Office Reconfiguration Costs Are Varied Across Regions

A new survey from JLL shows that the cost of tenant fit outs will vary as workers return to the office and companies demand new office configurations.

The survey found that the average regional costs per square foot ranged from $216.67 in California to $169.20 in the South.

Metro areas like Atlanta, Dallas, Houston, Nashville, Orlando, Phoenix and Tampa saw the most affordable fit out costs, while New York and San Francisco continued to rank the most costly.

While there is no one-size-fits-all solution to office space planning, flexibility remains the overall theme of the market. In fact, research from JLL found that 72% of respondents want to continue working from home in some capacity in the future.

“Employers must reimagine the dynamic between the physical and virtual workplace to meet employees’ demands,” said Laura Beebe, JLL’s COO of project and development services for the Americas. “While work-from-home won’t be the solution for satisfying all working needs and work styles, hybrid work will be the answer to providing greater employee workplace choice.”

Because of this, the office space must be outfitted to become an environment that focuses on collaboration, physical and mental health, as well as career development. On the other hand, home-working can be more designated for concentrated, individual tasks.