Office fit-out
Office Fit-Out Cost in Pakistan 2026: Shell, Cat A and Cat B Explained
Landlords talk about shell and Cat A. Contractors talk about Cat B. Here is what each means for your office fit-out cost in Pakistan, and where the money really goes.
Start with what the landlord hands over
Your office fit out cost in Pakistan depends first on the condition of the space on day one. Three terms come up in every lease discussion, and they mean very different starting points.
| Stage | What you get | What you still pay for |
|---|---|---|
| Shell | Structure, core, main services to the floor | Almost everything inside |
| Cat A | Ceilings, base lighting, HVAC, raised floor or screed, toilets | Layout, rooms, finishes, furniture |
| Cat B | Your fitted workspace | Already included in the fit-out |
What Cat B actually includes
Cat B is the part that makes an office yours: partitions, meeting rooms, reception, pantry, IT and power to desks, branded finishes and furniture. It is also where most of the budget variation sits, because two companies on identical Cat A floors can want very different workplaces.
Our office fit-out service covers this stage end to end, from layout to handover.
The drivers behind the rate per sq ft
- Headcount and density. More desks mean more power, data and cooling per square foot.
- Enclosed rooms. Every meeting room adds glazing, doors, acoustic treatment and separate lighting control.
- HVAC changes. Re-routing ducts for new rooms is one of the biggest technical costs.
- Finish level. Carpet tiles versus timber, standard versus acoustic ceilings.
- Furniture. Often a third line on its own; decide early whether it sits inside the fit-out.
- After-hours working. Occupied buildings often restrict noisy work to nights and weekends.
Where companies overspend and underspend
Overspending usually happens on visible items: feature walls, oversized receptions, decorative lighting. Underspending tends to hit the things staff feel every day, such as acoustics, task lighting and enough power outlets. Shift budget toward comfort and you get a workplace that keeps working after the photos.
If you are still choosing a space, our guide to office layout mistakes helps you test a floor plate before signing.
Fit-out categories explained
| Category | Includes |
|---|---|
| Shell and core | Basic building provided by the landlord |
| Category A | Ceilings, lighting, AC distribution, raised floors |
| Category B | Partitions, finishes, furniture, IT, branding |
Knowing what the landlord provides helps you plan the scope and compare quotes accurately.
Before handover
- Test every power and data point.
- Check AC performance in each zone.
- Confirm the fire alarm and emergency lighting work.
- Collect as-built drawings and equipment manuals.
How to budget an office fit-out
- Confirm exactly what the landlord delivers, in writing.
- Fix headcount, growth and the room schedule.
- Get a test-fit layout before asking for prices.
- Separate fit-out, furniture, IT and fees into their own lines.
- Hold a contingency for building-services surprises.
Explore finished workplaces on our office interior design page or start with a rough range on the estimator.
The short version.
- Know your starting point: shell, Cat A and Cat B are very different budgets.
- Rooms and HVAC drive cost: every enclosed space adds services.
- Spend on comfort: acoustics, light and power outlast feature walls.
Questions
Asked often, answered plainly.
Cat A is a usable but empty floor with ceilings, lighting, air conditioning and toilets. Cat B is the tenant's fitted office: rooms, finishes, IT, pantry and furniture.
Not always. Many quotations exclude loose furniture, so ask for it as a separate line to compare offers fairly.
Yes, with phasing and after-hours work for noisy trades. It is slower and needs careful planning for dust, data and safety.
Ask both contractors to price the same layout and specification, then compare line by line. Different scopes hidden in one total are the usual reason quotes look far apart.
Shell, Cat A, Cat B: agree the starting line before you price the finish.
Keep looking
Related reading.
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