Office Fit-Out delivered in Canary Wharf, London E14
Canary Wharf · Office Fit-Out

Office Fit-Out in Canary Wharf

Office Fit-Out across Canary Wharf (E14). Office fit-out delivery for new lease take-ups, HQ relocations, floor consolidations and landlord CAT A works. Programme-driven, with a single fixed-price contract spanning design, build, M&E and handover.

Estate-approvedCDM 2015FIRASNICEIC£10M insured

Office Fit-Out in Canary Wharf — what businesses typically need

Office Fit-Out across Canary Wharf (E14) is delivered by our in-house commercial team with current estate approvals and compliance records on file. We have completed works in or adjacent to One Canada Square, 25 Canada Square (Citi), 8 Canada Square (HSBC), 40 Bank Street, 25 Bank Street (JPMorgan) among others. Teams mobilise from our London operations base, with direct transport links via Canary Wharf (Jubilee + Elizabeth line), Heron Quays (DLR), South Quay, Canary Wharf Pier (Thames Clippers). Every project is run by a named project manager reporting weekly with photographs and programme RAG. Out-of-hours loading, estate permit-to-work and managing-agent liaison are included in the prelims — not charged as variations.

The Canary Wharf market is dominated by global investment banks (hsbc, citi, jpmorgan, barclays), magic-circle and silver-circle law firms, asset and wealth management, each with distinct office fit-out requirements — programme compression, landlord co-ordination, out-of-hours delivery, and full compliance ownership. Our commercial team has delivered office fit-out in trophy buildings including One Canada Square, 25 Canada Square (Citi), 8 Canada Square (HSBC), 40 Bank Street.

Canary Wharf is the secondary London financial district — 16m+ sqft across trophy towers (One Canada Square, 25 Canada Square, 40 Bank Street, 25 Bank Street) and peripheral Grade A blocks in Wood Wharf and the North Quay. Occupiers are dominated by banking, asset management, law, and increasingly life-sciences (Cherry Park) and tech.

Our commercial delivery model

CWG mandates strict loading windows (typically 6am–9am and 6pm–10pm for construction traffic) and prohibits heavy noise works during trading hours on most buildings. Out-of-hours working is the norm for occupied fit-out and dilapidations. All loading is pre-booked through CWG tenant services — typical lead time 48–72 hours. Vehicles enter via the estate's service road network; skips are not permitted on the estate — waste is removed daily via enclosed trucks.

  1. Stage 1

    Brief capture and space test-fit in 10 working days

  2. Stage 2

    Fixed CAT B design package — Stage 3 drawings, M&E schedules

  3. Stage 3

    Principal contractor appointment, CDM 2015 notification to HSE

  4. Stage 4

    Weekly client reports with photos and programme RAG status

  5. Stage 5

    Commissioning, O&M issue and 12-month defects period

Programme, budget, and disruption

TierRangeWhat's covered
CAT A£60–£95 per sqftBase-build finish to let-ready standard
CAT A plus£95–£140 per sqftCAT A with added meeting rooms, kitchen, furniture-ready finishes
CAT B standard£120–£200 per sqftFull occupier fit-out with partitioning, joinery, M&E
CAT B premium / HQ£220–£380 per sqftBespoke design, high-spec finishes, AV, branded reception

City, Canary Wharf and prime Westminster carry a typical 10–20% premium over outer London zones due to loading restrictions, out-of-hours working and estate-approval overheads. Figures are guide ranges — we provide a fixed quote after survey.

Typical works we deliver in Canary Wharf

CAT A — delivered in Canary Wharf under estate-approved loading and out-of-hours protocols.

CAT A plus — delivered in Canary Wharf under estate-approved loading and out-of-hours protocols.

CAT B standard — delivered in Canary Wharf under estate-approved loading and out-of-hours protocols.

CAT B premium — delivered in Canary Wharf under estate-approved loading and out-of-hours protocols.

Test-fit — delivered in Canary Wharf under estate-approved loading and out-of-hours protocols.

Space plan — delivered in Canary Wharf under estate-approved loading and out-of-hours protocols.

Demountable partitioning — delivered in Canary Wharf under estate-approved loading and out-of-hours protocols.

Acoustic glazing — delivered in Canary Wharf under estate-approved loading and out-of-hours protocols.

Planning and compliance for Office Fit-Out in Canary Wharf

Works within the CWG estate are governed by the CWG fit-out guide — contractor approvals, permit-to-work regime, and CWG-specific fire, lift and loading protocols. Wood Wharf and Cherry Park developments have additional developer-specific requirements. LBS-level planning largely doesn't apply on the estate.

Service-specific compliance

CDM 2015 principal contractorFIRAS-certified fire-stoppingNICEIC electrical certificationPart B, Part E, Part M Building RegulationsBS 5266 emergency lightingF-Gas handling for any HVAC alterationsWELL/BREEAM input where required£10M PL + £10M PI insurance

Buildings we have worked in across Canary Wharf

Notable buildings

  • One Canada Square
  • 25 Canada Square (Citi)
  • 8 Canada Square (HSBC)
  • 40 Bank Street
  • 25 Bank Street (JPMorgan)
  • 10 Upper Bank Street (Clifford Chance)
  • 20 Cabot Square
  • 1 Churchill Place
  • 20 Churchill Place
  • 5 Churchill Place
  • One Canada Walk (Wood Wharf)
  • One Park Drive
  • 1 Westferry Circus

Notable estates

  • Canary Wharf Group (CWG) estate
  • Wood Wharf (CWG)
  • Crossharbour (phased development)
  • North Quay / Cherry Park (life sciences)

Reference list available on request under NDA.

Our process — seven stages

  1. Survey

    Measured condition survey within 5 working days, including M&E, fabric and compliance review.

  2. Brief

    Scope capture workshop with stakeholders — occupier, landlord, managing agent, FM team.

  3. Design

    Stage 3 design package with space plan, M&E schedules, specification and CAT A/B split.

  4. Fixed quote

    Lump-sum price against the design package. All prelims transparent.

  5. Mobilisation

    CDM notification, RAMS, permit-to-work, landlord licence-to-alter, estate approvals.

  6. Delivery

    Weekly client reports with photos, programme RAG, variation log, compliance status.

  7. Handover

    O&M manuals, as-built drawings, building-regs sign-off, 12-month defects period.

Office Fit-Out specifications by building type

Trophy tower Grade A (20,000–30,000 sqft floor plates)

Office Fit-Out in trophy tower grade a (20,000–30,000 sqft floor plates) is typically specified to cat a level — base-build finish to let-ready standard. Programme is governed by loading access and estate working-hours framework.

Mid-tier CWG blocks (10,000–15,000 sqft plates)

Office Fit-Out in mid-tier cwg blocks (10,000–15,000 sqft plates) is typically specified to cat a plus level — cat a with added meeting rooms, kitchen, furniture-ready finishes. Programme is governed by loading access and estate working-hours framework.

New-build Wood Wharf residential + office hybrids

Office Fit-Out in new-build wood wharf residential + office hybrids is typically specified to cat b standard level — full occupier fit-out with partitioning, joinery, m&e. Programme is governed by loading access and estate working-hours framework.

Life-sciences labs (Cherry Park)

Office Fit-Out in life-sciences labs (cherry park) is typically specified to cat b premium / hq level — bespoke design, high-spec finishes, av, branded reception. Programme is governed by loading access and estate working-hours framework.

Out-of-hours, weekend, and live-environment working

CAT B fit-out is typically delivered during standard working hours from a vacant demise. Where we take possession of an occupied floor for phased works, we operate night and weekend shifts with sealed segregation, low-noise equipment and managed loading slots booked with the managing agent.

CWG mandates strict loading windows (typically 6am–9am and 6pm–10pm for construction traffic) and prohibits heavy noise works during trading hours on most buildings. Out-of-hours working is the norm for occupied fit-out and dilapidations. All loading is pre-booked through CWG tenant services — typical lead time 48–72 hours. Vehicles enter via the estate's service road network; skips are not permitted on the estate — waste is removed daily via enclosed trucks.

Planned preventative maintenance (PPM)

All Canary Wharf occupiers benefit from a PPM framework covering L8 water hygiene, EICR, emergency lighting, F-Gas registers and fabric maintenance. For a scoped PPM package in Canary Wharf see Office Maintenance in Canary Wharf or Commercial Maintenance in Canary Wharf.

Case studies

Anonymised project outlines from our Canary Wharf and adjacent-area portfolio — full reference list with contact introductions available on request under NDA.

Law firm CAT B relocation

Scope · 14,500 sqft

Budget band · £2.3M

Programme · 16 weeks

Full CAT B including client suite, library, mediation rooms

Delivered under single-contractor D&B with CDM 2015 principal contractor duty. Full compliance pack at handover.

Venture capital HQ

Scope · 6,200 sqft

Budget band · £1.1M

Programme · 12 weeks

Premium finish, bespoke joinery, boardroom AV containment

Delivered under single-contractor D&B with CDM 2015 principal contractor duty. Full compliance pack at handover.

Fintech consolidation fit-out

Scope · 9,800 sqft

Budget band · £1.4M

Programme · 13 weeks

Open plan, acoustic pods, 12 meeting rooms, town hall space

Delivered under single-contractor D&B with CDM 2015 principal contractor duty. Full compliance pack at handover.

FAQs — Office Fit-Out in Canary Wharf

What is the difference between CAT A, CAT A plus and CAT B?

CAT A is the landlord's base-build finish: raised floors, suspended ceilings, perimeter heating/cooling and emergency lighting. CAT A plus adds meeting rooms, kitchen, and sometimes furniture to let to occupiers immediately. CAT B is the tenant's full occupational fit-out: partitioning, branding, joinery, AV and finishes.

How quickly can you mobilise a fit-out?

For a standard CAT B of 5,000–15,000 sqft we can mobilise within 3–4 weeks of instruction, subject to licence-to-alter. A full CAT B programme typically runs 10–16 weeks.

Do you self-deliver M&E or subcontract it?

We self-deliver electrical and small-works mechanical through our in-house team, with specialist subcontractors on chillers, VRF and BMS. All works are covered by the main contract.

Can you handle BREEAM or WELL certification input?

Yes — we work with the project assessor, supply tracked submittals for materials, air-quality data for paints and adhesives, and commissioning reports for M&E.

Will you manage the licence-to-alter with our landlord?

Yes. We prepare the drawings, M&E schedules, method statements and condition schedule required by the landlord's surveyor, and manage the approval process to completion.

How do you price — per sqft or open-book?

Fixed lump-sum against an agreed specification. Variations are priced per item before issue. No percentage preliminaries markups.

Are you an approved contractor on the CWG estate?

Yes. We hold up-to-date approvals with Canary Wharf Group tenant services, including CSCS, insurance, CDM competence, and the CWG-specific fit-out protocol sign-off.

How tight are loading restrictions?

CWG operates the tightest loading regime in London — windows are pre-booked 48–72 hours ahead, skips are prohibited, and all waste leaves in enclosed trucks. We plan the logistics strategy from day one.

Can you work during bank trading hours?

Only silent works. All heavy noise, impact and chasing works are confined to out-of-hours (6pm–6am) shifts. Dust-sealed segregation and HEPA extract are mandatory on CWG occupied floors.

Do you handle CWG-specific permit-to-work?

Yes — our PM manages the permit regime daily including hot works, working at height, live electrical, and confined space permits against the CWG framework.

What's typical CAT B programme on CWG estate?

8,000 sqft: 10–12 weeks. 18,000 sqft: 16–20 weeks. 30,000+ sqft: 20–26 weeks. Add 1–2 weeks for CWG mobilisation approvals.

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Related insights

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Start with a survey in Canary Wharf

Measured condition survey within 5 working days. Fixed-price quote within 10. Estate approvals on file.