Office Refurbishment delivered in Canary Wharf, London E14
Canary Wharf · Office Refurbishment

Office Refurbishment in Canary Wharf

Office Refurbishment across Canary Wharf (E14). Full-service office refurbishment for occupied and vacant London commercial space. We deliver CAT B fit-outs, M&E upgrades, partitioning, flooring, decorating and lighting under a single fixed-price contract, with a named project manager and principal contractor duties under CDM 2015.

Estate-approvedCDM 2015FIRASNICEIC£10M insured

Office Refurbishment in Canary Wharf — what businesses typically need

Office Refurbishment across Canary Wharf (E14) 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 One Canada Square, 25 Canada Square (Citi), 8 Canada Square (HSBC), 40 Bank Street, 25 Bank Street (JPMorgan) among others. Teams mobilise from our London operations base, with direct transport links via Canary Wharf (Jubilee + Elizabeth line), Heron Quays (DLR), South Quay, Canary Wharf Pier (Thames Clippers). 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 Canary Wharf market is dominated by global investment banks (hsbc, citi, jpmorgan, barclays), magic-circle and silver-circle law firms, asset and wealth management, each with distinct office refurbishment requirements — programme compression, landlord co-ordination, out-of-hours delivery, and full compliance ownership. Our commercial team has delivered office refurbishment in trophy buildings including One Canada Square, 25 Canada Square (Citi), 8 Canada Square (HSBC), 40 Bank Street.

Canary Wharf is the secondary London financial district — 16m+ sqft across trophy towers (One Canada Square, 25 Canada Square, 40 Bank Street, 25 Bank Street) and peripheral Grade A blocks in Wood Wharf and the North Quay. Occupiers are dominated by banking, asset management, law, and increasingly life-sciences (Cherry Park) and tech.

Our commercial delivery model

CWG mandates strict loading windows (typically 6am–9am and 6pm–10pm for construction traffic) and prohibits heavy noise works during trading hours on most buildings. Out-of-hours working is the norm for occupied fit-out and dilapidations. All loading is pre-booked through CWG tenant services — typical lead time 48–72 hours. Vehicles enter via the estate's service road network; skips are not permitted on the estate — waste is removed daily via enclosed trucks.

  1. Stage 1

    Measured survey and condition report within 5 working days

  2. Stage 2

    Space plan and CAT B design brief in 2 weeks

  3. Stage 3

    Fixed-price quote with CAT A dilapidations split

  4. Stage 4

    Principal contractor appointment under CDM 2015

  5. Stage 5

    Mobilisation with agreed DSEAR, RAMS and induction pack

  6. Stage 6

    Weekly programme reports to landlord and managing agent

  7. Stage 7

    Handover with O&M manuals, as-built drawings and building control sign-off

Programme, budget, and disruption

TierRangeWhat's covered
Light refresh£45–£75 per sqftPaint, carpet, light fittings, minor partitioning
Standard CAT B£85–£140 per sqftNew partitioning, flooring, M&E alterations, joinery, full redecoration
High-spec CAT B£160–£250 per sqftBespoke joinery, specialist lighting, VRF upgrade, executive suites
Trophy / HQ£275–£400+ per sqftArchitectural feature work, marble, timber, audio-visual, wellness spaces

City, Canary Wharf and prime Westminster carry a typical 10–20% premium over outer London zones due to loading restrictions, out-of-hours working and estate-approval overheads. Figures are guide ranges — we provide a fixed quote after survey.

Typical works we deliver in Canary Wharf

CAT B fit-out — delivered in Canary Wharf under estate-approved loading and out-of-hours protocols.

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

Dilapidations works — delivered in Canary Wharf under estate-approved loading and out-of-hours protocols.

Partitioning — delivered in Canary Wharf under estate-approved loading and out-of-hours protocols.

Ceilings — delivered in Canary Wharf under estate-approved loading and out-of-hours protocols.

Flooring — delivered in Canary Wharf under estate-approved loading and out-of-hours protocols.

Redecoration — delivered in Canary Wharf under estate-approved loading and out-of-hours protocols.

M&E alterations — delivered in Canary Wharf under estate-approved loading and out-of-hours protocols.

Planning and compliance for Office Refurbishment in Canary Wharf

Works within the CWG estate are governed by the CWG fit-out guide — contractor approvals, permit-to-work regime, and CWG-specific fire, lift and loading protocols. Wood Wharf and Cherry Park developments have additional developer-specific requirements. LBS-level planning largely doesn't apply on the estate.

Service-specific compliance

CDM 2015 (principal contractor + principal designer route)FIRAS fire-stopping certification on compartmentationNICEIC certification on all electrical worksPart B fire safety compliancePart E acoustic performance testingPart M accessibility — level thresholds, door widths, WCsBS 5266 emergency lighting testingEICR report at completion£10M public and £10M professional indemnity

Buildings we have worked in across Canary Wharf

Notable buildings

  • One Canada Square
  • 25 Canada Square (Citi)
  • 8 Canada Square (HSBC)
  • 40 Bank Street
  • 25 Bank Street (JPMorgan)
  • 10 Upper Bank Street (Clifford Chance)
  • 20 Cabot Square
  • 1 Churchill Place
  • 20 Churchill Place
  • 5 Churchill Place
  • One Canada Walk (Wood Wharf)
  • One Park Drive
  • 1 Westferry Circus

Notable estates

  • Canary Wharf Group (CWG) estate
  • Wood Wharf (CWG)
  • Crossharbour (phased development)
  • North Quay / Cherry Park (life sciences)

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 Refurbishment specifications by building type

Trophy tower Grade A (20,000–30,000 sqft floor plates)

Office Refurbishment in trophy tower grade a (20,000–30,000 sqft floor plates) is typically specified to light refresh level — paint, carpet, light fittings, minor partitioning. Programme is governed by loading access and estate working-hours framework.

Mid-tier CWG blocks (10,000–15,000 sqft plates)

Office Refurbishment in mid-tier cwg blocks (10,000–15,000 sqft plates) is typically specified to standard cat b level — new partitioning, flooring, m&e alterations, joinery, full redecoration. Programme is governed by loading access and estate working-hours framework.

New-build Wood Wharf residential + office hybrids

Office Refurbishment in new-build wood wharf residential + office hybrids is typically specified to high-spec cat b level — bespoke joinery, specialist lighting, vrf upgrade, executive suites. Programme is governed by loading access and estate working-hours framework.

Life-sciences labs (Cherry Park)

Office Refurbishment in life-sciences labs (cherry park) is typically specified to trophy / hq level — architectural feature work, marble, timber, audio-visual, wellness spaces. Programme is governed by loading access and estate working-hours framework.

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

We deliver refurbishment works in live offices through phased 6pm–6am night shifts and weekend programmes. Dust-sealed segregation with negative-pressure extract, scent-neutral paint systems and noise planning co-ordinated with the managing agent. Out-of-hours staff are CSCS-inducted and attend the building's specific permit-to-work and fire evacuation briefings.

CWG mandates strict loading windows (typically 6am–9am and 6pm–10pm for construction traffic) and prohibits heavy noise works during trading hours on most buildings. Out-of-hours working is the norm for occupied fit-out and dilapidations. All loading is pre-booked through CWG tenant services — typical lead time 48–72 hours. Vehicles enter via the estate's service road network; skips are not permitted on the estate — waste is removed daily via enclosed trucks.

Planned preventative maintenance (PPM)

All Canary Wharf 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 Canary Wharf see Office Maintenance in Canary Wharf or Commercial Maintenance in Canary Wharf.

Case studies

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

Financial services HQ refurbishment

Scope · 12,000 sqft

Budget band · £1.6M

Programme · 14 weeks

Full CAT B including executive suite, trading floor, client meeting rooms

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

Professional services CAT A plus

Scope · 7,500 sqft

Budget band · £620k

Programme · 9 weeks

Partitioning, flooring, LED lighting upgrade, redecoration

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

Tech occupier refresh

Scope · 4,200 sqft

Budget band · £310k

Programme · 6 weeks

Open plan redesign, acoustic treatment, tea point and meeting rooms

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

FAQs — Office Refurbishment in Canary Wharf

Can you work while our staff remain in the office?

Yes. We phase refurbishment into occupied and decanted zones, with physical hoarding, air-sealed segregation, and noise-generating works confined to out-of-hours shifts. A typical floor plate can be refurbished in 2–3 phases over 8–14 weeks.

How do you price refurbishment — open-book or fixed?

We price fixed lump-sum against an agreed scope. Any variations are priced per item with a written instruction before works proceed. No open-book percentage markups.

Do you handle the CAT A dilapidations split?

Yes. Where a lease requires CAT A reinstatement on exit, we split the quote between permanent CAT B works and end-of-lease reinstatement, so you can plan the dilapidations liability from day one.

What warranty do you provide?

10-year structural warranty where applicable; 2 years on M&E alterations; manufacturer warranties on finishes, carpet, flooring and light fittings passed through to the client.

Are you insured for commercial works in the City and Canary Wharf?

Yes — £10M public liability and £10M professional indemnity. Full cover for works in managed estates including Broadgate, Canary Wharf Group, Great Portland Estates and Grosvenor.

Do you handle landlord licence-to-alter applications?

Yes. Our project manager liaises with the managing agent and landlord's surveyor throughout, including drawings, M&E schedules, and dilapidations undertakings.

Are you an approved contractor on the CWG estate?

Yes. We hold up-to-date approvals with Canary Wharf Group tenant services, including CSCS, insurance, CDM competence, and the CWG-specific fit-out protocol sign-off.

How tight are loading restrictions?

CWG operates the tightest loading regime in London — windows are pre-booked 48–72 hours ahead, skips are prohibited, and all waste leaves in enclosed trucks. We plan the logistics strategy from day one.

Can you work during bank trading hours?

Only silent works. All heavy noise, impact and chasing works are confined to out-of-hours (6pm–6am) shifts. Dust-sealed segregation and HEPA extract are mandatory on CWG occupied floors.

Do you handle CWG-specific permit-to-work?

Yes — our PM manages the permit regime daily including hot works, working at height, live electrical, and confined space permits against the CWG framework.

What's typical CAT B programme on CWG estate?

8,000 sqft: 10–12 weeks. 18,000 sqft: 16–20 weeks. 30,000+ sqft: 20–26 weeks. Add 1–2 weeks for CWG mobilisation approvals.

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Related insights

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Start with a survey in Canary Wharf

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