How much does an office refurbishment cost? Not a price per sqm, but the actual scope of change
The cost of an office refurbishment does not depend only on floor area. It comes from the initial condition of the space, the scope of finish restoration, suspended ceiling works, carpet tiles, skirting boards, local electrical corrections, waste logistics, work organization in an operating office, design documentation and furniture decisions. In the Ecoffices model, refurbishment is analysed through three base scenarios: Eco Refresh — PLN 940 net/sqm, Eco Restore — PLN 1,480 net/sqm and Eco Upgrade — PLN 2,760 net/sqm.
Office refurbishment costs as much as the real scope of change requires
Office refurbishment is most often the refresh or restoration of an existing space: painting, repairs, replacement of carpet tiles and skirting boards, partial or full replacement of ceiling tiles, lighting supplements, local electrical corrections, dismantling, waste management and protection of office operations. It is not the same process as a full fit-out, but a properly managed refurbishment also requires design or scope documentation.
Ecoffices does not carry out office refurbishments without a design or a defined scope. Even a surface refresh requires decisions on scope, standard, work organization, discipline responsibility and impact on existing infrastructure: suspended ceilings, detectors, air diffusers, supply air outlets, ventilation grilles, lighting fixtures, carpet tiles, skirting boards, existing furniture and waste logistics.
Painting, local repairs, replacement of carpet tiles and skirting boards, partial replacement of ceiling tiles, basic electrical repairs and replacement or supplementation of non-functioning lighting within the existing infrastructure.
More complete restoration of the space standard: a broader scope of ceiling works, carpet tile replacement, skirting boards, repairs, electrical corrections, lighting point reorganization, dismantling and work organization.
Refurbishment with an upgraded finishing standard: broader replacement of lighting fixtures, better materials, ceiling reorganization, larger electrical corrections, furniture elements and limited layout changes.
An office refurbishment costs as much as the real scope of work and the way works are carried out in an existing space require. A rate per sqm alone does not allow the budget to be assessed unless the scope of ceiling works, carpet replacement, furniture relocation, dismantling, waste management, lighting and design documentation has been defined.
Check the indicative cost of office refurbishment
The module shows the refurbishment cost profile based on Eco Refresh, Eco Restore and Eco Upgrade scenarios. It includes design documentation, suspended ceilings, carpet tiles, lighting, dismantling, work organization, existing office furniture and optional furniture layers.
What is office refurbishment and where are its boundaries?
The term office refurbishment is often used too broadly. In the Ecoffices model, refurbishment means works carried out in an existing space: refresh, restoration of the standard, replacement of worn elements and selected system corrections within the limits of existing infrastructure.
- painting and local repairs,
- carpet tile replacement,
- local works on suspended ceilings,
- basic electrical repairs.
- restoration of the space standard,
- ceiling tiles and ceiling equipment,
- skirting boards and carpet tiles,
- dismantling, waste and coordination.
- change in how the office works,
- larger system corrections,
- new work zones,
- greater role of discipline design.
- full investment process,
- new tenant layout,
- disciplines, approvals and execution,
- a complete office for a specific organization.
Even a simple office refurbishment requires design and coordination
When refurbishing an existing space, the greatest risks appear where the investor assumes it is only a refresh. In practice, dismantling a ceiling may mean removing and reinstalling detectors, air diffusers, supply air outlets, ventilation grilles, fixtures and building system components.
If a refurbishment requires phased works, protection of existing furniture, dismantling of ceiling equipment, waste removal and coordination with the building manager, it stops being a simple refresh. That is why an office refurbishment should start with a design.
Office refurbishment means finishes, ceilings, flooring, furniture and work organization
In a typical office refurbishment, we do not start with glass partitions and new divisions. Most often, we work on existing infrastructure: walls, suspended ceiling, carpet tiles, skirting boards, lighting, sockets, lighting points, existing furniture and waste logistics.
If the project starts dividing rooms into smaller spaces, ventilation modifications, discipline design and higher costs usually appear. In refurbishment, smaller rooms are more often colinear metreined into larger ones or the space standard is restored.
Typical refurbishment layers
The model breakdown shows the indicative share of layers in a typical office refurbishment, excluding furniture treated as a separate optional layer.
- Painting and repairs24%
- Carpet tiles and skirting boards22%
- Ceilings and equipment22%
- Electrical works and lighting10%
- Design and logistics22%
Where does risk increase?
The greatest uncertainty appears around ceilings, works in an operating office, dismantling, existing furniture and building requirements.
- Ceilings and equipment26%
- Operating office20%
- Dismantling and waste18%
- Existing furniture14%
- Systems and building22%
What increases the cost of an office refurbishment the most?
In office refurbishment, cost increases not only because of material standard, but primarily because of work organization in an existing space, suspended ceilings, ceiling equipment, dismantling, waste management, existing office furniture and the scope of design documentation.
Ceilings and equipment
Replacing ceiling tiles means at least around PLN 120/sqm, while works involving removal and reinstallation of ceiling equipment may add at least another PLN 150/sqm.
Works in an operating office
Phasing, night works, protection measures and keeping part of the office operational increase organizational cost and schedule risk.
Existing furniture
Furniture must be protected, removed from the space or relocated in phases. A new workstation in a refurbishment scenario is estimated at PLN 3,500 net.
Built-in furniture
Built-in furniture made of laminated boards should be assumed indicatively from around PLN 2,500 net/linear metre, and kitchenette joinery from around PLN 3,500 net/linear metre, excluding appliances, fittings and connections.
Design documentation
Design is a mandatory refurbishment layer. We estimate Eco Layout at PLN 30/sqm, Eco Vision at PLN 120/sqm and Eco Signature at PLN 260/sqm.
How long does an office refurbishment take?
Cost is only one side of the process. The other is time. The timeline depends on whether the office is closed, whether the refurbishment is phased, whether existing furniture must be relocated, ceiling equipment dismantled and works coordinated with the building manager.
Office refurbishment in Warsaw has its own specifics
Warsaw is a demanding market, especially in Class A office buildings and larger commercial properties. In addition to the scope of work itself, building procedures, delivery logistics, working hours, waste removal, access to goods lifts and building manager requirements must be included.
- strict building manager guidelines,
- greater role of fire safety and BMS,
- limited working hours,
- complex delivery and waste logistics.
- cost may increase due to phasing,
- the timeline may extend by 1–3 weeks,
- documentation and coordination become more important.
How to reduce the cost of office refurbishment without damaging quality?
A refurbishment budget can be reduced sensibly, but not through random cuts. The healthiest savings appear when we clearly separate what must be replaced from what can be safely retained.
- fewer full dismantling works,
- less interference with ceiling equipment,
- better control of lighting points,
- less discipline-related risk.
- sensible retention of furniture,
- replacement of selected workstations only,
- control of built-in furniture,
- limiting unnecessary relocations.
- fewer changes during the works,
- clear refurbishment scope,
- earlier approvals,
- better work schedule.
Self-coordination may look like a saving, but it very often ends with budget overruns, schedule shifts, conflicts between trades, quality issues and additional costs at the end of the project.
Frequently asked questions about office refurbishment cost
How much does an office refurbishment cost in Warsaw?
In the Ecoffices model, the indicative base amounts are PLN 940 net/sqm for Eco Refresh, PLN 1,480 net/sqm for Eco Restore and PLN 2,760 net/sqm for Eco Upgrade. The budget may also include design documentation, suspended ceilings, furniture, built-in furniture, phasing and building procedures.
Does an office refurbishment require a design?
Yes. Ecoffices does not carry out office refurbishments without a design or a defined scope, because even a refresh requires decisions on scope, standard, work organization and impact on existing infrastructure.
Is furniture replaced during refurbishment?
Often, yes. In the calculator, a new workstation in a refurbishment scenario is estimated at PLN 3,500 net: desk, task chair, mobile pedestal and basic accessories.
How much does built-in furniture cost?
Very indicatively: built-in furniture made of laminated boards starts at around PLN 2,500 net/linear metre, while kitchenette joinery starts at around PLN 3,500 net/linear metre, excluding appliances, fittings, connections and non-standard hardware.
Why does the ceiling affect cost so strongly?
Because replacing ceiling tiles may require dismantling and reinstalling detectors, air diffusers, supply air outlets, ventilation grilles, fixtures and other technical ceiling elements.
Is refurbishment only an aesthetic improvement?
No. Refurbishment may include aesthetics, standard restoration, ceilings, carpet tiles, lighting, furniture and office work organization, but it should not be confused with a full fit-out.
Office refurbishment is not a price per sqm, but a decision about the scope of restoring the space
The biggest mistake in thinking about office refurbishment is reducing it to one nulinear metreer per square metre. In practice, refurbishment is the result of decisions about painting, carpet tiles, skirting boards, ceilings, equipment, lighting, furniture, dismantling, waste management, works in an operating office and design.
If the scope starts to include new partitions, larger ventilation changes, a full functional rebuild and new work zones, the project stops being a typical refurbishment and becomes modernization or fit-out. That is why a well-prepared refurbishment starts with design and real recognition of the space.
Check whether refurbishment is enough or modernization is needed
It is worth comparing office refurbishment with the cost of a full fit-out, a space capacity test and a lease decision analysis. However, do not treat the fit-out calculator as a refurbishment calculator — it is a comparative tool for another type of investment.
Office fit-out cost calculator
Use it comparatively when you want to compare refurbishment of the current office with a full fit-out or relocation.
Office space capacity test
Check whether the current space really fits the functional programme, work model and required zones.
Office fit-out in Warsaw
See the model of office design and delivery under one responsibility — from analysis to handover.