Office Strip Out Services

A strip out goes beyond clearing furniture and equipment — it's the removal of the installed fixtures and fittings that make up your office fit-out. Partitions, raised flooring, suspended ceilings, cable trays, kitchen facilities, and M&E alterations all come out, returning the space to its base build condition for the next tenant or your own refit.

What Is a Strip Out?

An office strip out is the systematic removal of all tenant-installed modifications to a commercial space. While an office clearance removes the contents (desks, chairs, IT, files), a strip out removes the structure you built around them:

• Partitions and stud walls — glass, solid, and demountable partition systems
• Raised access flooring — floor tiles, pedestals and sub-floor cable management
• Suspended ceilings — ceiling tiles, grid systems and integrated lighting
• Cable containment — data and power cabling, trunking, floor boxes and dado rails
• Kitchen and breakout fit-out — cabinetry, worktops, plumbing, appliances
• Decorative finishes — vinyl wraps, feature walls, bespoke joinery, signage
• M&E alterations — additional air conditioning units, supplementary lighting, modified fire systems

The goal is to return the space to its original condition — typically a Cat A (shell and core) state — ready for the landlord to let or for the next tenant to begin their own fit-out.

Cat A vs Cat B Fit-Out Explained

Understanding the difference between Cat A and Cat B matters because it determines how far your strip out needs to go:

Cat A (Category A) — the landlord shell

Cat A is the base build finish a landlord provides to tenants. It typically includes:

• Raised access floor (bare, without carpet tiles)
• Suspended ceiling with basic grid lighting
• Basic mechanical and electrical services (HVAC, fire alarm, emergency lighting)
• Bare plastered or painted walls
• Toilet and core facilities

A Cat A strip out returns the space to this condition — removing everything the tenant added on top.

Cat B (Category B) — the tenant fit-out

Cat B is everything the tenant installs on top of the Cat A shell to make the space functional for their business:

• Meeting rooms and partition walls
• Reception areas and feature walls
• Kitchens and breakout spaces
• Data and power cabling
• Carpet tiles and decorative flooring
• Additional lighting and air conditioning

When we talk about a strip out, we're usually removing the Cat B fit-out to reveal the Cat A shell underneath.

What's Involved

A typical strip out project follows this sequence:

1. Survey and scope — we visit the premises, review the lease requirements (particularly the Schedule of Condition or Dilapidations), and produce a detailed scope of works
2. Clearance first — all furniture, equipment and loose items are cleared before strip out begins. We handle this as part of the project
3. Soft strip — removal of carpet tiles, ceiling tiles, partition systems, kitchen units, cable management and decorative finishes
4. M&E strip — removal of tenant-installed mechanical and electrical services (additional AC units, supplementary lighting, modified fire systems)
5. Making good — patching, plastering and repainting where items have been removed, to return surfaces to an acceptable condition
6. Final clean — builder's clean followed by a sparkle clean to leave the space ready for inspection
7. Documentation — waste transfer notes, recycling certificates, and a photo record of the completed works

When a Strip Out Is Needed

The most common triggers for a strip out:

• Lease end dilapidations — your lease requires the space returned in its original condition. The landlord issues a Schedule of Dilapidations listing the works needed. See our end of lease clearance service for the full process
• Refurbishment or refit — you're staying in the same space but redesigning the layout. The old fit-out needs removing before the new one can begin
• Change of use — the building is being repurposed (e.g., office to residential conversion). Everything tenant-installed comes out as part of the wider project
• New tenant preparation — if you're a landlord preparing a space for re-letting, stripping it back to Cat A gives prospective tenants a blank canvas

Working with Fit-Out Contractors

If your strip out is part of a wider refit project, timing is critical. We typically sit at the front of the programme:

1. Week 1–2: Clear Workspace completes the office clearance (furniture, IT, files)
2. Week 2–4: Strip out works (partitions, ceilings, flooring, M&E)
3. Week 4+: Fit-out contractor takes over for the new build

We work directly with your fit-out contractor or project manager to agree handover conditions and avoid programme delays. Our clearance and strip out can often run concurrently in different zones of the building to compress the timeline.

Costs and Timeline

Strip out costs depend on the scope, building type and location. Here are typical UK ranges:

Timeline: A straightforward soft strip for a 5,000 sq ft office typically takes 5–10 working days. Add M&E removal and making good, and you're looking at 2–4 weeks. Larger or more complex projects (asbestos, listed buildings, multi-floor) can take 4–8 weeks.

These costs are for the strip out alone. Clearance of contents is typically quoted separately — see our office clearance page for those costs, or use the cost estimator.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a Cat A strip out?

A Cat A (Category A) strip out returns a commercial space to its base build condition — the landlord shell. This means removing all tenant-installed partitions, raised flooring, suspended ceilings, decorative finishes, kitchen facilities and M&E alterations. The space is left ready for the next tenant to fit out to their own specification.

What is the difference between a strip out and an office clearance?

An office clearance removes the contents of an office — furniture, IT equipment, files and loose items. A strip out goes further, removing the installed fixtures and fittings — partitions, flooring, ceilings, wiring and plumbing alterations. Most lease-end projects need both: a clearance first, then a strip out.

How long does an office strip out take?

Timelines depend on the scope and size. A basic partitions-and-ceilings strip out for a 5,000 sq ft office typically takes 5–10 working days. Larger or more complex projects involving M&E removal, asbestos surveys or structural alterations can take 3–6 weeks.

Do I need to strip out my office at the end of my lease?

Check your lease. Most commercial leases require you to return the premises in the condition described in the Schedule of Condition (or the original Cat A state if no schedule exists). Your landlord will issue a Schedule of Dilapidations listing the works required. Failing to complete these means the landlord does the work and charges you — usually at a premium.