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Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →For a typical UK office, allow about 8–20 weeks from the first brief to moving in. Construction on site commonly takes 6–14 weeks, but the full programme also includes briefing, design, landlord approval, statutory checks, procurement, commissioning and handover. A small project may finish in 8–16 weeks; a mid-size office often needs 14–34 weeks; and a large or structurally complex scheme can run from 30 weeks to 12 months. These are indicative industry planning ranges, not statutory guarantees. ACI and Eden Build published the ranges cited here in 2026.
How long should you allow for an office fit-out?
Plan from the required handover date, not from the day contractors arrive. The front end often controls the completion date more than the physical build: an unresolved layout, a late Licence to Alter, or furniture ordered after its lead time can hold up an otherwise short installation.
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| Project size and type | Design, approvals and planning | On-site work | Indicative total programme |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 2,000 sq ft | 4–8 weeks (ACI) | 6–8 weeks (ACI); 2–6 weeks for a light refurbishment (Eden Build) | 10–16 weeks (ACI); 8–14 weeks for a light refurbishment (Eden Build) |
| 2,000–5,000 sq ft standard Cat B | Included in full-programme range | 6–10 weeks (Eden Build) | 16–24 weeks (Eden Build) |
| 5,000–15,000 sq ft | Included in full-programme range | 8–14 weeks (Eden Build) | 20–34 weeks (Eden Build) |
| 10,000 sq ft and above | 8–14 weeks (ACI) | 12–16 weeks or more (ACI) | 20 weeks to six months (ACI) |
| 15,000 sq ft and above or multi-floor | Included in full-programme range | 14–26 weeks (Eden Build) | 30 weeks to 12 months (Eden Build) |
The ranges overlap because area alone does not determine duration. A vacant, single-floor space with existing services can be faster than a smaller occupied office requiring complex mechanical, electrical or structural work. Confirm the assumptions behind any programme before comparing contractors.
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1. Brief and discovery: about 1–3 weeks
Set the headcount, attendance pattern, ways of working, budget, priorities and target occupation date. Record which rooms and facilities are essential, what can be phased, and who can approve changes. A clear brief limits redesign later. Include the lease dates and any building rules at this stage so the programme is based on a real handover condition.
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2. Space planning and workplace consultancy: about 2–4 weeks
The designer test-fits the space, allocates workstations, meeting rooms and support areas, and checks whether the building can accommodate the brief. This is where an apparently simple request can reveal insufficient power, ventilation, daylight, storage or escape capacity. Freeze a preferred option before detailed design, while documenting items still to be decided.
3. Design development and costing: about 3–6 weeks in ACI’s guide, or 4–12 weeks for broader complexity in Eden Build’s guide
Develop the coordinated layout, finishes, partitions, lighting, mechanical and electrical services, kitchens or tea points, furniture and technology requirements. Produce a cost plan and identify alternatives before tender. Each revision cycle consumes time; slow decisions on finishes, audio-visual equipment, branding or furniture can move the completion date even when the design team has capacity.
4. Landlord approval and Licence to Alter: about 2–12 weeks in ACI, or 4–12 weeks in Eden Build
Submit the landlord package as soon as the design is sufficiently developed rather than waiting for every procurement detail. The landlord’s review is outside the occupier’s direct control and may return comments requiring drawings or specifications to change. The lease, building rules and proposed alterations determine what must be submitted. Treat this review as a critical-path activity, not an administrative formality.
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Depending on the work, confirm obligations for Building Regulations, fire safety, means of escape, accessibility and ventilation at the outset. The Government Workplace Design Guide is an official standards reference, but it is not a universal duration calculator. Your design team should establish which approvals, notices, inspections and certificates apply to the specific building and scope.
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6. Procurement: roughly 4–12 weeks for long-lead items
ACI identifies 4–12 weeks for long-lead procurement. Eden Build gives 4–6 weeks for standard products and 12–16 weeks for bespoke items. Order furniture, bespoke joinery, glazed partitions, feature lighting and specialist mechanical or electrical equipment early enough to protect the installation sequence. Obtain written lead times and delivery dates; a nominal “four-week” product that is not released until drawings are approved does not give you four weeks of usable float.
7. Mobilisation and preliminary works: days to one week
The contractor establishes access, protection, welfare, deliveries, working hours and site controls. Agree how the building will remain secure, how noisy work will be managed, and where waste and materials can be stored. In an occupied building, access restrictions and out-of-hours rules can make this stage—and every later stage—longer.
8. Strip-out and demolition: about 1–2 weeks
Remove redundant partitions, fittings and services, then expose the conditions that the design assumed. Asbestos or other hazardous materials require specialist treatment and can extend the programme. Do not treat a survey allowance as proof that no hidden condition exists; retain contingency for discoveries such as failing wiring, poor services or structural surprises.
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9. First-fix mechanical and electrical work plus partitions: about 2–6 weeks
Install or adapt heating, ventilation and air-conditioning, power, data, fire systems and floor boxes, while framing new partitions. Coordination matters: ceilings, lighting, sprinklers, ductwork, cabling and partition layouts compete for the same space. A late change to a meeting-room layout can require several trades to revisit completed work.
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10. Second fix and finishes: about 2–4 weeks
Complete ceilings, lighting, glazed partitions, doors, flooring, decoration, kitchens and tea points. Finishes are visually prominent, but they should not be selected in isolation: lead time, maintenance, fire performance and the sequence of other trades affect whether they can be installed when planned.
11. Furniture, fixtures and equipment: about 1–2 weeks
Install desks, chairs, storage, breakout furniture and branding after the relevant floor, power and access work is ready. Confirm delivery routes, loading-bay bookings and installation teams with the building manager. Furniture is a defined procurement and installation stage, so it needs its own delivery plan rather than being treated as a final-day task.
12. Commissioning, snagging and handover: about 1–2 weeks
Test building systems, correct defects, complete certificates, train users and assemble handover information. Commissioning may include proving ventilation, lighting controls, fire systems, access control and other installed equipment. Do not schedule move-in for the day after practical completion: allow time for snagging, cleaning, IT installation, furniture adjustments and the handover documentation your facilities team needs.
Example programme for a 5,000 sq ft Cat B office
Eden Build’s 2026 example illustrates how a typical mid-size programme can occupy six months even though site work is only part of that period:
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- Months 1–2: briefing and design.
- Months 2–3: contractor appointment and Licence to Alter.
- Months 3–4: approvals and procurement.
- Months 4–6: site works.
- Final fortnight: commissioning, snagging, handover, IT and furniture installation.
The dates are an example planning structure, not a promise for every 5,000 sq ft office. A different building, scope or approval route can move each activity.
What most often moves the completion date
- Late decisions: changes to layouts, finishes, furniture, audio-visual systems or branding create redesign, reordering and rework.
- Late or commented landlord submissions: a Licence to Alter started after design completion leaves no float for review comments.
- Long-lead items: furniture, glazing, joinery, lighting and plant ordered after the critical path is set can delay several trades.
- Hidden conditions: asbestos, defective wiring, inadequate existing services and structural surprises can require surveys, redesign or specialist work.
- Scope changes after start: moving a partition or adding a room after first fix can affect services, finishes, approvals and commissioning, not just that one item.
How to build a realistic move-in date
Work backwards from an operational handover
Start with the date staff must be able to work, then reserve time for commissioning, snagging, cleaning, IT, furniture installation and user orientation. The construction finish date is not the same as the first productive day in the office.
Put decision ownership in writing
Nominate one client decision-maker, deputies and approval deadlines for layout, finishes, furniture, technology and branding. A decision log should show the date requested, the person responsible, the decision and its effect on cost or programme.
Track the critical path and float
Ask the contractor to identify activities that directly control handover, including landlord review, statutory checks and long-lead deliveries. A programme with no allowance for comments, surveys or delivery variation is a target, not a robust forecast.
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Choose the procurement route deliberately
Design-and-build can reduce handoff time because one team coordinates design, procurement and construction and can overlap activities. Traditional separate appointments tend to run more sequentially. The faster route is not automatically better: compare how design responsibility, approvals, cost certainty, changes and coordination risks are allocated.
Plan for occupied or restricted buildings
Confirm working hours, lift and loading access, noisy-work restrictions, security, welfare, neighbour requirements and phased possession before pricing. These constraints can reduce productive hours and make a nominal site duration unsuitable.
Questions to ask when comparing programmes and contractors
Do not compare “eight weeks on site” with “20 weeks total” as though they describe the same promise. Ask each bidder to state:
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- the total brief-to-handover duration and the assumed start and completion dates;
- the project size, floor count and complexity assumptions;
- whether the price and programme cover Cat A work, Cat B work or both;
- who owns landlord and statutory approvals and when submissions are made;
- the long-lead procurement schedule, including bespoke items;
- whether the building is vacant, occupied or phased during construction;
- the contingency or float for surveys, comments and delivery changes;
- the allowance for commissioning, snagging, cleaning, IT and handover; and
- whether the proposal uses design-and-build or traditional procurement.
Require dependencies to be visible. For example, “furniture installed in week 12” is meaningful only if the floor finish, access route, delivery booking and furniture release date are also shown.
A practical readiness checklist
- Lease dates, possession conditions and building rules are confirmed.
- Headcount, attendance pattern, room schedule and operational priorities are approved.
- Budget includes design, approvals, construction, furniture, IT, professional fees and contingency.
- Existing-condition, asbestos and services information has been reviewed and its limitations recorded.
- Landlord submission requirements and review dates are agreed.
- Statutory responsibilities for fire safety, accessibility, ventilation and Building Regulations are assigned.
- Long-lead and bespoke items have written quotations, release dates and delivery dates.
- Client decisions have named owners and deadlines.
- Commissioning, snagging, cleaning, IT, furniture installation and training are in the handover plan.
- Move-in is scheduled after practical completion, not immediately after it.
Bottom line for lease and relocation planning
For many UK offices, begin at least four to five months before the required move-in for a standard mid-size fit-out, and earlier for large, multi-floor or technically complex work. Small light refurbishments may fit inside two to four months, while projects above 15,000 sq ft can require 30 weeks to 12 months. Treat the front-end brief, approvals and procurement as part of the fit-out—not as time before it—and set the occupation date only after those dependencies, site work and handover allowance are included.
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