Category A and Category B
| Category A (landlord) | Category B (tenant) | |
|---|---|---|
| Ceiling | Grid and tiles, or exposed | Feature ceilings, acoustic rafts |
| Flooring | Raised floor or screed | Carpet, vinyl, timber |
| Lighting | Base grid lighting | Scheme lighting, controls |
| HVAC | Distribution to the floor | Terminal units, zoning, controls |
| Partitions | Core walls only | Cabins, meeting rooms, glazing |
| Cost share | ₹700–1,400 / sq ft | ₹1,400–3,500 / sq ft |
The fit-out manual outranks your drawings
Every Grade-A landlord in BKC, Lower Parel and Powai issues a fit-out manual covering permitted materials, floor loading, drilling into slabs, sprinkler and smoke-detector modification, ceiling access, working hours, lift bookings, hot-work permits, insurance and the security deposit. It is binding. Designing first and reading it afterwards is how a project loses three weeks — we obtain and read it before the layout is drawn.
Phasing an occupied floor
Most Mumbai fit-outs we run are not on empty floors. A department moves to a temporary zone, one wing is built, the department moves back, and the next wing starts. That phasing adds 10–18% to the cost in temporary protection, out-of-hours working and repeated mobilisation, and it needs to be priced honestly at the start rather than discovered in week three. The alternative — a single decant to swing space — is usually cheaper if the client can find the floor.
What drives the rate
- Base condition: a warm shell costs far less to fit than shell and core.
- Density: more cabins and meeting rooms means more partitions, more HVAC zones and more MEP.
- Services coordination: sprinkler and detector relocation is a licensed activity with landlord approval at every step.
- Programme: night and weekend working in an occupied building adds 15–25% to labour.
Fit-out is the commercial cousin of turnkey: the same single-contract logic applied to a workplace, with a landlord and a building manager added to the stakeholder list. See office fit-out, fit-out contractors in Mumbai and the fit-out process explained.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between fit-out and interior design?+
Interior design is the design activity. Fit-out is the construction activity that delivers it in a commercial space, governed by a landlord's manual, building regulations and a handover process. In practice a fit-out contract covers both.
How much does an office fit-out cost in Mumbai?+
₹2,130–3,190 per sq ft for a standard workplace on a warm shell and ₹3,140–4,700 for a high-specification floor with feature ceilings, extensive glazing and premium furniture; a basic warm-shell office starts at ₹1,220–1,840. Shell and core adds ₹600–1,200 per sq ft.
How long does an office fit-out take?+
Ten to sixteen weeks on site for 10,000–15,000 sq ft, after four to six weeks of design and landlord approvals. Approvals, not construction, are the usual cause of delay in a Grade-A building.
Who pays for a Category A fit-out?+
The landlord, as part of delivering the space, though the cost is reflected in the rent. Category B is the tenant's, sometimes offset by a fit-out contribution negotiated into the lease. Establish which you are getting before signing.