How much does an office fitout cost per square metre in Australia?

Basic refresh: $800–$1,200/sqm. Mid-range: $1,200–$2,000/sqm. Premium: $2,000–$3,000+/sqm. Sydney/Melbourne premium; Perth/Adelaide ~10–15% lower.

What is included in an office fitout?

Demolition, partitioning, electrical, joinery (reception, kitchen, storage), flooring, ceiling, lighting, acoustic treatment, paint, signage, and IT cabling co-ordination.

How long does an office fitout take?

Typical 200–500 sqm fitout: 6–12 weeks from contract. Design and approvals: 3–4 weeks. Construction: 4–8 weeks. Large or council-permit-required: 16+ weeks.

What is the difference between a warm shell and cold shell fitout?

Cold shell: bare concrete, no services, no ceiling. Warm shell: services stubbed in, basic ceiling and floor. Turnkey: full fitout to occupancy.

Do I need a permit for an office fitout?

Cosmetic works (paint, carpet, joinery): usually no permit. Structural, fire-rated wall changes, or change-of-use: council development application required. We manage the certification process.

How do I find a reliable office fitout company?

Check HIA or MBA membership, public liability insurance ($20m minimum), commercial portfolio, fixed-price contract willingness, and direct trade references from completed projects.

What is agile workplace design?

A workplace where staff don't have fixed desks — instead, a mix of focus zones, collaboration areas, and quiet rooms. Suits hybrid-work organisations with <70% daily attendance.

Can I claim an office fitout as a tax deduction in Australia?

Fitout depreciation falls under Division 43 (capital works, 2.5% over 40 years) and Division 40 (plant & equipment, varying lives). Consult your accountant; we provide an itemised depreciation schedule with every project.

Custom Joinery · Australia-wide

Office Fitout — Workplace Design & Custom Joinery Across Australia

An office fitout is one of the most significant investments a business makes in its workplace culture and productivity. Done well, a fitout energises your team, impresses clients, and supports the way your people actually work. Done poorly — or chosen purely on the basis of lowest price — it can be a source of daily frustration, cramped spaces, inadequate storage, and a brand presentation that undersells your business.

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Office Fitout crafted in the SteepWood Newcastle workshop

Office Fitout facts — quick reference

Office fitouts in Australia range from AU$800–AU$3,000+ per square metre depending on finish level and city HIA commercial fitout benchmarks.
Sydney and Melbourne commercial fitouts sit at the upper end of national cost benchmarks Hipages office fitout guide.
SteepWood supplies reception desks, breakout joinery, and storage walls with fixed-price contracts SteepWood office fitout.
Typical 200–500 sqm fitouts run 6–12 weeks from contract to handover SteepWood programme data.

What is office fitout?

An office fitout is the complete workplace joinery package — reception desks, breakout kitchens, meeting room cabinetry, and storage walls — designed for how your team works. SteepWood plans and delivers commercial fitouts from our Newcastle workshop with fixed-price contracts and documented programmes.

Complementary services: Commercial Joinery, Shopfitting, Home Office Joinery.

At SteepWood we plan and deliver complete office fitouts for businesses of all sizes across Australia: from start-ups fitting out their first space, to established firms relocating to new premises, to large corporates refurbishing existing offices to support new ways of working. Our team handles the full scope: workplace strategy, design, documentation, custom joinery, partitioning, flooring, lighting, and acoustic treatments.

We are specialists in the joinery elements that define a quality fitout — reception desks, breakout kitchen joinery, boardroom credenzas, storage walls, and meeting room cabinetry. These are the pieces that carry your brand identity and see the most daily use. We manufacture in Newcastle using commercial-grade Laminex and Polytec panels, solid surface tops, and Blum and Häfele hardware, and we finish to the same standard we bring to residential work.

Office fitout costs in Australia typically range from $800 to $3,000+ per square metre, depending on city, finish level, and the extent of structural work required. Sydney and Melbourne sit at the upper end; Perth and Adelaide offer slightly lower rates. A basic open-plan refresh may be achievable under $1,000 per sqm; a premium fitout with custom joinery, quality finishes, and advanced acoustic treatment will sit from $2,500 upward.

We provide fixed-price contracts, detailed project programmes, and a single point of contact for every project. Contact us to discuss your office fitout brief.

What's included

Reception desks
Brand-defining reception joinery designed for daily client-facing use.
Breakout joinery
Kitchenettes, credenzas, and breakout storage for staff amenity zones.
Meeting room cabinetry
Boardroom storage, AV integration, and display joinery.
Partitioning co-ordination
Acoustic and privacy solutions integrated with joinery layouts.
Storage walls
Floor-to-ceiling storage and filing systems for agile workplaces.
Project management
Fixed-price contracts, programmes, and single point of contact.

Materials & finishes

Commercial office joinery uses grade laminate and compact panels, solid surface benchtops, and Blum or Häfele hardware rated for high-cycle use. Acoustic and privacy treatments are co-ordinated with the joinery installation programme.

Commercial-grade Laminex and Polytec panels, solid surface bench tops, and Blum and Häfele hardware throughout.

Acoustic treatments, ceiling systems, and flooring co-ordinated with joinery installation programmes.

Shop drawings and documentation for architect, builder, and certification requirements.

Premium joinery materials and finishes in the SteepWood workshop

Reception desks

Brand-defining reception joinery designed for daily client-facing use.

Breakout joinery

Kitchenettes, credenzas, and breakout storage for staff amenity zones.

Meeting room cabinetry

Boardroom storage, AV integration, and display joinery.

Partitioning co-ordination

Acoustic and privacy solutions integrated with joinery layouts.

We provide fixed-price contracts, detailed project programmes, and a single point of contact for every project. Contact us to discuss your office fitout brief.

Partitioning co-ordination — Office Fitout by SteepWood

Storage walls

Floor-to-ceiling storage and filing systems for agile workplaces.

Project management

Fixed-price contracts, programmes, and single point of contact.

Our office fitout process

01
Workplace brief
We understand headcount, work styles, and brand requirements before measuring.
02
Design and documentation
3–4 weeks for design, landlord approvals, and fixed-price contract.
03
Construction programme
Typical 200–500 sqm fitout: 6–12 weeks from contract.
04
Handover
Co-ordinated trades, defect period, and itemised depreciation schedule supplied.

Recent projects across Australia

Office Fitout — Barton

Barton, Canberra

Reception desk, meeting-room joinery, and breakout storage for a Barton professional services suite — Polytec laminate, 2-pac accents, and integrated cable management.