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Office Reinstatement in Singapore
Partitions, ceilings, flooring, cabling and M&E removed, and walls made good, so your office is handed back as the lease requires.
- After-hours works
- Building permits handled
- Landlord inspection support
What office reinstatement involves
Most office leases in Singapore require the tenant to return the unit to bare shell, or to the original condition at handover, before the lease ends. In practice that means removing everything your fit-out added and restoring the base building finishes so the landlord can sign off.
Typical scope of works
- Dismantle workstations, built-in cabinets, pantry and reception counters
- Remove drywall and glass partitions, doors and frames
- Remove false ceilings, light fittings and added ceiling services
- Lift carpet tiles, vinyl and raised floors; scrape adhesive and level the slab where required
- Remove added power points, data cabling and DB boards; terminate and make safe
- Restore air-conditioning and sprinkler layouts to the base building design if the lease requires it
- Patch, skim coat and repaint walls and columns to the landlord’s specification
- Clear and dispose of all debris; final clean before the joint inspection
Bare shell or original condition?
Check the reinstatement clause in your tenancy agreement and the handover checklist from the building’s management. “Bare shell” usually means bare concrete floor, exposed or base ceiling, and base building M&E only. “Original condition” means whatever was there when you took the unit, which may include the landlord’s ceiling or carpet. The two can differ by thousands of dollars, so we confirm the requirement before quoting.
Timeline for an office reinstatement
| Office size | Typical works duration |
|---|---|
| Under 1,000 sq ft | 3–5 working days |
| 1,000–3,000 sq ft | 5–10 working days |
| 3,000–10,000 sq ft | 2–4 weeks |
Durations assume normal access. Grade A buildings in the CBD often restrict noisy works to evenings and weekends, and many require a works permit from building management, so allow extra lead time.
What landlords check at the joint inspection
- Ceiling grid and tiles complete, clean and level, or exposed to slab if bare shell is required
- No leftover cabling, trunking, brackets or anchor bolts on walls, columns and slab
- Floor scraped clean of carpet adhesive and levelled where the lease requires
- Walls patched with no visible holes or cracks, and painted in the building’s standard colour
- Lighting, power and air-conditioning back to the base building layout and working
- Fire sprinklers and smoke detectors positioned to the original layout
- Main door, locks and glass panels intact, and the unit cleaned with all debris removed
Most deposit deductions come from small items on this list. We walk the unit against it before the inspection, so remarks are fixed before the landlord sees them.
Office reinstatement cost
Simple open-plan offices commonly start from around S$4 per sq ft. Glass partitions, heavy cabling, raised floors and server rooms increase the price. The cost guide explains typical ranges and what changes the price. For an exact figure, send us your floor plan and we will survey the unit for free.
Related guides
- How long does office reinstatement take?
- Office partition wall removal in Singapore
- Office carpet removal in Singapore
- A&A works in Singapore: what needs approval for shops and offices
- Vinyl flooring removal in Singapore: what's involved
- Bare shell vs original condition vs warm shell
- Office move-out and handover checklist
Get a price for your unit
Send photos, the floor plan and your handover date. Site surveys are free and every quotation is itemised.
Questions we get asked
Can’t see yours? Send it on WhatsApp with a photo of the unit.
Can reinstatement be done while we are still moving out?
Often yes. We can start with areas you have already cleared and phase the works around your move, as long as the building allows it.
Do you work after office hours?
Yes. Many CBD buildings only allow noisy works after hours or on weekends, and we schedule around that.
Who applies for the building works permit?
We prepare the method statement and documents building management usually asks for, and submit them with you as the tenant.
Will you take away the old furniture?
Yes. Disposal of workstations, cabinets and debris is included in the quotation, so there is no separate lorry charge.
Tell us your handover date
We’ll reply with an initial estimate and a time for a free site survey.