How much does a shop fit-out cost in the UK?
Guide prices per m² for refreshes, retail, food service and premium fit-outs, and what moves the number.
A UK shop fit-out typically costs from about £150 per m² for a light refresh, £300 to £650 per m² for a standard retail fit-out, and £800 to £1,500 per m² or more for restaurants, bars and premium boutiques. The price depends on the unit's starting condition, the services it needs, the finish level and whether a new shopfront is included.
What are the main cost bands?
- Refresh (from about £150 per m²): redecoration, new lighting heads, minor joinery repairs and new graphics in a unit that already works.
- Standard retail (about £300 to £650 per m²): new walls and ceilings, LED lighting, flooring, wall displays, a cash desk and fitting rooms.
- Food service (about £800 to £1,500 per m²): extraction, gas, grease management, commercial kitchen fit-out, wall finishes that meet food hygiene rules, plus front-of-house joinery.
- Premium or flagship: bespoke joinery, feature ceilings, stone or terrazzo, and specialist lighting design can take costs well above these ranges.
What makes one unit cost more than another?
The biggest swing is the starting point. A shell unit with bare block walls and capped services needs everything, while a unit that previously traded may keep its ceiling grid, fire alarm and distribution board. After that, the drivers are service upgrades (a bigger electrical supply or new extraction), shopfront replacement, the quantity of bespoke joinery, the finish level, and whether work has to happen at night in a shopping centre.
Which costs do people forget?
- Landlord's surveyor and legal fees for a licence for alterations
- Building control fees, or a building warrant in Scotland
- Planning fees for a new shopfront or illuminated sign
- Out-of-hours working and shopping-centre security escorts
- Utility connection or supply upgrade charges
- Loose furniture, EPOS, security systems and stock fixtures bought separately
How do you get a fixed price?
A fixed price needs a measured survey, a layout everyone has agreed, and a specification for finishes. We survey for free, draw the layout with you, then issue an itemised quote with a dated programme. The itemised format lets you remove or swap items to hit a budget.
Questions people ask
Is VAT included in shopfitting guide prices?
No. The guide prices on this site exclude VAT, which is normally charged at 20% on commercial fit-out work.
Can I fit out a shop on a small budget?
Yes. Keeping the existing ceiling, lighting circuits and flooring where they are sound, and spending on the areas customers see first, is the usual way to control cost.
Related guides
- How do you choose a shopfitting contractor?
- How long does a shop fit-out take?
- Do I need landlord consent for a shop fit-out?
- Do shopfronts and shop signs need planning permission?
Last reviewed September 2026. General guidance only; your survey confirms what applies to your premises.
Ready to plan your fit-out?
Book a free site survey and get a fixed-price, itemised quote.