Commercial Strip Out Costs by Property Type

Commercial strip out costs vary by property type: office, retail and industrial spaces price differently per square metre. Here is a real cost comparison.

Commercial strip out cost depends heavily on what kind of space you are stripping. An open-plan office with no asbestos strips out cheaply compared with a heavily fitted retail shopfront or an industrial space with racking and plant to remove. Getting quotes without specifying your property type is the most common reason strip out estimates vary so widely.

Cost per square metre by property type

Retail spaces typically cost more per square metre to strip out than offices. Shopfitting, joinery, signage and specialty finishes take longer to remove and dispose of than an office's partitions and carpet tiles, and retail jobs often run on tighter access windows set by the shopping centre.

General demolition cost as a reference point

For broader context, the average commercial demolition cost across Australia sits around $80 per square metre according to Airtasker's national cost guide, though that figure covers general demolition work rather than interior office or retail strip outs specifically, and should be read as a rough reference point, not a like-for-like quote.

What changes the price within a property type

• Building size, height and access, ground floor is cheaper than lift-access upper floors.
• Presence of asbestos, which requires licensed removal and adds time.
• Layout complexity: heavily partitioned spaces cost more than open plan.
• High-specification fitouts with specialty finishes cost more to remove than a basic tenancy.
• Disposal fees and how much material needs to leave the site.

Full cost benchmark table by scope and city

Frequently asked questions

Sources: Master Strip Outs, Strip Out Cost Sydney Price Guide 2025 , Airtasker, Demolition Cost Guide