Planning a new office fitout? We take you from bare tenancy to a fully functioning workspace, one scope, one project manager, and a fixed price. No surprises.
What Happens Between Lease Signing and Move-In
You are paying rent on a space you cannot use yet. Here is the exact sequence Stemar follows on every commercial office fitout to take an empty shell to a working office, with one project manager coordinating each stage.
Week 1–2
Site assessment and shell audit
Stemar visits the space before you spend a dollar on design. The team assesses the shell condition, maps existing services like electrical, HVAC, and data entry points, and flags compliance issues that could affect your timeline. You get a written report on what the space needs and what it will cost to get there.
Shell condition and structural review
Existing services mapped and documented
Compliance risks identified early
Budget range provided before design begins
Week 2–4
Design brief and layout
Your workspace requirements are translated into a floor plan that accounts for team size, workflow, meeting frequency, and the building's physical constraints. This is where your new office fitout takes shape on paper before anything is built. Stemar's office fitout design and planning process locks in scope so the quote that follows is accurate, not aspirational.
Layout designed around your operations
Material and finish selections confirmed
Scope locked before quoting begins
Week 3–6
Compliance and council approvals
Shell-space fitouts usually need approval before construction starts. Stemar confirms whether your project suits CDC or needs DA, then handles the application. CDC can be secured in 10 business days. DA usually takes 6 to 8 weeks. Full details are covered in our guide to NSW office fitout compliance requirements.
DA vs CDC pathway assessed at site audit
Application prepared and submitted by Stemar
Council liaison handled throughout
Week 6–14
Construction under one project manager
Electrical, data cabling, HVAC, partitioning, flooring, joinery, and painting are coordinated as one timeline. Not seven separate ones. One project manager sequences every trade so there is no dead time between stages and no conflicts between subcontractors. You receive weekly progress updates. Your role is decision-maker, not site supervisor.
All trades scheduled in sequence to avoid delays
Single point of contact for all questions
Weekly progress updates to your inbox
Week 14–16
Fit-off, inspection, and handover
Furniture is installed. IT cabling is tested. Final inspections are completed against the approved plans. Stemar walks you through the finished space before handing over the keys. You move in. The lease clock stops costing you dead money.
Furniture and IT installation coordinated
Final compliance inspections completed
Walk-through before handover
Why Sydney Businesses Are Investing in Office Fitouts
Demand for office fitouts is rising fast, driven by limited premium space and a shift toward more flexible workplaces. Businesses are securing lower-cost spaces and investing in fitouts to make them work
CBD supply squeeze
Premium CBD availability is at historic lows until 2027, pushing businesses to B-grade and suburban stock that requires full fitout work.
B-grade stock needs full fitouts
Older commercial buildings come with bare shells or outdated layouts. A complete new fitout is the only way to make them functional for a modern team.
Search demand up 90%
Google Trends data shows a 90% increase in fitout-related searches over 90 days. More businesses are making this investment right now than at any point in recent years.
Western Sydney growth corridor
Lower per-sqm rates and improving infrastructure make Western Sydney a strong option for businesses willing to invest in a proper fitout.
Turnkey Office Fitout: One Contract, One Price, One Team
One fixed-price contract covering design, approvals, construction, and handover. One project manager, one timeline, one invoice.
The alternative is managing multiple contractors, timelines, and payments yourself. Designers, builders, and trades all working separately often lead to delays and cost overruns. Turnkey delivery removes that complexity. Stemar manages the entire project under one contract, with scope defined upfront to avoid surprises. For a detailed breakdown of costs, read our office fitout cost breakdown for Sydney.
Single Fixed-Price Contract
All trades, materials, approvals, and inspections are included in one quote. The price you approve is the price you pay.
One Project Manager for All Trades
All trades are coordinated by one project manager. You get a single point of contact with no scheduling conflicts.
Compliance and Approvals Included
Council approvals, compliance, and inspections are handled as part of the contract, not managed separately.
No Variation Surprises
Scope is defined before construction begins. Any changes are discussed and approved before costs are updated.
Council Experience Keeps Shell-Space Fitouts Moving
Shell-space fitouts usually require approval before construction begins. Delays often come from choosing the wrong pathway or submitting incomplete documentation.
We assess the approval pathway during the site stage, before design starts. Our team has experience across Fairfield, Liverpool, Penrith, Blacktown, and Parramatta councils, so documentation is prepared correctly from the start.
Council Approvals for Office Fitout, Handled Without Delays
A new fitout involves electrical, data cabling, HVAC, partitioning, flooring, joinery, painting, and furniture installation. These trades have hard dependencies: you cannot lay flooring before partitions are up, or run data cabling after ceilings are closed. Stemar assigns one project manager to coordinate every trade, manage the schedule, and serve as your single point of contact. Based in Wetherill Park, the team is local to Western Sydney sites with fast response times and suppliers nearby. Explore Stemar's building project management services for a deeper look at how multi-trade coordination works.
01
Scheduling: trades sequenced to eliminate dead time
Each trade is scheduled in the order construction demands. Partitions go up before electrical rough-in. Ceilings close after data cabling is tested. Paint goes on after all penetrations are sealed. The PM builds this sequence into a single timeline so no trade is waiting on another and no week is wasted.
02
Coordination: one PM managing all subcontractors
Materials delivery, subcontractor access, site safety, and quality checks are managed by one person. If the HVAC installer needs ceiling access at the same time as the data cabler, the PM resolves it before it becomes your problem. Weekly updates land in your inbox, not a stream of phone calls from five different contractors.
03
Flexibility: staged delivery and after-hours work
If you are moving from an existing space, Stemar can stage the fitout so your team moves in sections rather than shutting down entirely. After-hours and weekend work are standard options.
Office Fitouts We’ve Delivered
Every project below started as an empty shell or an unusable space. Stemar handled design, approvals, construction, and handover under one fixed-price contract. If you are still weighing your options, read our guide on how to choose a fitout company in Sydney. And if you have not signed your lease yet, Stemar can assess the space and provide a budget estimate so you understand total occupancy cost before committing.
Logistics HQ - Shell to Open Plan Fitout
A 600sqm bare shell in an industrial park converted into open-plan offices, a boardroom, staff kitchen, and server room. Scope included DA approval through Fairfield Council, full electrical and data fit-off, HVAC installation, and acoustic partitioning. Delivered in 12 weeks on a fixed-price contract with after-hours work to meet the client's lease deadline.
A B-grade commercial tenancy stripped back to shell and rebuilt as a 400sqm office with six private offices, two meeting rooms, and a client-facing reception. CDC approval secured in 8 business days. All trades coordinated under one PM. Handed over two days ahead of schedule.
A 350sqm ground-floor shell fitted out for a healthcare administration team. Scope included BCA-compliant accessible amenities, secure document storage, and a staff break area. Liverpool Council DA managed by Stemar. Fixed price held with zero variations across a 14-week build.
Get a free quote from a Western Sydney fitout team that manages everything, from approvals to move-in day. No obligation, no sales pitch
New Office Fitout FAQs
How long does a new office fitout take from start to finish?
Most new office fitouts take 8 to 16 weeks from site assessment to handover. The range depends on the size of the space, the complexity of the design, and whether your project follows a CDC pathway (10 business days for approval) or a DA pathway (6 to 8 weeks). Stemar provides a project timeline at the quoting stage so you know your move-in date before construction begins.
Can I get a fitout quote before signing my lease?
Yes. Stemar can assess a space you are considering and provide a budget estimate covering design, approvals, and construction. This gives you a clear picture of total occupancy cost, rent plus fitout, before you commit to a lease. Many clients use this estimate to negotiate lease terms or compare two shortlisted spaces.
Who will I deal with throughout the project?
Your project manager is your day-to-day contact. For scope, pricing, and key decisions, the business owners stay involved. Fast answers. No layers between you and the people responsible for the job.
What happens if something goes wrong during the fitout?
The fixed-price contract means cost risk sits with Stemar, not with you. If a material is delayed or a trade needs rescheduling, the project manager adjusts the timeline and communicates the change to you before it affects your move-in date. You are never left guessing. Proactive updates are part of the job, not an exception.
How involved do I need to be in the process?
You make the decisions. Stemar handles the execution. Expect involvement at 2 to 3 key points: approving the design layout, confirming material and finish selections, and walking through the completed space before handover. Outside of those moments, the project manager runs the job and keeps you updated weekly.
Do you work after hours or on weekends?
Yes. Staged delivery and after-hours work are standard options on every new office fitout. If your building has access restrictions or your team is still operating in a nearby space, Stemar schedules construction around those constraints. Weekend and evening work does not attract surprise surcharges because it is scoped into the fixed-price quote from the start.
Your Lease Is Ticking. Your Fitout Doesn’t Have to Wait.
One site visit gives you a clear scope, a firm price, and a realistic timeline before you commit to anything. Every week without a plan is another week of rent on a space you cannot use. Book a consultation and get the job moving.
