Budgets · 14 January 2026 · 7 min read
What Does a Retail Fit-Out Cost in the UK?
Quick answer: a UK retail fit-out typically costs £40,000 to £90,000 for a small independent shop (50 to 100 sqm) and £90,000 to £250,000 for a mid-size shopping-centre unit (100 to 250 sqm). Bespoke kiosks start from £45,000 plus VAT as a guide, installed, excluding design fees. Cat B office fit-outs run £700 to £1,400 per sqm. The final figure is driven by mechanical and electrical works, landlord requirements, materials and programme.
Nobody publishes fit-out prices, which is exactly why the first quote you receive feels impossible to judge. Here is how we price work, what the ranges usually look like, and where budgets quietly disappear.
The honest ranges
Every unit is different, but after 510+ projects the ranges below are where most UK retail work lands. They assume a shell or a stripped-back existing unit, VAT excluded, and a design-and-build route where one contractor carries the whole job.
| Project type | Size | Typical budget |
|---|---|---|
| Small independent shop refit | 50 to 100 sqm | £40,000 to £90,000 |
| Mid-size shopping-centre unit | 100 to 250 sqm | £90,000 to £250,000 |
| Bespoke retail kiosk (mall standard) | Single unit | From £45,000 plus VAT as a guide, installed, excluding design fees |
| Cat B office fit-out | Per sqm | £700 to £1,400 per sqm |
| Hospitality and leisure | Varies | Widest range, driven by kitchens, services and acoustics |
The five things that actually move the number
Most of the variance between two quotes is not joinery, it is what sits behind the joinery.
- Mechanical and electrical: new distribution, air conditioning and sprinkler alterations are frequently a quarter of the job
- Landlord requirements: centre specifications, hoarding, out-of-hours working and management fees
- Materials: solid surface, stone, veneer and specialist finishes carry very different lead times and prices
- Programme: a compressed programme means night shifts, and night shifts cost more
- Condition of the unit: dilapidations, asbestos surveys and floor levelling are the classic unbudgeted items
Where budgets are usually wasted
The two most expensive things in a fit-out are changing your mind late and appointing separate designers, joiners and contractors who each price defensively against one another.
A design-and-build route removes the gap between the drawing and the buildable detail. Because we design, manufacture and install in-house, the person quoting the counter is the person who has to make it fit, which is why our variations tend to be small.
How to get a quote you can actually compare
Ask every contractor to price the same scope and to break the number into design, manufacture, site works, M&E, and management. If one quote is dramatically cheaper, it is almost always missing a line rather than beating the market.
- Provide a floor plan, photos, and your landlord's fit-out guide
- State your trading date, not your ideal date
- Ask what is excluded, that list is more revealing than the total
- Agree how variations will be priced before work starts
Project gallery
Send us your plan and trading date and we'll come back with a broken-down budget, not a guess.
Keep reading
Choosing a contractor
How to Choose a Shopfitter: 10 Questions to Ask
Read →
Process
Landlord Approval for Retail Fit-Outs: A Practical Guide
Read →
Choosing a contractor
What Is a Shopfitter? The Difference Between Shopfitter, Builder and Interior Designer
Read →Trends
Retail Shopfitting Trends for 2026
Read →
Sustainability
Sustainable Shopfitting: How to Build Retail That Lasts
Read →Budgets
Office Fit-Out Costs: What You Pay Per Square Foot
Read →Materials
Corian and Solid Surface Worktops: Costs, Care and Where They Win
Read →Process
What Is a Retail Kiosk or RMU? Costs, Lead Times and Mall Rules
Read →