“How much will it cost?” is the first question most business owners ask when they start planning a new workspace, store, clinic, or venue. It is the right question, but the honest answer is that a fitout is not a fixed product with a sticker price. It is a tailored build, and the cost follows the decisions you make about your space, your sector, and your finishes.
The good news is that a fitout budget is far more predictable once you understand what shapes it. This guide explains what drives commercial fitout cost in Perth, where the money actually goes, how requirements differ across sectors, and how to plan so the final figure holds few surprises.
What a commercial fitout includes
A commercial fitout turns a bare or dated space into one your business can operate from. A typical scope covers flooring, ceilings, partitioning and meeting rooms, electrical and data, lighting, climate control, joinery, and staff or customer amenities. Higher specifications add custom joinery, technology integration, wellbeing spaces, and premium finishes. The wider the scope and the higher the specification, the more you invest, which is why two projects of the same size can sit far apart on cost.
What drives the cost of a commercial fitout
Rather than a single rate, it helps to think of your budget as the sum of a handful of cost drivers. These are the factors that decide where your project lands.
- Condition of the existing space. A warm shell with usable services costs far less to work with than a stripped tenancy or one that needs demolition first.
- Building services and infrastructure. Power, data, air conditioning, hydraulics, and fire systems are quiet budget movers, especially in older buildings.
- Design complexity. Curved walls, raked ceilings, and one-off detailing all take more time and trade input than clean, rectangular spaces.
- Custom joinery. Bespoke reception desks, shopfronts, and cabinetry are often the largest single line outside the base build.
- Compliance and approvals. Disability access, fire ratings, and council or landlord approvals can add scope you did not plan for.
- Sustainability targets. Better materials and higher energy performance lift the upfront figure and lower running costs over the life of the space.
- Programme and timing. A compressed timeline often means overtime and paying a premium to get materials in quickly.
- Furniture, fixtures and equipment. FF and E sits outside many base scopes and can swing a budget widely depending on your selections.
Where your fitout budget goes
It helps to picture a fitout budget in three broad parts: the construction itself (partitions, ceilings, floors, joinery), the building services hidden behind the walls (electrical, data, mechanical, fire, hydraulic), and the furniture, fixtures and equipment that finish the space. Owners tend to focus on the visible construction, but it is the services and the FF and E that are most often underestimated. Understanding this split early is the single best way to avoid a shortfall later. It is also where an experienced builder managing the project earns their keep, by flagging an expensive service requirement while it is still cheap to design around.
How costs differ across sectors
The same floor area can cost very differently depending on what you do in it.
- Office. The baseline for most commercial fitouts. Cost rises with the level of custom joinery, technology, and finish. See our Perth office fitout service.
- Retail. Spend follows the customer. Bespoke shopfronts, feature lighting, displays, and signage carry much of the budget because they do the selling. We cover this in our shop and retail fitouts.
- Medical and healthcare. Compliance drives the figure. Infection control, specialised services, and higher performance materials sit on top of the base build, and the trades must be qualified to install them.
- Hospitality. Usually the most demanding per project. The commercial kitchen, ventilation, grease traps, refrigeration, and specialised equipment carry a large share of the budget before a single table is placed.
How to budget for a fitout without surprises
A few habits separate projects that land on budget from those that blow out.
- Engage a builder early, before the design is locked. Most cost savings are found at the planning stage, which is the heart of how we run a fitout project.
- Set your budget against your actual space and needs, not a headline rate borrowed from another project.
- Allow a contingency of around 10 to 15 percent for unforeseen conditions and design refinements. Older buildings tend to need it more.
- Ask any contractor to spell out inclusions and exclusions in writing. A clear scope is worth more than a low headline figure.
What a headline rate usually leaves out
A single rate, whether quoted per square metre or as a round number, is a starting point, not a fixed price. Several real costs commonly sit outside it, and missing them is how budgets get blown:
- Loose furniture and equipment selections.
- Professional fees for design, certification, and project management.
- Landlord and council approval costs, plus any make good obligations from your current lease.
- Technology, audiovisual, and security beyond basic cabling.
- GST, where a figure is quoted exclusive of it.
Getting an accurate cost for your space
The most reliable way to understand your fitout cost is not a guide, it is a conversation about your actual site. A short walkthrough of the space, your operational needs, and your design objectives turns a broad estimate into a figure you can plan around. Neon Construction offers this initial consultation at no cost, because getting the brief right is the first step to a project that lands on time and on budget. Talk to our team and we will walk through it with you.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a commercial fitout cost in Perth?
It depends on your sector, the condition of the space you start with, and the finishes you choose. A basic refresh of a sound office sits well below a licensed hospitality venue with a full commercial kitchen. The most accurate way to set a budget is a short assessment of your space rather than a headline rate.
What has the biggest impact on fitout cost?
The condition of the existing premises, how much building services need upgrading, the complexity of the design, and the level of custom joinery and finishes. A warm shell with good services and a simple layout costs far less than a stripped tenancy with one-off detailing.
Why do two similar fitouts cost different amounts?
Because the things you cannot see drive the figure: existing services, structural and compliance requirements, design complexity, and the quality of finishes. Two spaces of the same size can sit a long way apart once those are accounted for.
How much contingency should I allow?
Around 10 to 15 percent on top of your fitout budget for unforeseen conditions and design changes. Older buildings tend to need it more than newer ones.
How can I reduce my fitout cost without dropping quality?
Engage your builder early so expensive details are caught at the design stage, keep the layout efficient, reuse existing services where they are sound, and spend where staff and customers will notice. Cutting quality usually costs more over the life of the space.
What does a per square metre rate usually exclude?
Often loose furniture and equipment, professional fees, approval and make good costs, and sometimes GST. Always ask for inclusions and exclusions in writing before comparing quotes.
