TJW Designs

Office Fit Out Kent & London

Complete Office Fit Out Guide for Business Owners

Moving into a new commercial space is one of the most significant investments a business makes. The building might be right, the location works, the lease is signed, but an empty shell doesn't make a workplace. That's what an office fit out does. It takes a space and turns it into somewhere your team can actually work, your clients can walk into with confidence, and your business can grow from.

This guide covers everything Kent and London businesses need to know about office fit outs from what's involved, what it costs, how long it takes, and how to avoid the mistakes that turn a straightforward project into an expensive one.

TJW Designs is based in Rochester and has delivered office fit outs across Medway, Maidstone, Dartford, Sevenoaks, Tunbridge Wells and into South and East London. This is what we've learned.

Office fit out completed by TJW Designs Rochester Kent showing open plan workspace

What Is An Office Fit Out?

Office Fit Out

An office fit out is the process of making a commercial space functional and ready to occupy. It typically involves installing partitions, ceilings, flooring, lighting, electrics and furniture, transforming an empty or stripped-back space into a working office.

It's different from an office refurbishment, which improves an existing fitted space. A fit out usually starts from scratch, either in a brand new commercial unit or one that's been stripped back to its shell.

Cat A vs Cat B Fit Out

These terms come up regularly and cause genuine confusion.

Cat A fit out is what the landlord typically provides. It covers the base building services e.g., raised floors, suspended ceilings, basic mechanical and electrical installation, and plastered walls. It's functional but completely blank. No partitions, no furniture, nothing that makes it specific to your business.

Cat B fit out is what you do to make it yours. This is where TJW Designs operates. Cat B covers everything that transforms a Cat A shell into your office with partitions, meeting rooms, kitchen and welfare areas, flooring finishes, lighting design, furniture, branding and decoration. This is the fit out that actually matters to your business.

Some landlords offer Cat A plus, which goes slightly beyond the base Cat A but still stops short of Cat B. Always confirm exactly what's included in your lease before planning your fit out budget.

Office Fit Out vs Office Refurbishment

The two are related but not the same.

A fit out starts with an empty or stripped space. A refurbishment works with an existing fitted space inc. updating, improving and reconfiguring what's already there. In practice, many projects involve elements of both: a business might strip back sections of an older office and fit out from scratch while refurbishing others.

If you're moving into new premises, you need a fit out. If you're staying put and improving what you have, you need a refurbishment. If you're somewhere in between, we can advise on the most cost-effective approach.

What Does an Office Fit Out Include?

A Cat B fit out coordinates multiple elements that all need to work together. Here's what's typically involved.

Space Planning and Design

Everything starts here. Before anything gets installed, you need a clear plan of how the space will work e.g., where desks go, where meeting rooms sit, how people move through the office, where storage lives, and how client-facing areas are positioned.

We use CAD design and 3D visualisation so you can see exactly how your finished office will look before a single partition goes up. This stage isn't optional, it's where you catch problems before they become expensive. A well-planned office fit out avoids the mid-project changes that blow budgets and extend timelines.

Office Partitions

Partitions give your office its structure. The right choice depends on your business type, your privacy requirements and the character of your space.

Glass partitions are the most popular choice for modern offices. Frameless or framed systems let light flow through the space while creating clearly defined meeting rooms, private offices and collaborative zones. For Kent businesses in older commercial buildings with limited natural light, glass partitioning is often the practical as well as the aesthetic choice.

Solid partitions such as traditional stud walls, provide maximum privacy and soundproofing. Better suited to solicitors, financial advisers, medical practices or any business where confidential conversations happen regularly.

Demountable systems offer flexibility. If your business is growing or your team's working patterns are likely to change, demountable partitions can be relocated without the cost and disruption of rebuilding solid walls.

Suspended Ceilings

Suspended ceilings are a standard component of most commercial fit outs, and for good reason. They conceal the cabling, pipework, ductwork and building services that would otherwise be visible, giving you a clean, finished ceiling to work from. They also integrate LED lighting panels, acoustic tiles and air conditioning units cleanly into the overall design.

For Kent businesses moving into older commercial stock i.e., the kind of buildings common in Rochester, Chatham and Maidstone town centres, suspended ceilings are often essential. They hide decades of accumulated building services while creating a contemporary, professional finish.

Grid ceilings are the most common choice: cost-effective, practical and easy to access for maintenance. MF ceilings provide a cleaner, more seamless appearance. Acoustic ceilings reduce noise in open-plan environments where sound carries.

Office Flooring

Office flooring needs to balance appearance, durability and practicality. The right choice depends on how the space is used.

Carpet tiles are the most popular choice for office environments. Practical, comfortable underfoot, easy to replace individual tiles if damaged, and available in a wide range of specifications and finishes. Good acoustic performance in open-plan offices.

Luxury vinyl tile is increasingly popular for reception areas, breakout spaces and collaborative zones. Durable, easy to clean, and available in finishes that convincingly replicate wood, stone and concrete.

Raised access flooring is worth considering if your office has significant cabling requirements. It conceals data and power infrastructure beneath the floor, allowing easy reconfiguration as your technology needs change.

Lighting and Electrics

Lighting transforms how an office feels. Modern LED panel lighting is energy-efficient, long-lasting and provides the even, consistent illumination that open-plan offices need. Task lighting at individual workstations reduces eye strain. Feature lighting in reception areas makes the right impression on visiting clients.

The electrical infrastructure that supports your fit out is just as important. Many older commercial buildings in Kent have inadequate socket and data point provision for modern working patterns inc. laptops, monitors, phones, peripheral devices and the infrastructure behind hybrid working all need power and connectivity. We plan and install the electrical infrastructure your business actually needs rather than what the building originally provided.

Office Furniture

Furniture is often where fit out budgets get squeezed, and where businesses later wish they'd spent more. Your team sits at their desks for most of the working day. Poorly specified ergonomic seating and ill-suited workstations create discomfort, reduce productivity and contribute to absence.

TJW Designs has access to a wide range of office furniture through our supply network, including ergonomic seating, bespoke pieces, height-adjustable desks, reception furniture, boardroom tables, breakout seating and storage, all at below RRP. Whether you're furnishing a 10-person office in Rochester or a 50-person operation in Dartford, we supply and install everything as part of the fit out package.

How Much Does an Office Fit Out Cost?

Office Fit Out Rough Budgeting

Cost depends on specification, size and the condition of the space you're starting from. Here's a realistic guide for Kent and London businesses.

Budget Cat B

£35-50 per sq ft

Basic partitions, standard carpet tiles, functional lighting, mid-range furniture

Mid-Range Cat B

£50-80 per sq ft

Glass partitions, suspended ceilings, LVT flooring, quality furniture

High Specification

£80-120+

Premium finishes, bespoke furniture, full AV integration, high-end materials

For a typical 2,000 sq ft office at mid-range specification, expect to budget £100,000 to £160,000 all in. Furniture is often the largest single variable with the range from functional to premium being significant.

What pushes costs up: older buildings with complex existing services, high specification finishes, bespoke furniture, phased working to minimise disruption, and tight timelines that require additional resource.

What keeps costs down: clear brief and design sign-off before work starts, standard specification finishes, flexible programme, and procuring furniture through a supplier with strong trade relationships. The below-RRP furniture access TJW Designs provides makes a meaningful difference on larger fit outs.

The Office Fit Out Process Step by Step

Step by Step Process

Understanding what happens and when keeps you in control of your project.

Initial consultation and site survey: We visit the space, understand your requirements, and identify any constraints or opportunities the building presents.
Space planning and design: CAD layouts and 3D visualisations are produced. You review and refine until the design is right.
Specification and procurement: Finishes, furniture and fixtures are specified and ordered. Long lead items e.g., bespoke furniture, specialist materials, are ordered early to protect the programme.
Strip out and preparation: Existing elements that aren't being retained are removed. The space is prepared for the new installation.
First fix: Services infrastructure is installed: electrical cabling, data cabling, mechanical services. This work happens before partitions and ceilings close everything in.
Partitions and ceilings: The structure of your office takes shape. Partitions are installed, suspended ceilings go in, and the space starts to look like the design.
Second fix and finishing: Electrical and data points are completed, flooring is laid, decorating is done, and the finishing details are applied throughout.
Furniture installation: Desks, seating, storage and all other furniture is delivered and installed in sequence with the fit out completion.
Handover: We walk through the completed space with you, address any snagging items, and hand over warranties and documentation.

Office Fit Out for Different Business Types

What Approach is for Your Business?

Not all fit outs are the same. The right approach varies significantly by sector.

Professional services firms (solicitors, accountants, financial advisers) need a balance of open-plan working space and private offices or meeting rooms for client consultations. Acoustic performance matters. Client-facing areas need to communicate professionalism and stability. Glass partitions work well for the open sections; solid walls for the consultation rooms.

Technology and creative businesses typically favour more open, collaborative layouts. Breakout spaces, informal meeting zones and flexible workstations reflect how these teams work. Higher density of power and data points throughout. Acoustic management becomes important at higher occupancy.

Healthcare and clinical practices have specific regulatory requirements around infection control, surface materials and welfare facilities. We're experienced in delivering fit outs that meet these requirements alongside the functional needs of clinical environments.

Warehouse and industrial offices common in the Dartford and Medway commercial parks, often need to balance office quality with the practical realities of an industrial environment. Robust finishes, good natural light management and clear separation between operational and office areas are priorities.

Why Local Matters for Your Office Fit Out

National contractors treat Kent as a distant market. Travel time gets billed. Site visits get delayed. When issues arise mid-project, response times suffer.

TJW Designs is based in Rochester. We're on the A229 Maidstone Road, accessible across the whole of Medway, Maidstone, Dartford, Sevenoaks, Gravesend, Tunbridge Wells and into South and East London within 30 to 40 minutes. Site visits happen fast. Decisions get made quickly. When something needs resolving mid-project, we're there the same day.

We also know Kent commercial property. The building stock in Rochester, Chatham and Maidstone is different from modern London office blocks. Older buildings have quirks e.g., ceiling heights, structural constraints, existing services, that experienced local contractors understand and plan for. There are no surprises on a TJW project that a site survey could have caught.

Our supplier relationships across Kent mean better procurement prices, reliable delivery, and priority when materials are needed urgently. That benefits your project directly.

Office Fit Out Checklist

Before your project starts, work through this:

Confirm exactly what the landlord is providing (Cat A specification in writing)
Check your lease for fit out obligations, permitted works and reinstatement requirements
Set a realistic budget including a 10 to 15 percent contingency
Brief your IT provider early so that data cabling and network infrastructure needs to be planned before first fix
Consult your team on layout, furniture and working preferences
Plan for temporary storage of equipment and files during works
Notify your insurer about the fit out works
Confirm building access arrangements for contractors including parking and security
Agree a communication plan so your team knows what to expect and when
Identify any business-critical periods to avoid during the programme

Transform Your Workspace with TJW Designs

A well-delivered office fit out sets your business up for the next chapter. The right space attracts better talent, impresses clients, and gives your team an environment where they can do their best work. Done well, it pays for itself.

TJW Designs delivers complete office fit outs across Rochester, Chatham, Maidstone, Dartford, Gillingham, Gravesend, Sevenoaks, Tunbridge Wells and into South and East London. From initial space planning through to furniture installation and handover, we manage every element so you don't have to.

Free, no-obligation consultation at your premises. We'll assess the space, understand your requirements, and produce a detailed proposal with clear pricing and timelines.