What distinguishes a category A office fit out from a category B office fit out?
Basic floor, wall, and ceiling finishes are included in a category A fit out. The area is finished, but there are no fixtures and fittings present, such as dividers, meeting spaces, or individually laid out offices. Even though the office space won’t have the finishing touches found in a category B fit out, it will nonetheless be usable. Consider a category A fit out as a foundation upon which to develop your office.
A finished office space that has been customised to the precise needs of the customer and is now ready for occupancy is known as a category B fit out.
The 3 Different office fitout categories
- Shell and core – The building’s framework and outside shell are in place, but it is merely a shell that is prepared for interior fit out. The essential electrical and water systems will typically be in place, but suspended ceilings, floors, wall coverings, partitions, lighting, and other amenities won’t be.
- Category A – As previously mentioned, this level of fit out includes the necessities for a working office but lacks the “finishing touches” present in category B. Flooring, wall coverings, suspended ceilings, electrical distribution, small power outlets, elevators, lavatories, fire detection systems, and more are examples of typical category A characteristics. While Category A fit outs make the space usable, they lack the supporting design components that make an office or commercial space suitable for its intended use.
When renting an office space, you will typically find that landlords will carry out Category A fit outs to make the building acceptable for commercial rental. Then a company can enter and carry out a category B fit out. When a business wants to alter mechanical or electrical systems to increase efficiency, category A fit outs may also be required.
- Category B – In a Category B fit out, anything that isn’t installed in a Cat A fit out that is required for an office to operate is installed, together with a design aesthetic that improves your working procedures.
A Cat B fit out entails the whole installation of a range of amenities, from cooking areas or break rooms, reception areas, meeting rooms, and workstations, to furniture, décor, design, and branding. This can also include IT infrastructure, audio visual equipment, and lighting. This is the most typical kind of fit out, where everything is installed and you may choose the design and furnishings to personalise the area.
You will come across at least one of these sorts of fit out if you are shopping for a new office space, or evaluating your needs for a future workplace. Get in contact with our shop fitout experts at Lake Contracts to discuss your requirements and determine whether a category A or category B fit out is best for you!