What is typically provided
| Service | Warm shell | Verify before signing |
|---|---|---|
| Ceiling | Grid with tiles | Whether tiles are included or grid only |
| HVAC | Ducting and terminal units to a standard density | Tonnage against your headcount |
| Sprinklers | Heads at standard spacing | Whether relocation is permitted and at whose cost |
| Lighting | Base lighting at 300–400 lux | Whether it can be reused or must be replaced |
| Power | Floor DB with stated load | kVA available per sq ft |
| Flooring | Screed or vitrified tile | Level tolerance for a raised floor or carpet |
Why it usually suits Indian tenants
Most Indian office lettings are 3,000–25,000 sq ft on five-year leases. At that scale, building HVAC and fire systems you will leave behind makes no financial sense. A warm shell lets the fit-out concentrate on what is actually yours — layout, cabins, meeting rooms, joinery, branding — and shortens the programme by a month or more.
Snag the shell itself before you accept it. Ceiling tiles damaged in storage, a floor out of level beyond the tolerance a raised floor needs, diffusers that were never commissioned — all are the landlord's to fix, and all become yours the moment your contractor starts work on top of them.
The three things to check
- HVAC tonnage against your density. A warm shell sized for one person per 100 sq ft will struggle at one per 60. Getting extra cooling later is expensive and may not be possible.
- Sprinkler and detector relocation. Adding cabins means moving heads. Establish who pays and whose contractor is permitted.
- Power availability in kVA. Confirm the figure per sq ft and whether a UPS and DG backup are included in the common provision.
Compare with shell and core, where the tenant builds all of the above. The rent difference between the two is usually smaller than the fit-out difference, which is why warm shell wins for most occupiers. Read the full comparison and see office interior design.
Frequently asked questions
Is a warm shell the same as a Category A fit-out?+
Broadly, yes — the terms describe the same base condition from different sides. Category A is the landlord's name for the works; warm shell is the market's name for the resulting space. Always confirm the actual schedule rather than the label.
Can I reuse the base lighting in a warm shell?+
Sometimes, in open areas. Base grid lighting is rarely right for cabins and meeting rooms, and it usually does not match a designed scheme. Budget for replacing 40–70% of it and check whether removed fittings must be returned to the landlord.
Does a warm shell include partitions?+
No. Core walls only. Every cabin, meeting room and glazed partition is a tenant cost, and it is the largest variable in a Category B budget — a heavily cellular layout can cost 50% more per sq ft than an open one.
Is warm shell rent higher?+
Usually ₹8–20 per sq ft per month higher than shell and core in Mumbai, which over five years is far less than the ₹600–1,200 per sq ft it saves in capital cost. For most tenants the arithmetic is straightforward.