You might need more office space if your company is growing fast in terms of headcount, inventory and visitors – and you need more space to accommodate and store all these things.
However, whilst acquiring a bigger office or new office space can seem obvious, there can be some serious cost implications – which are explained in our guide and some ways to economise office space more effectively.
If you have office requirements, speak to Pilcher London today on 020 7399 8600 or email us at info@pilcher.london. We have an impressive range of ways to rent office spaces in Central London – including flexible terms and rates that are ideal for you and your team.
Reasons Your Team Might Need More Office Space
- Too many people
- Too much inventory
- Not enough storage
- Too many visitors
- Too much noise and claustrophobia
- Plans for expansion through funding
- Fast company growth
- Conflict amongst staff over lack of desks and meeting room availability
The most obvious sign that you might need more office space is if your office feels full. If employees are arriving early to secure desks, booking meeting rooms weeks in advance or working in unsuitable areas, your current space may no longer support the business.
Growth is another clear indicator. If you expect to recruit significantly over the next 12 to 24 months, moving now could make more financial sense than relocating again shortly afterwards. A well-planned office should support your expected growth rather than simply solve today’s problem.
You should also look at how your team actually uses the office. A business with 80 employees that are in five days a week has very different space requirements from one where most employees work remotely three days a week.
Meeting rooms are another common pressure point. If teams are regularly taking calls from desks or struggling to find private spaces for client meetings, your office layout may no longer be fit for purpose.
There is also the question of employee experience. A cramped, noisy or poorly laid-out workplace can make collaboration harder and reduce the benefits of bringing people together. Research into workplace design increasingly highlights the importance of providing different environments for focused work, collaboration and social interaction.
As a general planning guide, some London office fit-out specialists allow around 100 sq ft per employee, although the right figure depends heavily on your working model and office design.
What Are the Cost Implications of Moving or Increasing Your Office Space?
Moving to a larger London office can be a significant investment. You need to consider rent, business rates, fit-out, furniture, IT, professional fees, moving costs and potentially dilapidations on your existing premises.
The average rent in London varies considerably by location and building quality. In Q4 2025, Grade A office rents in the City Core were around £80–£145 per sq ft, while West End Grade A rates ranged from approximately £49–£113 per sq ft.
Fit-out costs also vary. Current London guidance puts standard Cat B fit-outs at roughly £75–£140 per sq ft for construction, with premium projects costing considerably more.
The table below gives an indicative starting point for planning. It assumes 100 sq ft per employee, £100 per sq ft for a mid-range fit-out and £80 per sq ft annual rent. These are planning estimates rather than quotations and exclude VAT, business rates, legal fees and dilapidations.
| Team size | Approx. office size | Estimated fit-out | Estimated first-year rent | Indicative total |
| 30–50 people | 3,000–5,000 sq ft | £300k–£500k | £240k–£400k | £540k–£900k |
| 50–100 people | 5,000–10,000 sq ft | £500k–£1m | £400k–£800k | £900k–£1.8m |
| 100–200 people | 10,000–20,000 sq ft | £1m–£2m | £800k–£1.6m | £1.8m–£3.6m |
These figures show why it is important to establish whether you genuinely need more space before committing to a move. A smaller increase in your existing premises, a better layout or a hybrid working policy could potentially provide the capacity you need for less.
Ways to Economise If Your Team Needs Office Space
- Use meetings rooms as office space
- Promote hybrid working
- Consider outsourcing some roles
- Changing room layouts
- Local amenities – coffee shops nearby
- Using nearby workspaces
Before taking on more square footage, look at whether your existing office can work harder.
Meeting rooms are a good example. Instead of creating dedicated rooms that sit empty for much of the week, consider flexible spaces that can double up as project rooms, training areas or quiet working spaces.
Hybrid teams and remote working can also reduce the amount of permanent desk space you need. If employees only come into the office on certain days, a desk-booking system can allow several people to share workstations without making the office feel overcrowded.
Perhaps if there are local amenities nearby like coffee shops, gyms and leisure centres, staff could use these as hybrid venues on certain busier days. For instance, if you know you have a lot of visitors and meetings that day, using other communal work places in the area or either communal pay-per-desk workspaces could be valuable.
You could also review whether every role needs to be based in-house. Some businesses outsource specialist functions such as administration, marketing, IT support or bookkeeping, reducing the number of permanent desks required.
Finally, consider improving your current layout before moving. Better storage, hot-desking, acoustic solutions and more flexible furniture can sometimes create useful capacity without increasing your footprint.
Speak to Pilcher London About Increasing the Size of Your Office Space
If your team is outgrowing its current workplace, the first step is to understand what space you actually need and what it is likely to cost.
Speak to Pilcher London about increasing the size of your office space. We have been offering tenant representation solutions for over 40 years and provide guidance on factors such as location, building condition and specification can have a major effect on the final cost.
A carefully planned expansion can give your team more room to grow without paying for space you do not really need.
