Standard CAT B £75-£130 per sqft; premium £130-£200; trophy £200-£350+. Here's what each tier actually buys you.
Homeowners comparing scope, planning, finish level, and delivery fit before they ask for quotes.
Hidden enabling works, services renewal, structural complexity, access constraints, and finish ambition.
Use the guide to narrow the right project route before moving into exact service and area pages.
Built to support real renovation, refurbishment, and planning decisions rather than generic blog filler.
Connected to owner-area and exact local service routes where stronger commercial intent lives.
Secondary terms are used to broaden coverage without splitting intent across thin keyword pages.
Structured around local property, planning, cost, and route-ownership context to make the article practically useful.
What this guide covers
Google wants useful pages, not long pages for the sake of it. These section links make the topic structure clearer for readers and keep the article focused on the practical decisions behind the query.
Standard CAT B — £75-£130 per sqft
Standard CAT B fit-outs cover stud partitioning to typical floorplate spec, mid-range carpet tiles, suspended ceiling regrid where partitions move, basic LED lighting upgrade, standard tea-point and breakout fit-out, basic AV (screens and standard audio), and decoration to mid-spec. Suitable for back-office, growth-stage tenants, and floors where the brand is not the priority. Programme 8-12 weeks. Most common spec for the bulk of London office fit-outs in the 5,000-25,000 sqft range.
Trophy / client floor — £200-£350+ per sqft
Trophy spec is for the showpiece floor. Stone or marble flooring in reception and client zones, hand-built bespoke joinery throughout, premium kitchen with professional appliances (Wolf, Sub-Zero, La Marzocco coffee), integrated AV across multiple zones with control panels, designer lighting with bespoke fixtures, premium materials throughout (leather, brass, walnut, oak). Programme 16-22 weeks. Common for headline floors of finance and law firms, international company HQs in trophy buildings.
Where the money actually goes
The single biggest variable is partitioning: stud at £25-£45 per sqft of partition vs frameless glass at £150-£280 per sqft. Second biggest is finishes: carpet at £15-£30 per sqft installed vs stone at £80-£200+ per sqft. Third is kitchen: standard tea-point £25k vs premium client-floor kitchen £80k+. AV scales separately and can run from £8k for basic screens to £200k+ for fully integrated multi-zone systems. Knowing which 20% of the spec drives 80% of the cost helps you make trade-offs intelligently.
Frequently Asked Questions
What's included in fit-out per-sqft?
Standard inclusions: partitions, finishes, M&E modifications, decoration, kitchen, breakout, basic AV, project management. Excludes: furniture (FF&E), specialist AV system design, IT cabling beyond standard.
Do CAT B costs include the kitchen?
Yes — standard tea-point inclusion. Premium client-floor kitchens or boardroom serveries are usually itemised separately above the per-sqft band.
Why does trophy cost so much more?
Materials (stone, premium joinery), bespoke fabrication lead times, specialist trades, trophy-building access constraints, and out-of-hours premiums.
Need Help With Your Project?
Our expert team is ready to help with any home improvement project across London. Get a free, no-obligation quote today.