# How much does office renovation cost in Singapore? (2026) > Office renovation cost in Singapore: 2026 fit-out benchmarks per square foot, cost drivers, approval fees, reinstatement and how to compare quotes. Source: https://www.fyadvisers.com/blog/office-renovation-cost-singapore/ Author: Fiona Wang, FYAdvisers Published: 2026-10-13 Last updated: 2026-10-13 Office renovation in Singapore, often called a fit-out, is usually budgeted per square foot of floor area. Cushman & Wakefield's 2026 fit-out cost guide puts the average collaborative hybrid fit-out in Singapore at about S$180 per square foot, with basic hybrid workplaces around US$102 psf and highly specified ones up to US$212 psf. Retrofits average about US$63 psf and reinstatement at the end of a lease about US$19 psf. The real figure for your office depends on specification, the condition of the unit, and how much mechanical and electrical work changes. Contractors in Singapore rarely publish price lists for office work, so this guide uses the two published 2026 consultancy benchmarks, then explains what moves your own number and how to get quotes you can compare. ## Published fit-out benchmarks | Benchmark | Figure | Source | | --- | --- | --- | | Average collaborative hybrid fit-out | About S$180 psf (about US$140 psf) | Cushman & Wakefield 2026 guide | | Basic hybrid workplace | About US$102 psf | Cushman & Wakefield 2026 guide | | Highly specified advanced hybrid workplace | Up to about US$212 psf | Cushman & Wakefield 2026 guide | | Retrofit | About US$63 psf | Cushman & Wakefield 2026 guide | | Reinstatement | About US$19 psf | Cushman & Wakefield 2026 guide | | Mid or standard fit-out | US$2,029 per square metre (about S$2,610) | Knight Frank 2026 guide, as reported by EdgeProp in March 2026 | [Cushman & Wakefield's guide](https://www.cushmanwakefield.com/en/singapore/insights/apac-office-fit-out-cost-guide) was published in March 2026. [EdgeProp's report](https://www.edgeprop.sg/property-news/singapore-tops-asia-pacific-office-fit-out-costs-amid-rising-workplace-investment) says Knight Frank's figures use data collected in the fourth quarter of 2025, and describes the mid or standard tier as moderate use of enclosed areas with average-quality materials and finishes. US$2,029 per square metre is roughly US$189 per square foot, so the two guides are in the same range for a mid-specification office. These benchmarks are averages across many projects and usually reflect larger corporate offices. A small office with simple finishes may come in lower; a small office with many enclosed rooms and good AV may come in higher per square foot, because fixed costs are spread over less area. Our [office renovation cost calculator](/tools/office-renovation-cost-calculator/) applies these benchmarks to your floor area and specification and shows a low to high range. ## An illustration using the benchmarks To show how these figures translate, take a 2,000 square foot office. At Cushman & Wakefield's 2026 average of about S$180 psf for a collaborative hybrid fit-out, the benchmark comes to about S$360,000. At the same guide's retrofit average of about US$63 psf, a refresh would cost far less, and reinstatement at about US$19 psf would add a separate cost when the lease ends. These are arithmetic on published averages, not estimates for any real office. Your own scope, building and specification can move the figure well above or below them. ## What drives office renovation cost ### Floor area and how much changes Cost per square foot applies to the area you actually work on. Refreshing finishes in an existing layout costs far less than demolishing and rebuilding it. ### Condition of the unit A bare unit, a previously fitted unit you can partly reuse, and a unit that needs demolition first all price differently. Reusing ceilings, flooring or partitions can save a great deal. ### Enclosed rooms and partitions Meeting rooms, phone booths and private offices need partitions, doors, extra lighting and often air-conditioning and sprinkler changes. Glass partitions and acoustic treatment add more. ### Mechanical and electrical work Moving air-conditioning ducts, sprinklers, smoke detectors and emergency lighting is often the largest variable. It can also trigger fire safety submissions. ### AV, IT and furniture Meeting room screens, video conferencing, network cabling and furniture can each be a large share of the budget. Some contractors include them and others leave them out, which makes headline quotes hard to compare. ### Specification Finishes, joinery, lighting quality and pantry fittings separate a basic fit-out from a high-spec one, which the Cushman & Wakefield figures show is roughly a twofold spread. ## Hidden and ongoing costs - **Approvals and the qualified person.** Fire safety changes may need a lodgement or plan approval through a registered architect or professional engineer. [SCDF](https://scdf.gov.sg/home/fire-safety/plans-and-consultations/minor-addition-alteration-works) charges S$90 per submission for a minor addition and alteration works lodgement; the qualified person's own fee is separate. Structural works need BCA approval, and a change of use may need URA permission. - **Building requirements.** Landlords and MCSTs often require deposits, contractor insurance, approved M&E contractors and after-hours noisy works, all of which add cost. - **Provisional sums.** Items not yet designed are often priced as allowances. If the final cost exceeds them, you pay the difference. - **Variations.** Changes after the contract is signed are usually charged separately. - **Reinstatement.** At the end of the lease you will likely pay to return the unit to its original condition, at about US$19 psf on Cushman & Wakefield's 2026 average. - **Moving in.** Post-renovation cleaning, IT setup and moving costs. See our [office cleaning cost guide](/blog/office-cleaning-cost-singapore/). - **GST.** Confirm whether each quote includes GST. ## How to get comparable quotes Fit-out quotes only compare well when every bidder prices the same scope. Before you ask for quotes: 1. Measure or obtain the floor area and the landlord's floor plan. 2. Set your headcount, number of meeting rooms and any special rooms such as a server room. 3. List what must stay, such as existing ceilings or carpet. 4. Decide whether AV, IT cabling and furniture are in or out of the contract. 5. Get the building's fit-out guidelines from the landlord or MCST. 6. Fix your target move-in date and any rent-free fit-out period. Then send the same brief and, ideally, the same layout drawing to each contractor. Ask for an itemised quote that separates design, demolition, partitions, ceilings, flooring, M&E, AV and IT, furniture, approvals and preliminaries, and that lists provisional sums and exclusions. Ask who the qualified person is and whether their fee is included, and what the payment schedule and defects liability period are. Be wary of a lump-sum quote with no itemised scope or exclusions, large upfront payments not linked to progress, and any contractor willing to start before landlord or authority approval. If you would rather get independent design advice before pricing, you can appoint a designer first and then tender the build, at the cost of more coordination than a design-and-build contract. ## Grants Most office renovation is not covered by Enterprise Singapore grants. The EDGE Grant, which replaced the Productivity Solutions Grant and other schemes from 30 September 2026, supports business upgrading projects and some equipment under its own conditions. If part of your project involves equipment or a broader upgrading plan, read our [EDGE Grant guide](/grants/edge-grant/) and check Enterprise Singapore's current conditions before you commit. ## Where to look next Our [ranking of office renovation companies in Singapore](/blog/best-office-renovation-companies-singapore/) compares design-and-build firms and designers, and the [office renovation directory](/directory/office-renovation/) lists contractors by area. The [office renovation matching page](/find/office-renovation/) sets out landlord, SCDF, BCA and URA approvals and a typical fit-out timeline. If you would rather have quotes come to you, describe your space there and a concierge will introduce one to five contractors or commercial designers who will quote on the same brief. ## Frequently asked questions ### What is the average office renovation cost per square foot in Singapore? Cushman & Wakefield's 2026 fit-out cost guide puts an average collaborative hybrid fit-out in Singapore at about S$180 per square foot. Knight Frank's 2026 guide, as reported by EdgeProp, puts a mid or standard fit-out at US$2,029 per square metre. Both are benchmarks across many projects, not quotes. ### How much does office reinstatement cost? Cushman & Wakefield's 2026 guide gives an average of about US$19 per square foot for reinstatement in Singapore. Most leases require you to return the unit to its original condition, so include this in your budget from the start. ### Are approval fees part of the renovation cost? They can be. SCDF charges S$90 per submission for a minor addition and alteration works lodgement, and works that need full plan approval require a qualified person, whose fees are separate. Ask each contractor whether the qualified person and submissions are included. ### Is a refresh cheaper than a full fit-out? Usually. Cushman & Wakefield's 2026 guide puts retrofits at an average of about US$63 per square foot, well below a full hybrid fit-out. The saving depends on how much of the layout, ceilings and M&E you change.