The Difference Between a Cat A and Cat B Fit Out
Moving into a new workspace or renovating and refurbishing your office area can be a daunting challenge.
It becomes worse with the office jargon and lack of understanding of these terminologies. The commonly used terms in the commercial designing and construction sector include the word fit-out.
What is a fit out?
A fit-out refers to the complete process of developing a commercial office space for daily occupation. Most contractors work on a commission basis to undertake such a transformation. You can choose from different types of fit-outs that suit your work requirements. With every fit-out offering its unique qualities and benefits, it becomes essential to select the one that perfectly suits your requirements and fulfils your service area needs. A Cat-A and a Cat-B fit-out are the most common fit-outs in the industry that are essential to give your commercial space a reasonable and habitable look.
To understand which type of office fit-out is best suited for your office, it is essential to be clear about their meaning and then make a decision.
What is a commercial Cat A fit out?
A Cat A fit out is a basic finish that includes the necessary features such as raised floors, wired rooms, air-conditioning, and ventilation system and others. A Cat A fit out would require a lot of work to tailor your commercial place according to your needs and make it customised. This type of commercial space is preferred by companies that want to customise every aspect according to their requirements. A Cat A fit out can be expected to include the following:
- Suspended ceilings and raised floors
- Basic lightning
- Mechanical and electric wiring
- Fire and smoke detection systems
- Blinds
- Air conditioning and ventilation systems
- Power outlets
A Cat A finish offers a basic commercial office space without any tailored specifications to suit the office needs. This type of fit out may be regarded as a blank canvas that needs to be tailored to adapt to the company requirements.
What is a commercial Cat B fit out?
Most projects move to the Cat B phase after the completion of Cat A fit out. A Cat B fit out includes the complete transformation of the commercial space according to the company requirements and the services it performs. A Cat B fit out consists of tailoring the entire workspace according to your preferences ranging from interiors and colour combinations to the type of desks and their layouts.
A Cat B fit out is preferred by companies that want a fully functional workspace to be operated from day one. With a Cat B fit out, companies can make their space customised according to their brand, color scheme and other specifications. A Cat B fit out is expected to include the following:
- Office furniture and workstations
- A fully-fitted kitchen
- Fully operational IT infrastructure
- Partitions
- Carpeting
- Customised lighting
- Reception area
- Tailored meeting and conference rooms
- Breakout areas
- Branding and finishes
- Configuration of power and data outlets
A Cat B fit out enables you to customise the company branding and create complimenting brand materials and colours from scratch. With this type of fit out, a makeover can be given to an existing office to refresh the workplace and imbibe a lively atmosphere. If a company wants to refurbish an existing work area, then it can opt for the Cat B fit out.
Choosing between a Cat A and Cat B fit out should be planned after a thorough analysis of the needs and requirements of your workspace. Contact us today to see how we can help plan your office fit out.
