Cat A and Cat B fit-out

Offices and workplace

Fit-outs and refurbishments in multi-let buildings where the floors above and below are still trading.

How we work here

A Marlow & Reed project manager in hi-vis showing a client a tablet as they walk through a finished open-plan office at dusk.
A B C D E F 1 2 3 4 RISER DB-A1 DB-B2 DB-C1 38.0 m N CONTAINMENTDISTRIBUTION BOARDFLOOR BOX OFFICES AND WORKPLACE · TYPICAL LAYOUT DRG MR-2863-E-203 ILLUSTRATIVE ONLY SCALE 1:200 REV C
Illustrative drawing, generated for this page. Not the client's building.

What's different here

  • Tenants above and below, and a building manager who owns the landlord's systems
  • Noisy work, isolations and shutdowns booked outside the building's hours
  • Landlord's consent, rules for the building and its insurer's requirements met before we start

What we typically do

  • Cat A to Cat B fit-outs, floor by floor
  • Small power, data containment and floor boxes for new layouts
  • Lighting and controls upgrades to meet a landlord's energy targets
  • Riser and landlord's distribution upgrades

What we plan for in an office building

  1. Landlord's approvalsYour works go to the landlord's surveyor with method statements, drawings and our insurances before we start, and nothing touches the landlord's systems without their written consent.
  2. Risers and shared servicesRisers are shared with other tenants, so we survey them first, book access through the building manager and label everything we add to the landlord's standard.
  3. Multi-let buildingsTenants above and below keep trading. Isolations of shared supplies are booked outside the building's hours and agreed with the managing agent in advance.
  4. Noise and working hoursCore drilling, chasing and anything heavy happens at night or at weekends, with quieter second fix and testing in the day.
  5. Cat A and Cat BWe work to a landlord's Cat A specification or a tenant's Cat B design, and make sure the two meet: board capacity, containment routes and floor box positions agreed early.
  6. Lighting controls, DALI and BMSDALI and wireless controls are programmed to the layout, and their interface with the building management system is tested with the BMS contractor before handover.
  7. Phased movesFloors can be handed over one at a time to suit a phased move, each tested, certified and documented on its own.
  8. Fire alarm interfacesNew devices are added to the landlord's fire alarm zone by zone, with cause and effect retested so the building is never without cover.
  9. O&M and handoverAs-fitted drawings, test certificates and the O&M manual are in your portal on the day of handover, and we walk your facilities team through them.

Accreditations clients here ask for

  • NICEIC Approved ContractorHeld
  • ConstructionlineHeld
  • ISO 9001 quality managementHeld

Services for this sector

Projects in this sector

Every project in this sector

Questions clients in this sector ask

Can you work under our main contractor?

Yes. Most of our office work is as the electrical subcontractor to a fit-out contractor, developing the consultant's design or working to it as issued.

Do you work to the landlord's fit-out guide?

Always. We read it before we price, and the landlord's requirements are listed in our quotation so nothing is a surprise later.

Can you deliver a Cat A to Cat B in phases?

Yes. We plan the distribution so each phase can be energised, tested and handed over on its own date.

Start a brief for this kind of building

Have a project to price?

Send us a brief, invite us to tender, or download our pack for your approved list.

Start a project briefInvite us to tenderDownload our tender pack