Refurbish Your Office or Relocate: How to Decide

Your office isn't working anymore. Maybe you've outgrown the space, the layout doesn't suit hybrid working, or the building just feels dated. The big question: do you refurbish what you've got, or move somewhere new? Both options cost money, take time, and disrupt the business — but they suit very different situations. Here's how to decide.

Five Questions to Answer First

Before comparing costs and timelines, answer these five questions. They'll quickly narrow down which option makes sense for your situation.

1. Is the space adequate? If you've genuinely outgrown the space (or it's too large), no amount of refurbishment fixes a fundamental size mismatch. If the space is right but the layout isn't, refurbishment is worth exploring
2. What are your lease terms? If your lease expires in the next 12–18 months, relocation becomes natural — you'd be refurbishing a space you're about to leave. If you have 5+ years remaining with no break clause, refurbishment avoids paying for a new lease while locked into the old one
3. What's your budget? Refurbishment is typically cheaper for cosmetic changes (£30–£80/sqft). But a major structural refurbishment can approach the cost of relocating (£50–£150+/sqft all-in). Be honest about what the space actually needs
4. How much disruption can the business absorb? A cosmetic refurbishment can happen around your team (evenings, weekends, phased areas). A relocation means everyone moves. A structural refurbishment might require temporary decant — effectively moving twice
5. What's the desired outcome? If you need a fundamentally different type of space (open plan to collaborative, traditional to creative), relocation to a purpose-suited building may deliver a better result than forcing your current space to be something it wasn't designed for

Side-by-Side Comparison

When Refurbishment Makes Sense

Refurbishment is usually the better option when:

• The space is the right size — you're not running out of room, the layout just needs updating for modern working patterns (more collaboration areas, fewer fixed desks, better meeting rooms)
• You have a long lease — 3+ years remaining makes refurbishment financially sensible, especially if there's no break clause. You're paying for the space anyway
• Budget is limited — a cosmetic refresh (new furniture, paint, carpet, lighting) at £30–£80/sqft costs substantially less than relocating
• Location works — your staff are settled, clients know where you are, and the area suits the business. Location is the one thing refurbishment can't fix
• Minimal disruption needed — cosmetic refurbishment can happen in evenings and weekends, or by rotating teams through zones. The business keeps running throughout

Even a relatively modest refurbishment may require clearing out old furniture, storage units and equipment. For guidance on that process, see our office clearance guide.

When Relocation Makes Sense

Relocation becomes the better option when:

• You've outgrown the space — if headcount has grown beyond what the building can support, no refurbishment solves a fundamental space shortage
• The lease is expiring — if you're within 12–18 months of lease expiry, it's the natural moment to evaluate. Renewing a lease on an unsuitable building locks you in for another term
• The location no longer works — poor public transport links, changing staff demographics, client proximity, or the area has declined. These are structural problems a refurbishment can't solve
• Major changes needed — if the building's mechanical, electrical and structural systems need upgrading (poor air conditioning, outdated wiring, no accessibility compliance), the cost approaches relocation anyway
• The building limits you — low ceilings, poor natural light, inflexible floor plates, or no scope for the layout you actually need. Some buildings resist refurbishment

If relocation is the right path, start planning early. Our office relocation timeline shows how long each phase takes, and the interactive planner builds a customised programme for your move.

The Hybrid Approach

It's not always a binary choice. Many businesses take a hybrid approach that combines elements of both:

• Phased refurbishment — clear one floor or wing at a time, refurbish it, move teams in, then clear and refurbish the next zone. This minimises disruption but extends the timeline
• Downsize and refurbish — with hybrid working reducing the number of people in the office on any given day, some businesses are relocating to a smaller, cheaper space and spending the savings on a high-quality fit-out
• Satellite office — keep the main office and add a smaller satellite location in a different area to serve a subset of staff or a growing team. Refurbish the main office to suit the remaining team
• Temporary decant — move the team to temporary serviced office space while a major refurbishment happens, then move back. This allows more ambitious refurbishment without the compromise of working around the team

The hybrid approach works best when the current location is right but the space needs significant work that can't happen around the team. It costs more than a simple refurbishment but less than a permanent relocation.

What Both Options Have in Common

Whichever route you choose, you'll almost certainly need some degree of clearance. Refurbishment means clearing out old furniture, equipment and fittings to make way for the new. Relocation means clearing everything you're not taking with you.

• Furniture clearance — old desks, chairs, storage units and meeting room furniture. Quality items can be resold to offset costs; the rest needs responsible disposal
• IT equipment — old monitors, computers, printers, phones and cabling. All require WEEE-compliant disposal and data destruction
• Confidential waste — years of accumulated paper files, HR records and client documents. Must be cross-cut shredded under GDPR
• General waste — kitchen contents, stationery, promotional materials, plants and everything else that accumulates in an office over years

Plan for clearance costs as part of either budget. For refurbishment, it's typically a partial clearance (just the items being replaced). For relocation, it's usually a full clearance of the old premises. See our clearance costs guide for realistic pricing.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is cheaper — refurbishing an office or relocating?

For most businesses, refurbishment is cheaper — especially if the changes are primarily cosmetic (paint, carpet, new furniture, better lighting). A cosmetic refresh costs £30–£80 per square foot compared to £50–£150+ per square foot all-in for a relocation when you factor in new lease deposits, fit-out works, moving costs, clearance of the old premises, and IT infrastructure.

However, the gap narrows significantly for major refurbishments involving structural changes, M&E upgrades or a complete strip out and rebuild. Add in the cost of temporary decant space (if you can't work around the construction), and a major refurbishment can approach or even exceed relocation costs. The honest answer depends entirely on what your current space needs.

How long does each option take?

A cosmetic office refurbishment (new furniture, decoration, lighting) typically takes 2–6 weeks and can often happen around your team in evenings and weekends. A significant refurbishment with layout changes, partitioning, and M&E work takes 2–6 months, and you may need to vacate parts of the building during works.

A full office relocation typically takes 3–12 months from decision to completion. That includes property search (1–3 months), lease negotiation (1–2 months), fit-out of the new premises (2–4 months), and the actual move (days to weeks depending on size). Enterprise relocations of 100+ people often need 12–18 months. Our relocation timeline guide breaks this down by phase and company size.

Can I refurbish and relocate at the same time?

Yes — and it's more common than you'd think. Some businesses relocate part of their operation to a new site while refurbishing the original office for the remaining team. Others take a phased approach: clear and refurbish one floor at a time, shuffling teams between areas as each zone is completed.

The key to making this work is careful planning and a realistic timeline. You'll need a detailed programme that coordinates clearance, construction, IT migration and team moves — often overlapping across multiple locations. Start with our interactive planner to map out the phases, and consider our office move checklist for the relocation components.