What is a Cat A and Cat B Fit Out? The key differences and how you choose one

If you’re a landlord and you’re thinking about refurbishing a space ready to lease out – you might be weighing up your options between a Cat A and a Cat B fit out.

To make things a little more interesting, we thought we’d throw another option into the mix. Have you considered a Cat A+ project instead?

Cat A+ is a relatively new concept in the design and build industry. It’s defined as the link between Cat A and Cat B fit outs – and it serves as a mid-way point for landlords taking the interior design reigns to ensure the space is ready for immediate occupation.

Before we delve further into the details of Cat A+ projects, let’s rewind a little.

Cat A projects are your blank canvases. They usually include industry-standard floors and ceilings, nicely painted walls and functioning toilet facilities. In essence, a Cat A is an empty shell provided for a tenant to move in and work their own interior design magic.

Cat B projects are refurbishments instructed by the tenants. They usually involve a renovation of an existing workplace ready for staff to move into. In a Cat B you can expect more interior details such as floor finishes, lighting, doors, partitions, and a variety of rooms and zones. They also include the finishing touches including furniture and bespoke branding details.

There’s a reason Cat A+ projects are making waves in commercial property at the moment, and that’s because there are several advantages to this system. We’ve listed some of the key benefits below.

Attract tenants fast – One of the biggest advantages of fitting out the offices before leasing out your space, is the opportunity to attract more tenants, more quickly. A lot of tenants are looking for a ‘plug and play’ space where they can bring their team in at short notice without worrying about an office refurbishment – making your Cat A+ an attractive offering.

Higher rent opportunities – As your tenants won’t need to fork out the upfront costs for the new office design, furniture and maintenance – you can benefit from charging them higher rent rates than if you were handing over an empty shell.

Your space, your choice – We can help you to create a high quality office space, with everything a tenant needs to get in and get started. With you behind the driving wheel, you’ll know that your space is being utilised appropriately and maintained efficiently – so you don’t need to worry about tenants coming in and making choices you might not personally agree with.

Go green – With ‘sustainability’ being such a hot topic at the moment, and more and more tenants holding high expectations for greener office spaces – you can ensure your Cat A+ meets their requirements with outstanding ratings from recognised environmental bodies.

Hopefully you’ve got a little more understanding of Cat A+ projects now – and perhaps you might want to consider one for your next office refurbishment.

Dilapidations – As Landlord’s it is good to know what materials are being used in your building for continuity of products and limiting collateral damage as a result of greater control. Standardising the CAT B fit outs may also speed up the preconstruction phase thus limiting your void periods.