Bare-shell vs fitted office: a renovation checklist before you lease
A fitted office is only a useful starting point if its layout, condition and handover terms suit your business. Compare both units against the same finished-workplace brief before assuming either will be quicker or cheaper to occupy.
Compare what is actually being handed over
“Bare shell” and “fitted” are descriptions, not a complete inventory. Ask for a written schedule of what will be present when you receive the unit. Confirm whether the photographs match that condition, who owns the items and which removals happen before the keys are handed over. Do not assume you may reuse or remove a previous tenant’s fittings.
| Check | Bare or empty office | Fitted office |
|---|---|---|
| Room layout | List new rooms and circulation needs | Mark rooms to keep, alter or remove |
| Ceilings and floors | Record actual condition and finishes required | Inspect suitability; identify repair or replacement scope |
| Existing equipment and services | Ask what is provided and what must be assessed | Request records and a suitability assessment before assuming reuse |
| Ownership and handover | Confirm the agreed incoming condition | Identify landlord, tenant and third-party items |
| Renovation scope | Price the proposed new work | Separate removal, alterations and retained-item protection |
Visit with a room list, not just a floor-area target
List the rooms your team needs: work areas, meeting rooms, private rooms and any storage or shared facilities. Compare those needs with the actual floor plan. A unit with many rooms is not automatically a better fit if the room sizes or access arrangement do not suit the business.
Take dated photographs and mark uncertainties on the plan. Ask permission before taking photographs and avoid including occupants, confidential material or another business’s records. A contractor’s site assessment can then address a specific list instead of starting from a brochure.
Ask for the building’s current fit-out requirements
Get the relevant requirements from the landlord or managing agent before finalising the renovation brief. Ask who checks plans, who confirms authority clearances, how work access is requested and what restrictions affect deliveries or noisy work. The JTC process is one example for its premises; it is not a universal rule for every office building.
JTC: fitting-out and renovation works
Commercial renovation approval questions
Compare the whole move, without guessing a completion date
List incoming-unit costs and decisions separately from rent and lease terms. Include items to investigate, potential removals, proposed finishes, furniture, IT and any other specialist scopes. Ask who prices each item and which figures are provisional. Retained fittings should be credited as a benefit only after their suitability and permission to retain them have been checked.
Before fixing the move-in date, identify the milestones that depend on other people: access to the unit, the final layout, approvals, materials, specialist work and handover checks. A fitted office may still need work at each stage. This checklist does not estimate lease costs or guarantee an earlier move.
Office renovation sequence and move-in checks
Discuss the scope with Omni Contractors
Omni Contractors publishes office renovation and commercial fit-out services, including partitions, ceilings, floor preparation and finishes. Send the unit address, floor plan, photographs, proposed rooms and target move-in date. Identify the items you want to retain and any scope that still needs a site check; agree inclusions, exclusions and responsibilities in writing.
Office renovation and commercial fit-out
Sources and scope
Prepared on 17 October 2026. The comparison and worksheets are planning aids, not a quotation, a technical design or a promise about Omni’s availability. Building and authority requirements depend on the actual unit and works.
Is a fitted office automatically cheaper to renovate?
No. It depends on what can be retained, what must be altered or removed, the condition of the unit and the building’s requirements. Compare the same finished layout and list of work.
What should I ask the landlord before renovating a fitted office?
Confirm the incoming condition, ownership of fittings, permission for the proposed work, required records, fit-out procedures and applicable access rules. Ask your project team which authority clearances also need checking.
Can Omni quote before I have every answer?
Send the available floor plan, photos, intended rooms and target date, with unresolved items marked clearly. Ask which items require a site check or confirmation before a firm scope can be agreed.
Free quotation
Tell us about your unit.
We quote on the actual scope. These help us get it right the first time:
- Floor plan or unit size
- Photos of each room and the ceiling
- Required rooms, proposed layout and building fit-out rules
- Handover or move in date
Send us the details
Send photos, the floor plan, room requirements and target move-in date so we can discuss the office renovation scope.
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