For businesses taking on a new space
What Does a Fit-Out Company Do? 10 Tips for Choosing One
Sviatoslav JerdetchiiCEO & Founder of Craftex. Updated , 4 min read
The short answer
A fit-out company turns an empty shell or tired space into a working interior: it surveys, designs, gets the approvals and builds the walls, ceilings, services, joinery and finishes, then hands the space over ready to use.
- It works inside an existing building, not on the structure or the outside.
- A design and build fit-out company does the drawings and the build under one contract.
- It usually acts as principal contractor and handles building control for the works.
- Check similar past projects, insurance and a written, itemised price before you hire.
You've signed for a new space, or your current one no longer works. Someone says you need a fit-out company. But what is a fit-out company, and what will it actually do?
This short guide explains what a fit-out company does, stage by stage. It shows how it differs from a builder and an interior designer, with one of our own projects as an example. It ends with ten quick checks before you hire one. Have a space in mind? Book a site visit and we'll tell you what it needs.
What a fit-out company is
A fit-out company makes the inside of a building ready to use. It takes a bare shell or a tired interior. It hands back a working office, shop, restaurant, clinic or studio.
The work happens inside an existing building. The structure, roof and outside walls usually stay as they are. Everything you see and use inside is the fit-out company's job: walls, ceilings, floors, lighting, power, heating, cooling, joinery and finishes.
Landlords often hand over a basic finished shell, called Cat A. The tenant's own layout and finishes are Cat B. Our guide to the different types of office fit-out explains each level.
What a fit-out company does, stage by stage
A good fit-out company runs the whole job, not just the build. These are the stages.
- Survey. It measures the space and checks the services, floors and existing condition.
- Design. It plans the layout around how you'll use the space, then the services and finishes.
- Approvals. It handles building control and helps with the landlord's consent.
- Strip-out. It removes what won't stay and protects what will.
- Build. It installs partitions, ceilings, floors, services, joinery and decoration.
- Handover. It tests the systems, fixes snags and hands over manuals and certificates.
Two legal points matter here. Under the Building Regulations 2010, adding or extending services like electrics or ventilation counts as building work. So does materially altering the building. That usually means building control.
Under the CDM Regulations 2015, a project with more than one contractor needs a principal contractor, appointed in writing. On most fit-outs, the fit-out company takes that role. It then plans and manages health and safety on site.
The layout is where most value is won or lost. Our guide to the main types of office layout helps you decide before design starts.
Fit-out company, builder or interior designer
People often mix these up. Each covers a different part of the job.
| Fit-out company | General builder | Interior designer | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Main job | Interiors and services | Structure and buildings | Look and layout |
| Builds the work | Yes | Yes | No |
| Designs the work | Often (design and build) | Rarely | Yes |
| Typical projects | Offices, shops, venues | Extensions, new builds | Any interior |
A design and build fit-out company does both the drawings and the build. One team answers for the result, and the price follows the design you approve. Our comparison of fit-out contractors and general contractors goes deeper.
The kinds of space fit-out companies work on
Most fit-out companies focus on a few types of space. Each has its own risks.
- Offices. Layout, acoustics, power and data, meeting rooms. See our office fit-out service in London.
- Shops and showrooms. Customer flow, display, lighting and signage.
- Restaurants, bars and hotels. Kitchens, extraction, servery and durable finishes.
- Clinics, salons and spas. Water, drainage, ventilation and hygienic finishes.
- Warehouses and industrial units. Offices inside the shell, mezzanines, staff areas.
Our commercial fit-out and refurbishment page covers the full range we take on.
I was stressed about timing since we had bookings lined up, but they smashed it. Even worked Saturday to finish the floor. My clients love the look — the beauty salon fit-out turned out exactly how I wanted. Couldn’t have pulled it off without their help. Genuinely appreciate the way they communicated throughout the refurbishment. If you need reliable help with beauty salon design or fit-out, especially in a place like Chelsea — these are the guys.
One fit-out from shell to opening: Medusa
Medusa is a spa and beauty clinic in Knightsbridge. We designed and built it across 180 sq m on four floors in 17 weeks. The project value was £460K.
We stripped out all four floors. Then we added new flooring, partitions, ceilings and plastering. We fitted new electrics, fire and intruder alarms, CCTV, air conditioning and ventilation. Jellyfish wallpaper and a water-like paint finish carried the theme, with bespoke mirrors to add depth.
We also refurbished the staircase and redecorated the shopfront. That is a fit-out in full: survey, design, services, finishes and handover, under one contract. Read the Medusa case study.
Ten quick checks before you hire a fit-out company
Use these as a first filter. Our full guide to finding the right commercial fit-out company in London explains each one.
Craftex started in 2016 as a carpentry and joinery company, and around 60% of our labour is still in-house. We carry £10,000,000 public liability insurance and take on projects from £100,000. If you're weighing up fit-out companies, book a site visit and judge us on what we find in your space.
Ten checks before you hire
- Finished projects like yours, with photos and facts.
- Case studies that show the brief, the timeline and the result.
- Clear, quick answers to your questions.
- A named project manager and a written programme.
- Real references or reviews from past clients.
- A written, itemised price after a site visit, with exclusions listed.
- A tidy, organised site if you can visit one.
- Insurance, health and safety and principal contractor experience.
- Questions about how your team works, not just what you like.
- An aftercare period after handover.
