Why does a refurbishment cost more than the headline figure?
A refurbishment quote usually covers the visible works. The real project, though, touches three things at once: your building, your lease and your day-to-day operations. Each of those can add cost that never appears on a one-line estimate. That is why two quotes for the “same” job can differ by thousands — one has priced the full picture and the other has priced only what is easy to see.
The single best defence is an itemised quote you can actually read, so you can see what is in and what is out. If a number looks suspiciously low, it usually means something has been left out rather than that you have found a bargain.
Professional fees, surveys and drawings
Design and technical fees are the most commonly forgotten line. Depending on the scope, you may need a space plan, mechanical and electrical (M&E) design, and drawings for building control. Older London buildings can also throw up the need for an asbestos survey before any work starts, and occasionally a structural check if you are moving walls or adding load. None of these are optional extras — they are what turns a rough idea into a safe, buildable scheme — but they are easy to leave out of an early budget.
The landlord costs most tenants forget
This is where Beem’s clients are often most surprised, and it is pure lease territory. Before you alter a leased office you will usually need a licence to alter from your landlord. Getting that consent frequently means paying not only your own costs but the landlord’s surveyor and solicitor fees too, which are charged back to you regardless of whether the answer is yes. Consent also takes time, and delay has a cost of its own if it pushes your programme back.
Factor these in early and they are a manageable line item. Discover them the week you hoped to start on site and they become both a cost and a delay.
Do you need to budget for dilapidations?
Many leases require you to return the office to its original condition at the end of the term — known as reinstatement. If your refurbishment adds partitions, kitchens or cabling, you may be signing up to remove them later at your own expense. It is worth understanding this exposure before you build, not after, because sometimes a small change to the design today avoids a large dilapidations bill in a few years. Timing the work around your lease is one of the biggest money-savers most occupiers overlook.
Business disruption and the ‘soft’ costs
The costs that never appear on a builder’s quote are the ones your own business absorbs. These typically include:
- Downtime and lost productivity while your team works around the works, or the cost of temporary space if you have to move out.
- IT and data cabling moves, plus reconnecting phones, screens and door access — often quoted separately by a different supplier.
- Out-of-hours or weekend working premiums if the job has to happen while you keep trading.
- Moving, storing and disposing of old furniture, and a builder’s clean at the end.
None of these are huge on their own, but together they can add ten to fifteen per cent to a project if nobody has planned for them.
Contingency: the cost of not having one
Refurbishing an existing space always carries some uncertainty, especially in older London buildings where what is behind the wall is not always what you expect. A sensible contingency — commonly around ten per cent of the works value — is not a sign of a badly planned job. It is the line that keeps a single surprise from derailing the whole budget. Leave it out and the first unforeseen issue comes straight out of the parts of the scheme you cared about most.
How do you avoid the surprises?
You cannot remove every risk, but you can plan for almost all of it. Before you commit:
- Ask for a fully itemised quote and, just as importantly, a list of what is excluded.
- Read your lease for reinstatement and alterations clauses before you design anything.
- Budget for professional fees, landlord consent and the soft costs, not just the building work.
- Hold a contingency of around ten per cent and resist spending it early.
- Choose a contractor who talks openly about the commercial and lease side, not just the finishes.
A good contractor should raise these things with you unprompted. If nobody has mentioned dilapidations, licences to alter or contingency, that is a sign to ask more questions before you sign.
The bottom line
The hidden costs of an office refurbishment are only hidden until someone points them out. Plan for the professional fees, the landlord and lease costs, the disruption and a proper contingency, and a refurbishment becomes a predictable investment rather than a gamble. At Beem Interiors we quote the whole picture up front — including the commercial and lease side other contractors skip — so there are no awkward surprises halfway through.
Thinking about a refurbishment and want to know the true, all-in cost before you commit? Get in touch with Beem Interiors for an honest, itemised quote and a no-obligation chat about your space.
Related reading (internal links)
- How Much Does an Office Fit-Out Cost in London? (2026 Price Guide)
- How to Get an Accurate Office Fit-Out Quote (and Compare Them Fairly)
- How to Avoid a Costly Dilapidations Bill at the End of Your Lease
