Office Fit-Out delivered in Paddington, London W2
Paddington · Office Fit-Out

Office Fit-Out in Paddington

Office Fit-Out across Paddington (W2). Office fit-out delivery for new lease take-ups, HQ relocations, floor consolidations and landlord CAT A works. Programme-driven, with a single fixed-price contract spanning design, build, M&E and handover.

Estate-approvedCDM 2015FIRASNICEIC£10M insured

Office Fit-Out in Paddington — what businesses typically need

Office Fit-Out across Paddington (W2) is delivered by our in-house commercial team with current estate approvals and compliance records on file. We have completed works in or adjacent to Merchant Square 1–5, The Point (Paddington Basin), The Colonnades, Sheldon Square 1–5, 1 Kingdom Street among others. Teams mobilise from our London operations base, with direct transport links via Paddington (Elizabeth line, Bakerloo, Circle, District, Hammersmith & City + National Rail + Heathrow Express), Edgware Road (Bakerloo, Circle, District, Hammersmith & City), Lancaster Gate (Central). Every project is run by a named project manager reporting weekly with photographs and programme RAG. Out-of-hours loading, estate permit-to-work and managing-agent liaison are included in the prelims — not charged as variations.

The Paddington market is dominated by tech (microsoft, vodafone, nissan hq), pharmaceutical / life sciences (astrazeneca), media (wpp units, itv studios nearby), each with distinct office fit-out requirements — programme compression, landlord co-ordination, out-of-hours delivery, and full compliance ownership. Our commercial team has delivered office fit-out in trophy buildings including Merchant Square 1–5, The Point (Paddington Basin), The Colonnades, Sheldon Square 1–5.

Paddington combines the Basin's modern Grade A (Merchant Square, The Point, The Colonnades) with the Sheldon Square commercial core (British Land) and the Marble Arch Place cluster. Occupiers include tech, media, pharmaceutical/life sciences and professional services.

Our commercial delivery model

WCC standard: 08:00–18:00 Mon–Fri, 08:00–13:00 Sat. Paddington Basin estate operates additional managed-access hours for loading to preserve tenant amenity during trading. Sheldon Square service yard and Merchant Square service road both require pre-booking (typical 48-hour lead). Surrounding streets are red routes with parking suspensions needed through TfL.

  1. Stage 1

    Brief capture and space test-fit in 10 working days

  2. Stage 2

    Fixed CAT B design package — Stage 3 drawings, M&E schedules

  3. Stage 3

    Principal contractor appointment, CDM 2015 notification to HSE

  4. Stage 4

    Weekly client reports with photos and programme RAG status

  5. Stage 5

    Commissioning, O&M issue and 12-month defects period

Programme, budget, and disruption

TierRangeWhat's covered
CAT A£60–£95 per sqftBase-build finish to let-ready standard
CAT A plus£95–£140 per sqftCAT A with added meeting rooms, kitchen, furniture-ready finishes
CAT B standard£120–£200 per sqftFull occupier fit-out with partitioning, joinery, M&E
CAT B premium / HQ£220–£380 per sqftBespoke design, high-spec finishes, AV, branded reception

This area sits outside the core trophy-tower premium zone — programme and pricing typically sit at the mid-range of the bands below. Figures are guide ranges — we provide a fixed quote after survey.

Typical works we deliver in Paddington

CAT A — delivered in Paddington under estate-approved loading and out-of-hours protocols.

CAT A plus — delivered in Paddington under estate-approved loading and out-of-hours protocols.

CAT B standard — delivered in Paddington under estate-approved loading and out-of-hours protocols.

CAT B premium — delivered in Paddington under estate-approved loading and out-of-hours protocols.

Test-fit — delivered in Paddington under estate-approved loading and out-of-hours protocols.

Space plan — delivered in Paddington under estate-approved loading and out-of-hours protocols.

Demountable partitioning — delivered in Paddington under estate-approved loading and out-of-hours protocols.

Acoustic glazing — delivered in Paddington under estate-approved loading and out-of-hours protocols.

Planning and compliance for Office Fit-Out in Paddington

Westminster City Council holds planning authority. Paddington Basin Character Area and Paddington Conservation Area cover much of the area. Listed buildings at Paddington Station (Grade I) and Paddington Green restrict external works.

Service-specific compliance

CDM 2015 principal contractorFIRAS-certified fire-stoppingNICEIC electrical certificationPart B, Part E, Part M Building RegulationsBS 5266 emergency lightingF-Gas handling for any HVAC alterationsWELL/BREEAM input where required£10M PL + £10M PI insurance

Buildings we have worked in across Paddington

Notable buildings

  • Merchant Square 1–5
  • The Point (Paddington Basin)
  • The Colonnades
  • Sheldon Square 1–5
  • 1 Kingdom Street
  • 2 Kingdom Street
  • 3 Kingdom Street
  • 4 Kingdom Street
  • 5 Merchant Square
  • One Merchant Square
  • Paddington Place
  • 6 Merchant Square

Notable estates

  • Sheldon Square (British Land)
  • Paddington Basin (European Land / Paddington Central)
  • Church Street Regeneration (edge)

Reference list available on request under NDA.

Our process — seven stages

  1. Survey

    Measured condition survey within 5 working days, including M&E, fabric and compliance review.

  2. Brief

    Scope capture workshop with stakeholders — occupier, landlord, managing agent, FM team.

  3. Design

    Stage 3 design package with space plan, M&E schedules, specification and CAT A/B split.

  4. Fixed quote

    Lump-sum price against the design package. All prelims transparent.

  5. Mobilisation

    CDM notification, RAMS, permit-to-work, landlord licence-to-alter, estate approvals.

  6. Delivery

    Weekly client reports with photos, programme RAG, variation log, compliance status.

  7. Handover

    O&M manuals, as-built drawings, building-regs sign-off, 12-month defects period.

Office Fit-Out specifications by building type

Modern Grade A (Merchant Square / Sheldon Square — 18,000–28,000 sqft plates)

Office Fit-Out in modern grade a (merchant square / sheldon square — 18,000–28,000 sqft plates) is typically specified to cat a level — base-build finish to let-ready standard. Programme is governed by loading access and estate working-hours framework.

Trophy HQ buildings (Microsoft UK HQ, Vodafone UK HQ)

Office Fit-Out in trophy hq buildings (microsoft uk hq, vodafone uk hq) is typically specified to cat a plus level — cat a with added meeting rooms, kitchen, furniture-ready finishes. Programme is governed by loading access and estate working-hours framework.

Converted period stock (Marylebone edge)

Office Fit-Out in converted period stock (marylebone edge) is typically specified to cat b standard level — full occupier fit-out with partitioning, joinery, m&e. Programme is governed by loading access and estate working-hours framework.

Regeneration stock (Paddington Square)

Office Fit-Out in regeneration stock (paddington square) is typically specified to cat b premium / hq level — bespoke design, high-spec finishes, av, branded reception. Programme is governed by loading access and estate working-hours framework.

Out-of-hours, weekend, and live-environment working

CAT B fit-out is typically delivered during standard working hours from a vacant demise. Where we take possession of an occupied floor for phased works, we operate night and weekend shifts with sealed segregation, low-noise equipment and managed loading slots booked with the managing agent.

WCC standard: 08:00–18:00 Mon–Fri, 08:00–13:00 Sat. Paddington Basin estate operates additional managed-access hours for loading to preserve tenant amenity during trading. Sheldon Square service yard and Merchant Square service road both require pre-booking (typical 48-hour lead). Surrounding streets are red routes with parking suspensions needed through TfL.

Planned preventative maintenance (PPM)

All Paddington occupiers benefit from a PPM framework covering L8 water hygiene, EICR, emergency lighting, F-Gas registers and fabric maintenance. For a scoped PPM package in Paddington see Office Maintenance in Paddington or Commercial Maintenance in Paddington.

Case studies

Anonymised project outlines from our Paddington and adjacent-area portfolio — full reference list with contact introductions available on request under NDA.

Law firm CAT B relocation

Scope · 14,500 sqft

Budget band · £2.3M

Programme · 16 weeks

Full CAT B including client suite, library, mediation rooms

Delivered under single-contractor D&B with CDM 2015 principal contractor duty. Full compliance pack at handover.

Venture capital HQ

Scope · 6,200 sqft

Budget band · £1.1M

Programme · 12 weeks

Premium finish, bespoke joinery, boardroom AV containment

Delivered under single-contractor D&B with CDM 2015 principal contractor duty. Full compliance pack at handover.

Fintech consolidation fit-out

Scope · 9,800 sqft

Budget band · £1.4M

Programme · 13 weeks

Open plan, acoustic pods, 12 meeting rooms, town hall space

Delivered under single-contractor D&B with CDM 2015 principal contractor duty. Full compliance pack at handover.

FAQs — Office Fit-Out in Paddington

What is the difference between CAT A, CAT A plus and CAT B?

CAT A is the landlord's base-build finish: raised floors, suspended ceilings, perimeter heating/cooling and emergency lighting. CAT A plus adds meeting rooms, kitchen, and sometimes furniture to let to occupiers immediately. CAT B is the tenant's full occupational fit-out: partitioning, branding, joinery, AV and finishes.

How quickly can you mobilise a fit-out?

For a standard CAT B of 5,000–15,000 sqft we can mobilise within 3–4 weeks of instruction, subject to licence-to-alter. A full CAT B programme typically runs 10–16 weeks.

Do you self-deliver M&E or subcontract it?

We self-deliver electrical and small-works mechanical through our in-house team, with specialist subcontractors on chillers, VRF and BMS. All works are covered by the main contract.

Can you handle BREEAM or WELL certification input?

Yes — we work with the project assessor, supply tracked submittals for materials, air-quality data for paints and adhesives, and commissioning reports for M&E.

Will you manage the licence-to-alter with our landlord?

Yes. We prepare the drawings, M&E schedules, method statements and condition schedule required by the landlord's surveyor, and manage the approval process to completion.

How do you price — per sqft or open-book?

Fixed lump-sum against an agreed specification. Variations are priced per item before issue. No percentage preliminaries markups.

Do you work on the British Land Sheldon Square estate?

Yes — we hold British Land approved contractor status with compliance pack on file for Sheldon Square and associated Paddington holdings.

How has the Elizabeth line affected the Paddington market?

Significant rental uplift since 2022, with sharpened demand for floor plates 15,000 sqft+. Tech and life-sciences occupiers now compete for space historically dominated by professional services.

Do you handle life-sciences CAT B?

Yes — including containment laboratories, dry labs, write-up space, and BSL-1/BSL-2 support. F-Gas, COSHH and specialist ventilation covered.

Typical CAT B cost in Paddington?

Sheldon Square / Merchant Square: £130–£200 per sqft. Trophy HQ level: £220–£350 per sqft. Life-sciences labs: £350–£650 per sqft depending on containment level.

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Related insights

In-depth articles on commercial fit-out, compliance and market strategy.

Start with a survey in Paddington

Measured condition survey within 5 working days. Fixed-price quote within 10. Estate approvals on file.