Shops · Takeaways · Salons · Offices
Shop & commercial fit-outs in East London
We fit out shops, takeaways, restaurants, barbers, salons and offices across Ilford, East London and Essex: strip-out, partitions, ceilings, plastering, flooring (including Polysafe safety vinyl for kitchens), tiling and decorating, programmed to get you open on time.
Prices
| Item | Price | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Shop or office refit | from £500 per m² | Partitions, ceilings, lighting, flooring and decorating. |
| Restaurant or takeaway fit-out | from £800 per m² | Extraction and gas work by registered contractors, quoted separately. |
Starting prices. The final price depends on size and condition; we measure for free and quote in writing. We are not VAT registered, so no VAT is added to our labour; where a price says “+ VAT”, that is the VAT our supplier charges on the materials, passed on at cost.
How much does a shop fit-out cost?
Fit-out costs depend on the unit size, its condition when you take it on, the layout and partitions, ceilings and lighting, kitchen or wet areas, flooring and finishes, and any landlord or council requirements. We survey the unit for free and give an itemised quote and programme.
Commercial kitchens and food businesses
For takeaways, restaurants and cafés we install Polysafe safety flooring, hygienic wall finishes and the building work around your kitchen equipment.
What a fit-out usually includes
- Strip-out of the previous tenant's fittings and waste removal
- Stud partitions for back rooms, toilets, treatment rooms or offices
- Suspended or plasterboard ceilings, with openings for lighting and ventilation
- Plastering, making good and decorating
- Flooring: LVT, laminate, carpet tiles, tiles or Polysafe, depending on the use
- Toilets, wash basins and staff areas
- Coordination with your electrician, shopfitter, signage company and equipment suppliers
Permissions to check before you sign a lease
- Use class. Since 2020 shops, cafés, restaurants, offices and many services sit in Use Class E, so moving between them often needs no planning permission. Hot food takeaways are outside Class E and usually need planning permission for change of use. Check the unit's lawful use with Redbridge Council or your local authority.
- Landlord's consent. Most commercial leases need the landlord's written approval of your plans before work starts.
- Building Regulations. New toilets, structural changes, fire escape routes and some ventilation work need approval. Access for disabled people (Part M) applies to non-domestic buildings.
- Shopfront and signs. A new shopfront usually needs planning permission, and illuminated signs often need advertisement consent.
- Food businesses. Register with the council's food team at least 28 days before you start trading.
- Fire safety. The person responsible for the premises must have a fire risk assessment.
How we programme a fit-out
Rent usually starts before you can trade, so time matters. We survey the unit, agree the layout and finishes, then set out a programme in the order the trades need: strip-out, partitions, first fix services, ceilings, plaster, floors, then decoration and fixtures. We tell you early which items have long lead times, such as shopfronts and kitchen equipment, so they arrive when the space is ready. For open shops and offices we can work evenings and weekends.
Finishes that suit different businesses
- Takeaways, cafés and restaurants: safety vinyl or slip-resistant tiles on the floor, wipe-clean wall cladding or tiles behind cooking areas, and a separate hand wash basin. Your environmental health officer can advise on the layout.
- Barbers and salons: hard-wearing, water-resistant floors that are easy to sweep, plenty of sockets at each station, and plumbing for backwash basins.
- Retail shops: a durable floor for heavy footfall, good lighting on stock, and a stockroom partitioned off at the back.
- Offices: carpet tiles or LVT, partitions for meeting rooms, and a kitchenette and toilets for staff.
Many parades around Ilford, Gants Hill and Barkingside have flats above the shops. Noise and smells travel, so extraction routes and working hours need planning with the landlord.
Areas we cover
Ilford, Gants Hill, Barkingside, Seven Kings, Goodmayes, Chadwell Heath, Hainault, Woodford, Wanstead, Redbridge, Romford, Barking, Dagenham, Chigwell, Loughton, Newham and the rest of East London and Essex.
Questions people ask
How much does a shop fit-out cost?
It depends on unit size and condition, layout, ceilings, kitchen or wet areas, flooring and finishes. We survey for free and give an itemised quote with a programme.
Can you work out of hours?
Yes, we can programme work around trading hours for refurbishments of open shops and offices.
Do I need planning permission to open a takeaway?
Usually yes. Hot food takeaways are outside Use Class E, so changing a shop or café into one normally needs planning permission. Check with the council before you sign a lease.
What flooring is best for a restaurant kitchen?
Safety vinyl such as Polysafe, with welded seams and coved edges so it is easy to clean and slip resistant when wet. We supply and install it.
Do you need my landlord's approval?
Most commercial leases require the landlord's written consent to your plans. We can provide a scope of works and drawings list to send them.
Visit or contact us
SK Design & Construct Ltd, 6 Spurway Parade, Woodford Avenue, Ilford IG2 6UU. Call or WhatsApp 07774 944042 or email info@skdesignconstructltd.com. Registered in England and Wales, company number 16582978.