Office Refurbishment delivered in Farringdon, London EC1
Farringdon · Office Refurbishment

Office Refurbishment in Farringdon

Office Refurbishment across Farringdon (EC1). Full-service office refurbishment for occupied and vacant London commercial space. We deliver CAT B fit-outs, M&E upgrades, partitioning, flooring, decorating and lighting under a single fixed-price contract, with a named project manager and principal contractor duties under CDM 2015.

Estate-approvedCDM 2015FIRASNICEIC£10M insured

Office Refurbishment in Farringdon — what businesses typically need

Office Refurbishment across Farringdon (EC1) 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 1 New Street Square, The Goldsmiths' Centre, 68 Clerkenwell Road, 70 Farringdon Road, The Charterhouse among others. Teams mobilise from our London operations base, with direct transport links via Farringdon (Elizabeth line, Thameslink, Circle/Metropolitan/Hammersmith & City), Chancery Lane (Central), Barbican (Circle/Metropolitan), Angel (Northern). 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 Farringdon market is dominated by creative agencies and design studios, tech and fintech (dojo, monzo, gocardless ecosystem), legal and professional services, each with distinct office refurbishment requirements — programme compression, landlord co-ordination, out-of-hours delivery, and full compliance ownership. Our commercial team has delivered office refurbishment in trophy buildings including 1 New Street Square, The Goldsmiths' Centre, 68 Clerkenwell Road, 70 Farringdon Road.

Farringdon spans the Clerkenwell creative core, the financial-adjacent edge around Chancery Lane, and the Smithfield redevelopment zone. Stock is a mix of converted Victorian warehouses (characterful, 3,000–8,000 sqft plates) and modern Grade A (15,000–25,000 sqft plates).

Our commercial delivery model

Standard noise hours 08:00–18:00 Mon–Fri and 08:00–13:00 Sat. Smithfield redevelopment zone carries additional Saturday morning work windows. Trading hours 8am–6pm core. Red route restrictions on Farringdon Road and Clerkenwell Road. Loading bays must be pre-booked through Islington/City parking. Smithfield meat market access is cleared from 7am — fit-out traffic routes around the market footprint.

  1. Stage 1

    Measured survey and condition report within 5 working days

  2. Stage 2

    Space plan and CAT B design brief in 2 weeks

  3. Stage 3

    Fixed-price quote with CAT A dilapidations split

  4. Stage 4

    Principal contractor appointment under CDM 2015

  5. Stage 5

    Mobilisation with agreed DSEAR, RAMS and induction pack

  6. Stage 6

    Weekly programme reports to landlord and managing agent

  7. Stage 7

    Handover with O&M manuals, as-built drawings and building control sign-off

Programme, budget, and disruption

TierRangeWhat's covered
Light refresh£45–£75 per sqftPaint, carpet, light fittings, minor partitioning
Standard CAT B£85–£140 per sqftNew partitioning, flooring, M&E alterations, joinery, full redecoration
High-spec CAT B£160–£250 per sqftBespoke joinery, specialist lighting, VRF upgrade, executive suites
Trophy / HQ£275–£400+ per sqftArchitectural feature work, marble, timber, audio-visual, wellness spaces

This area sits outside the core trophy-tower premium zone — programme and pricing typically sit at the mid-range of the bands below. Figures are guide ranges — we provide a fixed quote after survey.

Typical works we deliver in Farringdon

CAT B fit-out — delivered in Farringdon under estate-approved loading and out-of-hours protocols.

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

Dilapidations works — delivered in Farringdon under estate-approved loading and out-of-hours protocols.

Partitioning — delivered in Farringdon under estate-approved loading and out-of-hours protocols.

Ceilings — delivered in Farringdon under estate-approved loading and out-of-hours protocols.

Flooring — delivered in Farringdon under estate-approved loading and out-of-hours protocols.

Redecoration — delivered in Farringdon under estate-approved loading and out-of-hours protocols.

M&E alterations — delivered in Farringdon under estate-approved loading and out-of-hours protocols.

Planning and compliance for Office Refurbishment in Farringdon

Islington and City Corporation split planning authority over the area. Clerkenwell and Smithfield conservation areas cover much of the stock, with listed-building consent required for many Victorian warehouses. Derwent and Helical both hold pre-approved fit-out guides.

Service-specific compliance

CDM 2015 (principal contractor + principal designer route)FIRAS fire-stopping certification on compartmentationNICEIC certification on all electrical worksPart B fire safety compliancePart E acoustic performance testingPart M accessibility — level thresholds, door widths, WCsBS 5266 emergency lighting testingEICR report at completion£10M public and £10M professional indemnity

Buildings we have worked in across Farringdon

Notable buildings

  • 1 New Street Square
  • The Goldsmiths' Centre
  • 68 Clerkenwell Road
  • 70 Farringdon Road
  • The Charterhouse
  • 99 City Road
  • 40 Holborn Viaduct
  • Turnmill
  • One Crown Place
  • Cardinal Tower
  • The Record Hall

Notable estates

  • Derwent London holdings
  • Helical portfolio
  • The Charterhouse Estate
  • Smithfield / Barts estate

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 Refurbishment specifications by building type

Converted Victorian warehouses (3,000–8,000 sqft plates)

Office Refurbishment in converted victorian warehouses (3,000–8,000 sqft plates) is typically specified to light refresh level — paint, carpet, light fittings, minor partitioning. Programme is governed by loading access and estate working-hours framework.

Modern Grade A office (15,000–25,000 sqft plates)

Office Refurbishment in modern grade a office (15,000–25,000 sqft plates) is typically specified to standard cat b level — new partitioning, flooring, m&e alterations, joinery, full redecoration. Programme is governed by loading access and estate working-hours framework.

Listed buildings and conservation area stock

Office Refurbishment in listed buildings and conservation area stock is typically specified to high-spec cat b level — bespoke joinery, specialist lighting, vrf upgrade, executive suites. Programme is governed by loading access and estate working-hours framework.

Mixed-use with ground-floor retail/F&B

Office Refurbishment in mixed-use with ground-floor retail/f&b is typically specified to trophy / hq level — architectural feature work, marble, timber, audio-visual, wellness spaces. Programme is governed by loading access and estate working-hours framework.

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

We deliver refurbishment works in live offices through phased 6pm–6am night shifts and weekend programmes. Dust-sealed segregation with negative-pressure extract, scent-neutral paint systems and noise planning co-ordinated with the managing agent. Out-of-hours staff are CSCS-inducted and attend the building's specific permit-to-work and fire evacuation briefings.

Standard noise hours 08:00–18:00 Mon–Fri and 08:00–13:00 Sat. Smithfield redevelopment zone carries additional Saturday morning work windows. Trading hours 8am–6pm core. Red route restrictions on Farringdon Road and Clerkenwell Road. Loading bays must be pre-booked through Islington/City parking. Smithfield meat market access is cleared from 7am — fit-out traffic routes around the market footprint.

Planned preventative maintenance (PPM)

All Farringdon 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 Farringdon see Office Maintenance in Farringdon or Commercial Maintenance in Farringdon.

Case studies

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

Financial services HQ refurbishment

Scope · 12,000 sqft

Budget band · £1.6M

Programme · 14 weeks

Full CAT B including executive suite, trading floor, client meeting rooms

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

Professional services CAT A plus

Scope · 7,500 sqft

Budget band · £620k

Programme · 9 weeks

Partitioning, flooring, LED lighting upgrade, redecoration

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

Tech occupier refresh

Scope · 4,200 sqft

Budget band · £310k

Programme · 6 weeks

Open plan redesign, acoustic treatment, tea point and meeting rooms

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

FAQs — Office Refurbishment in Farringdon

Can you work while our staff remain in the office?

Yes. We phase refurbishment into occupied and decanted zones, with physical hoarding, air-sealed segregation, and noise-generating works confined to out-of-hours shifts. A typical floor plate can be refurbished in 2–3 phases over 8–14 weeks.

How do you price refurbishment — open-book or fixed?

We price fixed lump-sum against an agreed scope. Any variations are priced per item with a written instruction before works proceed. No open-book percentage markups.

Do you handle the CAT A dilapidations split?

Yes. Where a lease requires CAT A reinstatement on exit, we split the quote between permanent CAT B works and end-of-lease reinstatement, so you can plan the dilapidations liability from day one.

What warranty do you provide?

10-year structural warranty where applicable; 2 years on M&E alterations; manufacturer warranties on finishes, carpet, flooring and light fittings passed through to the client.

Are you insured for commercial works in the City and Canary Wharf?

Yes — £10M public liability and £10M professional indemnity. Full cover for works in managed estates including Broadgate, Canary Wharf Group, Great Portland Estates and Grosvenor.

Do you handle landlord licence-to-alter applications?

Yes. Our project manager liaises with the managing agent and landlord's surveyor throughout, including drawings, M&E schedules, and dilapidations undertakings.

How has the Elizabeth line changed the Farringdon market?

Rental and occupier-quality indicators are up 20–30% since 2022 opening. Demand has shifted from creative to blended tech/legal/professional services. Floor plates over 15,000 sqft are now scarce.

Do you work in converted Victorian warehouses?

Yes — we handle listed-building consent, exposed-brick fit-out, timber-floor retention and original cast-iron column preservation.

What loading restrictions apply near Smithfield?

The meat market operates 2am–7am — commercial fit-out loading avoids that window and uses 8am–10am or after 6pm slots through Islington parking.

Typical CAT B fit-out cost in Farringdon?

Standard CAT B: £120–£180 per sqft. Warehouse conversion adds 10–15% for structural considerations. Premium HQ-level fit-out: £200+ per sqft.

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Related insights

In-depth articles on commercial fit-out, compliance and market strategy.

Start with a survey in Farringdon

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