Commercial office refurbishment costs in Sydney range from $200 per m² for a cosmetic surface refresh to $2,000 per m² or more for a full-floor demolition and rebuild. The exact cost depends on five factors: the scope of works, the specification of finishes, the floor area and building access, whether services require upgrading, and whether the building contains asbestos or other hazardous materials requiring management. As of 2026, most mid-scope Sydney office refurbishments — partial demolition, new fitout elements, updated services, and a complete finish — run between $600 and $1,200 per m².
Gladison Constructions delivers commercial office refurbishments across Sydney CBD, North Sydney, Parramatta, and the wider New South Wales market, from small tenancy upgrades to full multi-floor refurbishments.
- Cosmetic refurbishments (paint, carpet, lighting, minor joinery) cost $200–$400/m².
- Partial refurbishments (new partitioning, some services work, new finishes) cost $400–$800/m².
- Full refurbishments (gut and refit, new services, new layout) cost $800–$2,000+/m².
- Services upgrades — HVAC replacement, new electrical, hydraulic works — are the highest-cost element in most Sydney office refurbishments.
- Asbestos management in pre-1990 buildings adds $5,000–$40,000+ to total project cost depending on quantity and type of material.
- Total project cost includes more than construction — allow for design fees, building approvals, authority fees, and furniture separately.
- A Sydney CBD 500 m² full refurbishment will typically cost $500,000–$1,000,000+ in total project investment.
What Types of Commercial Office Refurbishment Are There?
Commercial office refurbishment falls into three broad types: cosmetic, partial, and full. The type of refurbishment required depends on the existing condition of the premises, the desired outcome, and the budget available.
A cosmetic refurbishment updates the visual and surface finish of an office without touching the underlying structure or services. Typical scope includes repainting all internal surfaces; replacing carpet or floor coverings; upgrading lighting to LED throughout; replacing kitchenette joinery and appliances; updating bathroom fixtures and tiling; and refreshing reception joinery and signage. A cosmetic refurbishment is the fastest and lowest-cost option but does not address fundamental layout, services, or acoustic issues.
A partial refurbishment adds structural and services work on top of cosmetic scope. This commonly includes reconfiguring the layout by removing or adding partitions; upgrading HVAC; new or upgraded electrical distribution; acoustic treatment; and new joinery elements such as a full kitchen or custom workstations. A full refurbishment starts with complete demolition — stripping the floor back to base building slab — and rebuilding the entire fitout from scratch.
What Is the Cost Per m² for a Sydney Office Refurbishment in 2026?
The following table sets out 2026 cost-per-m² ranges for commercial office refurbishments in Sydney. These are construction cost figures only — design, approvals, furniture, and contingency are separate.
Refurbishment TypeCost Per m²Typical ScopeCosmetic$200 – $400Paint, carpet, lighting, kitchen refresh, minor joineryPartial (light)$400 – $650Partial partition reconfiguration, partial services upgradePartial (medium)$650 – $1,000Layout reconfiguration, HVAC upgrade, new fitout elementsFull refurbishment$1,000 – $1,600Full strip-out, complete new services, new fitoutFull premium$1,600 – $2,500+Premium specification, services, engineering, fitout
Buildings with access constraints (high-rise above level 20, heritage-listed buildings, or restricted goods lift access) carry a 10–20% access premium. Pre-1990 buildings with known or suspected asbestos carry an additional contingency of 15–25% on the total construction budget until asbestos survey results are available.
What Are the Biggest Cost Drivers in a Sydney Office Refurbishment?
Five factors drive the largest cost variations in Sydney commercial office refurbishments. Understanding these early allows a more accurate budget to be set before design commences.
Mechanical services are consistently the highest-cost trade item in any office refurbishment involving layout change or services upgrade. Replacing or extending HVAC systems in a Sydney office costs $80–$200/m² of floor area, depending on the system type, distribution complexity, and the condition of the existing plant. Engaging a mechanical engineer at the outset to assess the existing system is the most valuable pre-design investment on any significant refurbishment.
Electrical services are the second-highest cost item when upgrading is required. New electrical distribution, including an upgraded main switchboard, sub-distribution boards, and in-slab conduit for workstation power, costs $60–$150/m². Partition and ceiling scope directly drives construction time and structural cost — high partition-density fitouts cost 30–50% more in partition and ceiling trades than open-plan equivalents. Floor level and building access affects the cost of delivering materials to the work floor. Existing condition is often underestimated as a cost driver — a 10–15% contingency is appropriate for partial refurbishments, and 15–20% for full refurbishments in pre-1990 buildings.
What Does a Complete Sydney Office Refurbishment Project Cost?
The construction cost per m² is only part of total project investment. A complete commercial office refurbishment requires budget for design, engineering, building authority approvals, furniture, technology, and the construction works themselves.
Cost ItemTypical RangeNotesArchitectural / Interior Design$50 – $120/m²Higher at small floor areas (min fee effect)Mechanical / electrical engineering$15 – $30/m²Required for services upgradesBuilding approval / CDC$3,000 – $15,000 (flat)Depends on scope triggerConstruction works$200 – $2,500+/m²As per cost table aboveFurniture and workstations$1,500 – $5,000 per personHighly variableContingency10–20% of construction costHigher for older buildings
A useful benchmark: a 500 m² mid-spec partial refurbishment of a Sydney CBD office — new layout, HVAC upgrade, new fitout, premium finishes — carries a total project investment of $550,000–$900,000 including design, construction, furniture, and technology. A full refurbishment of the same floor to a premium standard carries a total investment of $1,000,000–$1,500,000.
How Can You Control Costs on an Office Refurbishment Project?
Commission an asbestos survey and services condition report before finalising the design. Discovering asbestos, undocumented services, or structural constraints during construction is the most expensive timing for any project. A pre-design building investigation costs $3,000–$8,000 and routinely saves multiples of that amount in avoided variations.
Appoint a builder at the design development stage rather than tendering a completed set of documents. Early contractor involvement allows the builder to provide cost feedback during design — flagging elements that are disproportionately expensive for the value they deliver — before those elements are locked into construction drawings. Use provisional sums only for genuinely unknown scope items, not as a default for everything. A contract with excessive provisional sums provides no cost certainty.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: How much does an office refurbishment cost per square metre in Sydney?
A: In Sydney, office refurbishment costs range from $200/m² for a cosmetic upgrade (paint, carpet, lighting) to $2,500/m² or more for a full premium refurbishment. Most mid-scope Sydney office refurbishments run $600–$1,200/m² in 2026. These are construction costs only; design, engineering, approvals, furniture, and technology are additional.
Q: How long does a commercial office refurbishment take?
A: A commercial office refurbishment in Sydney typically takes 6–20 weeks from construction commencement to practical completion. A cosmetic refurbishment of a 300–500 m² floor takes 4–8 weeks. A full refurbishment of the same area takes 12–18 weeks. Design and approvals add 6–12 weeks before construction can start. Total programme from brief to practical completion is typically 4–7 months for a mid-scope project.
Q: Do I need a building permit for an office refurbishment in Sydney?
A: Whether a development approval or construction certificate is required depends on the scope of works. Minor cosmetic works typically do not require a permit. Works involving structural changes, change of use, accessibility upgrades, or services modifications typically require a Construction Certificate or Complying Development Certificate (CDC) under the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979 (NSW). A certifier or town planner should be consulted early to confirm approval requirements.
Q: Can I stay in my office while it is being refurbished?
A: Partial occupation during refurbishment is possible but adds cost and time to the project. Stage-by-stage works increases labour and preliminaries costs by 20–40% compared to working in a vacant tenancy. Full occupation is not recommended for anything more than cosmetic works.
Q: How do I get an accurate price for an office refurbishment in Sydney?
A: The most accurate pricing for a Sydney office refurbishment comes from engaging a builder for a detailed scope review and fixed-price quotation based on developed design documents. Engaging a contractor who can provide both pre-design budget guidance and a fixed-price construction contract gives the most reliable cost picture at each stage of the project.
Q: What is the biggest risk of a commercial office refurbishment going over budget?
A: The biggest budget risk is undiscovered conditions found during demolition — asbestos, undocumented services, structural elements, or hydraulic gradient issues. Pre-1990 buildings carry the highest risk. The most effective mitigation is a pre-design building investigation carried out before finalising the design and construction budget. A 10–20% contingency should be held throughout construction for any refurbishment in a pre-2000 building.
Disclaimer: The figures in this article are general in nature and indicative of 2026 market ranges only. They are not a quote and do not replace a detailed, fixed-price proposal for your specific space and project. Costs vary with scope, building access, site conditions and specification. For an accurate price, request a quote from Gladison.
Written by William Johnstone, Editor at Gladison Constructions. William edits Gladison's Construction Insights, drawing on the company's 10+ years of commercial fitout experience across Sydney and NSW. Last updated: June 2026.
