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Cat A vs Cat B UK Office Fit-Out: What You Need to Know

Cat A and Cat B are the two standard levels of commercial office fit-out in the UK - but what they mean, what they cost, and which is right for your business is frequently misunderstood. This guide explains both clearly, covers dilapidations risk, and introduces the alternative that a growing number of UK businesses now choose instead of a full Cat B fit-out.

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What is Cat A office space in the UK?

Cat A (Category A) office space is a commercial property that a UK landlord has brought to a base level of finish, ready for a tenant to commission their own fit-out. It typically includes raised floors and suspended ceilings, basic mechanical and electrical services (HVAC, lighting, power distribution), lifts and common areas, fire safety systems, and a reception or entrance - but no partition walls, furniture, or tenant-specific fit-out whatsoever.

Cat A is the blank canvas. The landlord has made the building functional and compliant. What it does not provide is anything that makes it usable for a specific business.

What is Cat B office space in the UK?

Cat B (Category B) is the fit-out that converts a Cat A shell into a working office. This is the tenant's investment - the partition walls, the meeting rooms, the kitchen, the reception desk, the lighting specification, the furniture, and the IT infrastructure. Cat B is everything that makes the space specific to your business and genuinely workable on day one.

Cat B fit-out costs vary significantly by specification, location, and scope. As a working guide, Cat B costs range from £60 to £200 per square foot in UK markets, with Central London at the upper end and regional cities below it. For a 2,000 sq ft office in London, this means £120,000 to £400,000 in building works alone, before furniture.

What is Cat A+ (Cat A Plus) in the UK?

Cat A+ is a relatively recent addition to the UK commercial property market - a finish level that sits between Cat A and Cat B. A landlord delivering Cat A+ has gone beyond the base specification to include elements traditionally associated with Cat B: furniture, meeting rooms, basic IT infrastructure, and a considered design.

Cat A+ spaces are designed to be plug-and-play for incoming tenants - particularly those on shorter leases who cannot justify commissioning a full Cat B fit-out. A circular furniture subscription is increasingly used by UK landlords to deliver Cat A+ specification efficiently: the landlord furnishes the space through a subscription, the tenant occupies it, and the furniture can be transferred to the tenant or adapted to their requirements at the point of letting.

Cat A versus Cat B: what does each cost in the UK?

  • Cat A cost. Typically borne by the landlord and built into the lease terms - either through a rent-free period or a landlord's capital contribution to the fit-out.
  • Cat B cost. Typically £60 to £200 per sq ft for a standard commercial fit-out in the UK. For a 2,000 sq ft office, this means £120,000 to £400,000 in building works before furniture. Furniture adds a further £25,000 to £80,000 depending on specification.
  • Cat A+ cost. A landlord delivering Cat A+ with furniture through a circular subscription may spend £15 to £30 per sq ft on furniture provision - significantly less than a full Cat B fit-out, with none of the structural dilapidations liability at lease end.

Key Takeaways

  • Cat A is the landlord's base fit-out - functional and compliant, but not usable for a specific business without further investment.
  • Cat B is the tenant's fit-out - partitions, meeting rooms, kitchen, furniture, and IT. Budget £60 to £200 per sq ft for building works, plus furniture on top.
  • Cat A+ is a landlord-delivered intermediate level designed for shorter-term occupiers who do not want to commission a full Cat B - and who want to avoid the dilapidations liability that comes with it.
  • A circular furniture subscription is increasingly used to deliver Cat A+ - fast, flexible, and without the landlord or tenant committing capital to owned furniture assets.

Furnishing a Cat A+ space or delivering Cat A+ as a UK landlord? Talk to NORNORM about how our subscription model supports this.

FAQs

What is the difference between a Cat A and Cat B office fit-out in the UK?

Cat A and Cat B refer to two distinct stages of commercial office fit-out in the UK. Cat A is the base level delivered by the landlord: the space is clean, structurally complete, and has basic services installed - raised floors, suspended ceilings, basic HVAC, fire detection, and WC facilities - but is otherwise empty and not immediately usable. Cat B takes the space from Cat A to fully occupied, adding partitions, flooring finishes, decoration, kitchen and breakout areas, meeting rooms, and furniture. Cat B is what a tenant actually moves into and works in.

Which is better for a UK startup - Cat A or Cat B fit-out?

For a UK startup, the Cat B fit-out decision depends primarily on your lease length and capital position. A traditional Cat B fit-out requires upfront capital (typically £50 to £150 per sq ft for building works, plus furniture on top), creates a dilapidations liability at the end of the tenancy, and locks in a specification that may not suit your team in 18 months. A Cat A space with a circular furniture subscription achieves a similar outcome - a fully designed, professional workspace - without the upfront capital, the dilapidations risk from structural works, or the specification lock-in. For most startups, the subscription approach on a Cat A or Cat A+ base is the more rational choice.

How much does a Cat A or Cat B office fit-out cost in the UK?

Cat A fit-out cost depends on the condition of the base build and the level of services in place. As a working guide, bringing a space from shell to Cat A level in a UK market typically costs £30 to £80 per square foot for a standard commercial space - covering raised floors, suspended ceilings, basic HVAC, and fire detection. Cat B costs on top of Cat A typically run £60 to £200 per square foot for building works alone, before furniture. Total Cat B fit-out costs in Central London and other major UK cities commonly run £100 to £250 per square foot or more for a well-specified space.

What is Cat A+ and how does it differ from Cat A and Cat B in the UK?

Cat A+ is an increasingly common intermediate level in the UK market, offered by landlords as a way to present space that is more immediately occupiable than a bare Cat A shell, without the full investment of a tenant-specific Cat B fit-out. A Cat A+ space typically includes basic partitioning, flooring finishes, decoration, kitchen facilities, and sometimes furniture, pre-installed before a tenant is confirmed. It is designed to reduce the time from lease signing to occupation and is particularly common in speculative fit-outs across Central London and major regional markets. A circular furniture subscription fits well on a Cat A+ base - the landlord provides the structural finish and the tenant layers in designed furniture through the subscription.

What are dilapidations and how do they relate to a Cat B fit-out in the UK?

Dilapidations are the cost of reinstating leased space to its original condition at the end of the lease. For a Cat B fit-out, this typically means removing partitions, making good walls and ceilings, reinstating flooring, and returning the space to the Cat A condition it was in at the start of the tenancy. Dilapidations costs are almost never budgeted at the beginning of a fit-out and arrive as a significant and unwelcome surprise at lease end. They are one of the strongest arguments for a circular furniture subscription on a Cat A or Cat A+ base: if you have not built partitions, you have no demolition cost; if the furniture is returned to the provider, there is no furniture disposal to manage.

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