into a working office, whether through custom-built offices or a standard fit-out. Most quotes cover:
- Civil and interior works
- MEP, including electrical, HVAC, and plumbing
- Fire safety systems
- IT, AV, and security systems
- Furniture and fixtures
- Design, project management, and approvals
What a quote includes varies. Some leave out furniture, IT, or GST. Always confirm the scope line by line. An office design and build partner usually prices the whole scope under one contract.
How Office Fit-Out Cost per Sq Ft Is Calculated
Fit-out costs per square foot are simple in principle: total project cost divided by the area fitted out. A managed office space removes the calculation by folding fit-out into one monthly charge.
The catch is the area. CBRE’s benchmarks are stated on gross leasable area. Other quotes may use carpet area or built-up area, which changes the per-sq-ft figure for the same project. Confirm the basis before you compare. Ready-to-move-in office suites skip the question, since they arrive fitted out.
Also note that tenant improvement allowances are not the norm in India, so the tenant usually funds the fit-out.
Office Fit-Out Cost per Sq Ft by Specification: Basic, Mid and Premium
CBRE groups fit-outs into four tiers by quality of materials and systems. These figures are from CBRE Research (Asia Pacific Office Leasing Guide, April 2024 update) and apply to gross leasable area.
More recent data from Cushman & Wakefield’s 2026 guide puts a collaborative hybrid workplace at roughly ₹5,850–6,570 per sq ft across major Indian cities, with Mumbai highest. The two sources sit in a similar band for mid-specification work.
Costs have moved since 2024. Treat these as ranges, and ask for current quotes.
Office Fit-Out Cost Breakdown by Category
Every project splits into the same five buckets. Knowing them helps you read a quote.
Civil and Interior Works
- Partitions, ceilings, and flooring
- Doors, glazing, and finishes
- Joinery and built-in elements
MEP and HVAC
- Power distribution, lighting, and backup
- HVAC for cooling and ventilation
- Plumbing, washrooms, and fire safety
MEP is usually the most technical part of the job. Errors here are costly to fix later.
IT, AV and Security Systems
- Structured cabling and network equipment
- Meeting-room AV and video conferencing
- Access control and CCTV
Furniture and Fixtures
- Workstations, chairs, and storage
- Meeting-room and breakout furniture
- Pantry and reception fixtures
Design, Project Management and Approvals
- Design and drawings
- Project management and site supervision
- Landlord, fire, and local approvals, which vary by state and building
Office Fit-Out Cost by Office Size
Total cost scales with area. The table below applies the Cushman & Wakefield range of roughly ₹5,850–6,570 per sq ft to common office sizes. It is arithmetic for budgeting, not a quote.
Per-sq-ft costs can differ by size. Very small offices carry fixed costs over fewer sq ft. Large floors can benefit from scale, but add complexity.
What Pushes Office Fit-Out Costs Up or Down
Costs go up with:
- A higher specification and premium finishes
- Complex MEP, HVAC, or data-centre-grade IT
- A prime city such as Mumbai
- Late design changes
- Tight deadlines that need extra crews
- Strict compliance and sustainability requirements
Costs go down with:
- A standard specification and repeatable layouts
- Early design freeze
- Warm shells with base services in place
- Flexible timelines
- Reusing existing furniture or fixtures
How to Compare Office Fit-Out Quotes
Two quotes at the same per-sq-ft rate can differ by crores once scope is compared.
- Same scope: make every bidder price the same drawings and specification.
- Same area basis: carpet, built-up, or gross leasable area.
- Tax: check whether GST is included. Work contracts are generally taxed, so confirm the rate and your credit position with your tax adviser.
- Exclusions: furniture, IT, approvals, and restoration.
- Contingency: plan for roughly 5–10% on top for changes and surprises.
- Timeline and penalties: delivery dates and what happens if they slip.
- Warranty and handover: defect liability and snagging terms.
Also budget for the exit. Many leases require you to restore the premises, which is a real cost at the end.
How Table Space Removes Upfront Fit-Out Costs
Table Space runs a single-cheque model that covers leasing, design, fit-out, operations, facilities management, and compliance. The client pays one monthly charge and skips the upfront fit-out bill.
- A CBRE report cited in the DRHP records a leased area of 9.33 million sq ft as of 31 March 2026, with 98.01% in Grade A properties across 33 key office clusters in eight Tier-1 cities.
- The same report records 92.64% occupancy for mature facilities, the highest among benchmarked operators.
- Delivery can start as early as 90 days, against six to nine months for a ground-up lease build.
Explore custom-built offices and office design and build. For enterprise delivery, see managed office space. If you need to start sooner, ready-to-move-in office suites come fitted out.
