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Businesses can embark on refurbishments for expansion, branding and/or efficiency purposes. Imperial Building Solutions helps to create beautiful and functional workspaces to meet your business objectives. In regards to project planning, design and finishing, there are two different refurbishment fit out options available: Category A (Cat A) or Category B (Cat B). These industry-standard categories represent the style, features and work required for each commercial refurbishment project. Here’s a breakdown to understand the differences and how to select between a cat A & cat B fitout.

Cat A Fit Outs

Refurbishments encompassing the basic structure of a renovation, without furnishings, is referred to as Category A. These spaces are generally habitable, yet empty spaces landlords utilise as basic structures to build upon. While providing essential functioning, the finishing touches would generally be made by tenants according to their preferences.

Cat A plans are the absolute bare bones and may include:

• Suspended ceilings
• Basic mechanical and electrical fittings
• Heat, air-conditioning and ventilation systems (HVAC)
• Lighting
• Raised floors
• Basic internal finishing
• Fire security and smoke alarms

This refurbishment type is generally not suitable for an occupant to move straight into before tailoring the space to their needs. They’re essentially a blank canvas for designers to make habitable and functional according to specific business needs.

Cat B Fit Outs

Category B builds upon the Cat A option by adding furnishing, fixtures and other finishing elements. No need to wait to move in, and in fact our competent and skilled project managers will be able to support your business in the transition. Think of Cat B as the more tailored option according to the specific business branding and vision.

This end product is a fully functional and habitable space that consists of all the essential and luxury items as per your business requirement. This may include:

• Furniture and workstations
• Fully finished spaces such as kitchens, meeting rooms and IT set up
• Partitions and doors
• Flooring and carpeting
• Advanced and curated lighting and other systems
• Branded materials to capture the business ethos

Our resourceful and experienced team will be there to advise you on each element of a Cat B fit out. Our project manager will oversee all the details from start to finish once your employees move into their new revitalised environment. If you’re looking for a tailored option, then this may be the right one for you.

Cat A+

Over the past 10 years, London has seen a vast amount of co-working spaces popping up which has led to tenants raising their expectations in flexible and practical design features to make a new workspace ready for immediate occupation. If you want to target more specific businesses or want to provide more than a blank space, our Cat A+ service is available.

Cat A+ incorporates elements from Cat A and Cat B fit outs. Cat B projects are primarily for businesses who wish to build an entire set up from scratch, with finished furnishing, flooring and furniture. This setup is not always suitable for landlords as it restricts their ability to appeal to a wider audience and can be more cost-demanding. That’s where Cat A+ comes into the picture.

Cat A+ offices are ready for immediate occupation with little to no furnishing required on the tenant’s end. The design and structure of the building are taken care of by us for the landlord to provide this complete package to tenents.

With more and more companies looking for a quick start, Cat A+ has been rising in demand. Due to the additional features and immediate leasing, landlords can utilise flexible models and increase their return on investment.