Choosing a workspace

What do Cat A and Cat B fit out mean for our office search?

Asked by the spacebly teamspacebly team· 4 Nov 2026

These terms come up when comparing a serviced or managed office with a conventional lease.

1 answer

1. spacebly teamspacebly team4 Nov 2026

   They describe how finished a space is. The cost guides on spacebly (May 2026) put it simply. Cat A is a shell. To move in you need Cat B: workstations, AV and finishes.

   Flexible operators bundle the Cat B fit out into the serviced rate. On a conventional lease the tenant usually pays for it upfront.

   That's one reason a serviced or managed office can be easier to budget for. The team size pages on spacebly (November 2026) describe whole floor managed offices for 51 to 100 people as a bespoke fit out on a single monthly bill with none of the fit out capex.

   If you're looking at a lease, ask what state the space is in today. Then ask what you'll need to do to it when you leave. That second question is about dilapidations.