Ecoffices Report — Q2 2026
How much does an office fit-out cost in 2026? Ecoffices experts’ position on costs, budget layers, and investment decision logic
According to the Ecoffices model, in the second quarter of 2026, the base cost of an office fit-out ranges from 2,260 PLN/sqm net for the Eco Start variant, through 3,080 PLN/sqm net for Eco Flow, up to 5,200 PLN/sqm net for Eco Signature. At the same time, the answer to the question “how much does an office fit-out cost?” should not be reduced to a single, random rate per square meter. From the Ecoffices perspective, such an approach is overly simplified and in many cases leads the investor to wrong conclusions. The real cost of an office does not result solely from its square footage. It results from a combination of the initial condition of the space, the functional program, the standard level, the number of closed rooms, the scope of installations, the share of glazing, technology, logistics, execution time, and risk level. That is exactly why at Ecoffices we have built our own fit-out cost calculator, which does not act as a simple “sqm times rate” multiplier, but rather as a proprietary investment model. This article expands on this methodology and shows how, according to Ecoffices experts, the cost of an office fit-out should be read today.
Not just a single number, but a model The office cost is built in layers. The base rate per sqm itself is just the beginning, not the full investment result.
Three Ecoffices levels In the calculator, we work on three proprietary levels: Eco Start, Eco Flow, and Eco Signature.
A decision, not just an estimation A good cost model is supposed to help in making an investment decision, not just generate a single number for a presentation. According to Ecoffices experts, the cost of a fit-out in 2026 must be understood as the cost of an office scenario, not the cost of a “bare square meter”. An office design with a simple open-space layout and limited glazing must be read differently than a space with a large number of meeting rooms, private offices, phone booths, focus rooms, extensive AV, a server room, high-standard HVAC, and a demanding building. From the outside, both projects might look similar because they have the same square footage. In practice, their CAPEX can be very far apart, because one is a simple investment, and the other accumulates multiple layers that trigger cost, time, and risk. It is for this very reason that the Ecoffices methodology is based on two reading levels. The first is the baseline level, which organizes the project class. The second is the layer level, which shows what happens next: how the program, glazing, equipment, installations, server room, logistics, and building approvals affect the final result. This approach gives the investor much more than a general answer “an office costs from… to…”. It provides an understanding of why the cost is what it is.
Three cost levels in the Ecoffices methodology: Eco Start, Eco Flow, and Eco Signature
In the Ecoffices calculator, the cost does not start from an abstract, anonymous rate. It starts from one of three proprietary variants that organize the standard level and the scale of the project. These are: Eco Start, Eco Flow, and Eco Signature. These names have practical meaning. They allow us to immediately communicate to the investor whether we are talking about a cost-controlled, business, and balanced office, or a more representative space, where a greater number of qualitative and technological layers come into play.
Eco Start 2,260 PLN / sqm net — calculation base This is the variant for investors who want to build an office in a cost-rational way, without overestimating the standard and without an excessive number of additions. It works well where the layout is simpler, glazing is more controlled, and some aesthetic and technological decisions remain consciously limited.
Eco Flow 3,080 PLN / sqm net — calculation base This is the business variant closest to everyday practice. It usually already includes a higher share of glazing, more refined finishes, a fuller scope of AV and IT, and a more complex functional program. For many companies, this level will be the most natural starting point.
Eco Signature 5,200 PLN / sqm net — calculation base This is a representative variant, intended for offices where a high standard is not an addition, but an integral part of the investment decision. Here, premium materials, a higher share of glazing, more advanced built-ins, and a greater role for AV, technology, server rooms, and the quality of the final user experience appear more frequently.
It is very important to note that these three numbers do not automatically mean the final “turnkey” cost in every situation. These are the base levels of the Ecoffices model. The final result depends on what the investor sets up next. In other words: Eco Start, Eco Flow, and Eco Signature are not a simplified price list. They are project classes from which the estimation begins.
Why the rate per sqm alone is not enough to assess office cost
One of the most common mistakes made when analyzing an office budget is treating the rate per square meter as the final answer. From the Ecoffices point of view, this approach is too flat. The number per sqm itself tells nothing yet if it is not known which cost layer it describes. Does it cover only construction works and installations? Does it also include glazing, built-ins, AV, and furniture? Is it calculated for a simple open space or for a space with a large number of closed rooms? Does it apply to developer standard (Cat A) or modernization? Does it include additional building requirements, fire systems, BMS, and night logistics? In practice, an investor might receive several different numbers and all will be formally “true”, but none will be comparable to the others. That is exactly why at Ecoffices we do not stop at asking about the starting rate. We are interested in what is included in this rate, what is outside of it, and what decisions change the outcome. Only then does the calculation begin to be a real investment tool.
The most important rule for reading fit-out costs The same space can yield two completely different budgets not because someone miscalculated the rate per meter, but because the office consists of different layers, functions, and technical requirements.
The functional program is the main budget driver
In the Ecoffices methodology, the office cost stems directly from the functional program. This means that the number of employees, the attendance model, the number of meeting rooms, private offices, the size of the kitchenette, storage, chillout zone, phone booths, focus rooms, or the server room are not just a soft description of the project. They are parameters that trigger specific costs. They are what determine whether the layout will be simple and efficient, or whether it will become complex, cost-intensive, and sensitive to changes. In the Ecoffices model, we assume roughly about 6.0 sqm for a fixed workstation and about 4.5 sqm for a temporary hot-desk workstation. For meeting rooms, we assume a magnitude of about 12 sqm for a 4-person room, 20 sqm for a 6–8 person room, 32 sqm for a 10–12 person room, and about 44 sqm for a boardroom. For private offices, we roughly assume about 9 / 13 / 22 sqm for 1-, 2-, and 4-person layouts. Added to this are the social, storage, and common areas. From a budget perspective, it is important that an increase in the number of closed rooms does not only mean more walls. It also means more doors, more electrical points, more controls, more installations, a higher share of glazing, more acoustics, and a higher complexity of the entire layout. That is why the functional program is one of the strongest cost drivers.
Volume and fit test – why Ecoffices doesn’t calculate cost detached from reality In the Ecoffices model, cost does not exist without spatial logic. Therefore, the calculator also includes a simplified volumetric check and a fit test. Basically, we work with a threshold of 13 m³ / person, and additionally, we compare the program with the actual square footage. This is not merely an informational feature. It is a vital part of the investment logic. An office that is too cramped for its program very often also turns out to be a more expensive office than anticipated because the cost is artificially “pushed up” by an excess of partitions, installations, and functional compromises. From the investor’s perspective, the fit test thus provides two signals simultaneously. First, it shows whether, given the square footage and presence model, the program makes any sense at all. Second, it shows whether the cost is not underestimated due to the overly optimistic assumption that “it will fit somehow”. In our design and execution practice, this is precisely where the difference between an attractive estimation and a real project often reveals itself.
Cost layers: how office CAPEX is really built
One of the most important advantages of the Ecoffices calculator is that it shows the cost as an accumulating structure of layers. From the investor’s point of view, this is of immense value, because only in such a format can you see where the budget really “sits”. You look at the cost differently when you know that the main issue is construction works. Differently, when the budget is weighed down by glazing and built-ins. And differently still when the greatest burden lies on the side of installations, building systems, or technology.
- Construction works Walls, ceilings, floors, painting, plasterboard built-ins, execution works related to the layout and standard.
- Finishing and built-ins Glazing, carpentry, kitchens, reception desk, fixed built-ins, representative elements, and the visual quality of the space.
- Installations and additions (MEP) HVAC, electrical, AV, IT, BMS, FAS (Fire Alarm System), sprinklers, PM, fast-track, technology, and equipment.
In the logic of the developer standard (Cat A), the Ecoffices model assumes that the installation part has a very significant share. The simplified baseline structure assumes about 44% of the base is on the installation side, and the remainder is divided roughly into 55% for the construction layer and 45% for the finishing layer. This is important because it clearly shows why a modern fit-out is not just “construction work with a carpet”, but a full engineering project. In modernizations, the share of installations in the base is lower, but other burdens appear: dismantling, adjusting to the existing condition, collisions, technological limitations, and scope risks. In other words: a modernization does not have to be simpler just because some things already exist. Sometimes it is even more difficult because it requires working within constraints.
Glazing: aesthetics with a very real cost
In many projects, investors underestimate the impact of glazing on CAPEX. In the Ecoffices methodology, glass does not function as a decorative detail, but as a specific budget component. The model operates on an indicative price range from about 1,100 PLN/sqm to about 2,500 PLN/sqm, and the baseline variants themselves have default glazing settings for meeting rooms and offices. This means that the cost of glass is not manually “invented” at the end of the process, but forms part of the model structure from the very beginning. However, this is still only half the truth. In practice, a higher share of glazing means not only a higher cost of the material itself but also more demanding acoustics, a more sensitive detail, more expensive doors, more demanding execution, and a greater risk of aesthetic flaws. Therefore, in our analyses, glazing is treated as a full-fledged driver of the project’s cost and complexity.
Why glass changes the result so much Because it does not only elevate a single material item. It simultaneously elevates the detail, acoustics, carpentry, assembly, and the coordination level of the entire project.
Equipment, AV, IT, and fixed built-ins – a layer that grows quickly with scale
In the current logic of the Ecoffices calculator, equipment is not thrown into the “optional extras” bag. Furniture, AV, and IT are treated as separate layers. In the model, the indicative default levels for furniture are about 4,900 PLN / workstation for the lower variants and about 6,500 PLN / workstation for the representative variant. For AV and IT, we roughly operate at levels of about 1,800 PLN / workstation and about 2,500 PLN / workstation in more demanding projects. This has very practical significance. In offices with a larger number of workstations, the cost of equipment and technology ceases to be an add-on at the bottom of the table. It starts to act as one of the main parts of the budget. If kitchens, a reception desk, fixed built-ins, wardrobes, custom carpentry, or soft seating are added to this, the investor should treat this layer from the beginning as a real component of CAPEX, and not a cost that will “somehow be added later”.
Server room and IT backup – small function, huge impact on the whole model
One of the more important developments in the logic of the Ecoffices calculator is the separate inclusion of the server room / IT facilities. In many companies, this is a function that remains in the shadows for a long time until it starts affecting the budget, power capacity, cooling, and layout. In practice, even a small server room can change not only the functional program but also the installation structure, electrical level, cooling scope, and the degree of sensitivity of the entire project. This is a very good example showing why we do not believe in “per meter estimators without context”. A server room does not act like a regular room. It acts as a special function. If the design anticipates it, not only does the cost of a single item increase, but also the importance of the technical layer and the coordination level.
Re-use and modernization: where the savings potential really lies
In renovation and modernization projects, a very important layer is re-use, meaning the repurposing of some existing elements. In the Ecoffices model, a re-use level of up to about 70% can be assumed. In practice, this may apply to installations, lighting fixtures, floor boxes, parts of walls, parts of ceilings, or other elements that can be sensibly adapted to the new program. For the investor, this means two things. First, re-use can help lower the cost and reduce the carbon footprint. Second, it should not be set just on a whim. An overly optimistic assumption of using existing elements can improve the estimation on paper but lead to problems at the design or execution stage. Therefore, at Ecoffices, we treat re-use as a conscious optimization tool, not as an automatic “discount”.
CO₂e and the ecological logic of investment decisions
In the Ecoffices calculator, we assume a baseline indicator of about 190 kgCO₂e / sqm for a fit-out. It is a simplified model, but highly useful at the decision-making stage. It allows the investor to see that cost and environmental impact do not have to be disconnected from each other. In some projects, a well-executed re-use helps to simultaneously lower the carbon footprint and avoid some unnecessary costs. Of course, this does not replace a full material Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), but it gives a clear signal: today, an office can be analyzed not only by CAPEX and schedule but also by its environmental impact. From the point of view of a modern investor, this is an increasingly important layer of decision-making.
Schedule: how long a fit-out takes according to Ecoffices experts
In our methodology, cost does not exist without time. Therefore, the calculator model also works with an indicative schedule. For the design phase, we assume about 6 weeks, for approvals about 2 weeks, for execution usually about 12–16 weeks depending on the square footage, program complexity, and technical layers, followed by commissioning, handovers, and a buffer. In total, the model logic usually concludes within about 25 weeks. For the investor, this is important not only operationally but also financially. The more demanding the project, the greater the susceptibility to an increase in time costs, logistics escalation, accumulation of decisions, and the risk of delays. Fast-track can shorten the process, but in practice, it almost always raises the cost and pressure on both sides: the investor and the contractor.
Time must also be counted as an investment layer Even a well-calculated budget can cease to be attractive if the schedule is too tight, the building too demanding, and decisions on the investor’s side drawn out too long.
Landlord contribution – why the total cost is not the same as the tenant’s cost
From the tenant’s perspective, it is very important to distinguish between the total cost of the project and the cost on the tenant’s side. In practice, part of the entry cost can be reduced by the landlord’s contribution (fit-out allowance), but that does not mean the CAPEX itself disappears. Rather, it means that one must be able to show it from two angles: as the project cost and as the cost after landlord contribution. This is exactly why the Ecoffices calculator does not end with a “total cost” number. It also shows the CAPEX to annual rent ratio, potential landlord contribution, and the cost on the tenant’s side. This is vital because in an investment conversation, what counts is not just how much the office costs, but also how that cost is distributed between the parties to the transaction.
So how much does an office fit-out cost in 2026 according to Ecoffices?
According to Ecoffices experts, in the second quarter of 2026, the most honest answer is as follows: the office fit-out cost should be read through the standard level and through the project layers. For cost-rational projects, the starting point today is Eco Start – 2,260 PLN / sqm net. For business projects, the natural point of reference is Eco Flow – 3,080 PLN / sqm net. For more representative, technological, and qualitatively stronger projects, the starting point is Eco Signature – 5,200 PLN / sqm net. Only upon this baseline are the functional program, glazing, HVAC, building systems, AV, furniture, server room, logistics, fast-track, design, PM, re-use, and landlord contribution superimposed. This means that an investor today should not ask solely “how much does a meter cost”, but rather: what office scenario are we building, what is in it, which layers are the strongest, and what quality do we want to achieve. Only then does the result become something more than a number in a spreadsheet.
Summary: why Ecoffices looks at cost differently
At Ecoffices, we do not believe in a single universal “market price list” that solves the issue. We believe in investment logic. That is why our cost model combines the baseline, functional program, budget layers, fit test, carbon footprint, schedule, landlord contribution, and risk. This allows the investor to understand not only how much the office costs, but also why it costs exactly that much and where the biggest pressure points on the budget are located. So if you ask today how much an office fit-out costs in 2026, the Ecoffices answer is: it depends on the scenario, but this scenario can be calculated, broken down into layers, and consciously optimized. And that is exactly what our calculator is for.