OFFICE STRIPOUT
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Stripout cost is one of the first questions tenants ask when an end-of-lease conversation starts. You have a budget to plan, a timeline to manage, and obligations to meet. You want to know what you are up for.
The honest answer is: it depends. Not in a vague way, but in a way that is worth understanding, because the factors that drive stripout costs are within your control to manage. Knowing what drives the number means you can scope properly, compare quotes fairly, and avoid last-minute surprises.
If you want to understand what a stripout actually involves before reading about cost, start here:
What Is an Office Stripout?
A commercial stripout and make good project covers the physical demolition and removal of all tenant-installed fitout, plus all reinstatement works required to meet your lease obligations.
A typical commercial make good quote includes:
Some projects also require permits and approvals, asbestos assessment and removal, and specialist reinstatement works. These are project-specific and quoted separately.
Commercial office refurbishments and make good projects at NMGS generally start from around $15,000 for minor upgrades and can exceed $250,000 for larger fitouts, staged refurbishments, and complex live-site projects. The best way to obtain accurate pricing is through a tailored site inspection and scope review.
The table below gives a breakdown by project type based on NMGS project experience.
Project Type | Typical Range | Typical Scope |
Office stripout / defit | $8,000 to $20,000 | Fitout removal, services disconnection, waste disposal |
Small office refresh | $15,000 to $30,000 | Targeted defit, minor repairs, repaint, end-of-lease clean |
Mid-size office refurbishment | $40,000 to $150,000 | Full stripout, repairs, reinstatement, repaint, clean, services scope |
Full office fitout / refurbishment | $150,000+ | Complete defit, full reinstatement, compliance works, specialist trades |
Warehouse office refurbishment | $25,000+ | Office defit, repairs, repaint, services; warehouse scope quoted separately |
Industrial refurbishment | Project-specific | Racking removal, floor sealing, line marking, industrial services; site inspection required |
Important These are indicative ranges based on NMGS project experience across Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, and nationally. Your actual cost depends on lease scope, building condition, fitout complexity, and access constraints. A site inspection is required for accurate pricing. |
Your lease is the single biggest variable. Some clauses require full restoration to base building. Others are limited to broom-clean handover with minor repairs. The difference in cost between those two scenarios on the same space can be significant.
The more extensive your original fitout, the more expensive the stripout. A tenancy with custom partitioning, raised access flooring, a server room, a kitchenette, and supplementary HVAC costs significantly more to defit than a basic open-plan office.
Services disconnection and reinstatement are consistently underestimated in early budget planning. Licensed electricians, plumbers, and HVAC technicians add real cost, and the scope varies significantly based on what was installed.
Commercial buildings constructed before the mid-1980s may contain asbestos-containing materials. A licensed asbestos assessment is required before any demolition begins. If ACMs are present, licensed removal is mandatory under Australian WHS legislation. This adds cost and programme time and is not discretionary.
A CBD tenancy with loading dock restrictions, no-noise requirements after business hours, and mandatory inductions for all trades carries a higher delivery cost than an accessible suburban site. After-hours work and live-site staging both affect the overall budget.
If your fitout is relatively recent or the landlord has an incoming tenant who wants to retain parts of it, there may be room to negotiate a reduced make good scope. Getting into this conversation early gives you the most flexibility.
Without a site inspection and a confirmed scope, contractors make different assumptions about what is included. One might allow for asbestos management. Another might not. The quote difference is often about scope, not margin.
Commercial make good requires licensed builders, electricians, and plumbers. Quotes that are noticeably lower often reflect unlicensed labour. Using unlicensed tradespeople on a commercial site creates risk for the tenant: defective works can be rejected at final inspection at your cost.
Some quotes exclude waste disposal, permit fees, or asbestos management. Ask for a line-item breakdown and confirm all exclusions before accepting any quote. An all-inclusive quote from a licensed contractor is often better value than a lower number that grows through variations.
The most effective way to get a reliable quote is to give your contractor the information they need to price without guessing.
NMGS approach We conduct a site inspection before every quote and provide a written scope and price based on confirmed requirements. No estimates from floor area alone. If something emerges during works that was not visible at inspection, we tell you before it becomes a cost variation. |
An office stripout covering fitout removal, services disconnection, and waste disposal typically starts from $8,000 to $20,000 depending on fitout complexity and building access. A small office refresh including repairs, repaint, and clean is generally $15,000 to $30,000. A site inspection is needed to confirm.
Per-square-metre rates are sometimes used as a rough guide but they are not reliable for accurate pricing. Two offices of the same floor area can have very different make good costs depending on what was installed, what the lease requires, and what the site conditions are like.
In standard Australian commercial leases, the outgoing tenant is responsible for all make good costs unless the lease specifically states otherwise.
Review your lease clause carefully, negotiate scope with your landlord where appropriate, and engage a licensed contractor who can do the work properly the first time. Shortcuts on licensing tend to create problems at final inspection that cost more to fix than they saved upfront.
NMGS is a Registered Commercial Builder with over 50 years of experience delivering commercial stripout and make good services across Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, and nationally throughout Australia. We offer obligation-free site inspections and written quotes based on confirmed scope.
Contact NMGS: nmgs.com.au/make-good/
Phone: 1300 364 994
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Other Guides in This Series → How Much Does a Commercial Stripout Cost in Australia? nmgs.com.au/blog/commercial-stripout-cost-australia → How Much Does a Professional Lease Make Good Service Cost? nmgs.com.au/blog/lease-make-good-service-cost → How to Estimate Make Good Costs for an Office Tenancy nmgs.com.au/blog/how-to-estimate-make-good-costs-office-tenancy → How to Plan an Office Stripout Before Refurbishment nmgs.com.au/blog/how-to-plan-office-stripout-before-refurbishment → Office Defit Checklist for Tenants |
What drives the cost of a commercial office stripout in Australia? From small offices to large defits, this guide explains the real cost factors and
Not sure what an office stripout involves? We break down the full process, how it differs from make good, and what Australian tenants need to
LEASE MAKE GOOD How Much Does a Professional Lease Make Good Service Cost? Published by Updated on Subscribe to our newsletter Subscribe to get performance-led
