Furnished or bare shell? Compare the whole office proposal.

1. Describe what you will receive.

For a furnished option, request an itemised account of workstations, meeting rooms, furniture, equipment and services included. For a bare-shell option, establish the base condition and the work you would need to arrange. Record exclusions rather than relying on the label.

• Which layout and items are included at handover?
• What can remain, what needs alteration and who carries out the work?
• Which cooling, power, connectivity and backup arrangements are provided?

2. Compare space you can actually use.

Put the quoted chargeable area alongside a measured layout and usable working space. Consider the team, circulation, meeting rooms and storage. Ask whether the proposed fit-out works for your operation or merely looks complete.

3. Separate monthly, upfront and setup costs.

Use one comparison sheet for both proposals. Keep rent, CAM, parking and other recurring charges separate. Then record the deposit, fit-out or alteration budget, equipment and any other proposed payments. Ask who maintains or replaces included items.

4. Test the move-in plan.

Identify when the space will be handed over, what work must happen next and when your business could begin using it. Check how the proposal handles fit-out access, rent commencement and the condition expected when you leave.

Bring the two proposals to the same starting point.

Summarise what is included, the work still required, the recurring charges and the timing. That makes the trade-off visible without assuming either format is always cheaper or better.