Office Fit-Out Costs in Mauritius: A Client Guide
Indicative per-m² rates by specification tier, where the budget actually goes trade by trade, realistic timelines — and the four things that quietly add cost in occupied buildings.
As an indicative guide, office fit-out in Mauritius runs from roughly Rs 12,000–18,000 per m² for a basic functional fit-out, Rs 18,000–28,000 per m² for a mid-range corporate standard, and Rs 30,000+ per m² for high-specification work. A 200 m² office therefore lands anywhere between about Rs 2.4M and Rs 6M+ depending almost entirely on specification choices you control.
What the per-square-metre rate actually contains
Fit-out pricing confuses people because two quotes for "the same office" can be a million rupees apart and both be honest. The rate is a bundle of separately priceable trades:
| Cost block | Typical share of budget | What moves it |
|---|---|---|
| Partitions & ceilings | 20–30% | Gypsum vs glazed partitions; acoustic rating; ceiling type |
| Electrical, data & lighting | 15–25% | Workstation density, containment routes, LED spec, board upgrades |
| Flooring & finishes | 10–20% | Carpet tile vs porcelain vs vinyl plank; feature walls; paint grades |
| Joinery & fitted furniture | 10–20% | Reception counters, kitchenettes, storage walls — bespoke joinery is where budgets quietly grow |
| AC & ventilation | 10–20% | Reusing existing plant vs new units; fresh-air requirements |
| Plumbing & wet areas | 5–10% | Kitchenettes, WC alterations, pipe re-routing |
| Preliminaries & management | 8–12% | Programme length, out-of-hours working, protection, close-out documentation |
The three specification tiers
- Basic (Rs 12,000–18,000/m² indicative): gypsum partitions, painted walls, carpet tile or vinyl, standard LED panels, functional kitchenette, reuse of existing AC where sound.
- Mid-range corporate (Rs 18,000–28,000/m² indicative): a proportion of glazed partitions, acoustic treatment to meeting rooms, feature lighting, better floor finishes, bespoke reception joinery, structured cabling done properly.
- High specification (Rs 30,000+/m² indicative): full-height glazing, premium finishes, extensive bespoke joinery, upgraded AC and fresh-air plant, branded environments.
What quietly adds cost — in Ebene and everywhere else
Having delivered fit-out and relocation work in Ebene's commercial towers, the recurring cost drivers are rarely the finishes:
- Working hours restrictions. Occupied multi-tenant buildings often push noisy works to nights and weekends — labour premiums follow. We fit out around live operations routinely, but it must be programmed and priced, not discovered.
- Landlord conditions. Protection of common areas, lift usage rules, permitted riser access and reinstatement obligations all sit in the licence to alter. Read it before you price, not after.
- The existing services. An old distribution board at capacity, or AC plant at end of life, converts a fit-out into a partial MEP upgrade. A pre-contract technical inspection costs a fraction of the surprise.
- Design change mid-works. The most expensive words in fit-out are "while you're here". Freeze the layout before mobilisation; price changes as formal variations.
How long does it take?
For a straightforward office floor: roughly 2–4 weeks for a basic fit-out, 4–8 weeks mid-range, and 8–12+ weeks for high-specification work — plus lead time for any imported materials, which in Mauritius is the item most likely to set your real completion date. Order long-lead items at contract signature, not at week three.
Getting a real number
A serious fit-out quotation follows a site visit and a marked-up layout, and arrives as a bill of quantities you can interrogate line by line — not a single per-m² figure. That is how we quote: scope, BOQ, programme, then a fixed price. See the office fit-out service page, and if you are also moving in, office moves and relocation can be programmed as one project with one accountable contractor.
Rates are indicative Mauritian planning ranges as at , exclusive of loose furniture, IT hardware and professional design fees. Every BFC Ltd fit-out is priced from a measured survey and a bill of quantities.
Frequently asked questions
How much does an office fit-out cost per square metre in Mauritius?
Indicatively: about Rs 12,000 to 18,000 per square metre for a basic functional fit-out, Rs 18,000 to 28,000 for a mid-range corporate standard, and Rs 30,000 or more for high-specification work. The figure excludes loose furniture, IT hardware and design fees, and a real price comes from a measured survey and bill of quantities.
How long does an office fit-out take in Mauritius?
Roughly 2 to 4 weeks for a basic fit-out of a single floor, 4 to 8 weeks for mid-range corporate work, and 8 to 12 weeks or more for high-specification projects. Imported materials are usually the critical path, so long-lead items should be ordered at contract signature.
Can an office be fitted out while staff keep working?
Yes, and in occupied multi-tenant buildings it is common. Noisy and dusty works are programmed out of hours, areas are sealed and protected, and the sequence is agreed with the landlord. It costs more than working in an empty unit because of out-of-hours labour, so it should be priced from the start.
What is usually excluded from a fit-out price?
Loose furniture, IT and AV hardware, professional design fees, landlord charges, and works to base-building plant unless expressly included. Check whether AC, distribution board and data cabling works are inside the price, as these are where quotes most often differ.
Want a figure for your own building? Send us the site location and scope and we will come back with a written quotation.
Or call and WhatsApp +230 5724 5224