Cat A Office Space Explained
“Cat A” comes up constantly in commercial property listings, but it’s worth understanding exactly what it means before it shapes your budget expectations.
What Cat A actually means
Cat A space is delivered with the basic infrastructure in place — raised access floors, suspended ceilings, basic lighting, and core mechanical and electrical services — but no internal partitioning, no meeting rooms, no kitchen, and no furniture. It’s a functional but empty shell.
Cat A vs Cat A+
Cat A+ has become more common as landlords compete for tenants — it typically includes some meeting rooms, a kitchen or breakout area, and sometimes basic furniture already installed. It reduces your fit out scope, but it’s worth checking exactly what’s included, since the term isn’t strictly standardised across landlords.
What you'll still need to add
Even with Cat A+, most businesses still need to add their own layout adjustments, branding, IT infrastructure, and furniture suited to how their team actually works. Cat A+ reduces the scale of the fit out, it doesn’t remove the need for one.
Why this matters for your budget
Understanding exactly what condition you’re leasing in changes your fit out budget significantly. A Cat A space needs a full Cat B fit out on top; Cat A+ needs less. Get this confirmed clearly before budgeting, ideally with input from a fit out contractor before the lease is signed.
