Shopfitting in SA?
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Typical Shopfitting Costs SA
Basic retail fitout, per m2$800 - $1,500
Mid range retail, per m2$1,500 - $2,800
High end retail, per m2$2,800 - $5,000
Hospitality fitout, per m2$2,500 - $5,000
Shop front and glazing$15,000 - $60,000
Joinery and shelving package$10,000 - $80,000
Strip out of existing fitout$80 - $250 per m2
Make good at lease end$15,000 - $100,000
Figures on this page are indicative 2026 SA estimates only and vary with tenancy size and condition, whether the space is a cold shell or a previous fitout being stripped, joinery specification and finishes, services upgrades including electrical, mechanical, hydraulic and fire, council and landlord approval requirements, and programme constraints including after hours work. Quotes should always be obtained for your specific project. Building, planning, licensing, disability access and consumer protection requirements are set by legislation, the National Construction Code and Australian Standards and are periodically updated, so confirm the current position with the relevant authority and your shopfitter before relying on any figure.
Shopfitting Services SA 2026 - Get Quotes
The lease sets the budget before a designer draws anything. Make good obligations, any fitout contribution from the landlord, the condition the space is handed over in and what the landlord will and will not approve all sit in a document signed before the fitout was ever costed, and they routinely move a project by tens of thousands. A tenancy handed over as a cold shell needs everything from the floor up. One with a previous tenant's fitout still in it needs stripping first at $80 to $250 a square metre. A make good clause requiring the space returned to base building at the end is a liability being taken on now, not a problem for later. Read the lease properly, then design. Two other things are worth settling before design work starts. Get a services assessment, because electrical supply capacity and whether any path to roof exists for kitchen exhaust can end a tenancy decision outright. And compare exclusions lists before comparing prices, since a quote leaving out services, approvals or the shop front is pricing a smaller job than one that includes them. Post your job on The Quote Yard to reach South Australian shopfitters.
At a Glance - Cost by Fitout Type
| Fitout Type | Cost per m2 | Services Load | Approval | Typical Programme |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Basic retail | $800 - $1,500 | Light | Often minor | 3 to 6 weeks |
| Mid range retail | $1,500 - $2,800 | Moderate | Usually required | 6 to 10 weeks |
| High end retail | $2,800 - $5,000 | Moderate to heavy | Required | 10 to 16 weeks |
| Cafe or restaurant | $2,500 - $5,000 | Heavy | Required, plus food | 10 to 20 weeks |
| Office suite | $900 - $2,200 | Moderate | Varies | 6 to 12 weeks |
| Medical or specialist | $2,500 - $6,000 | Heavy | Required, plus accreditation | 12 to 24 weeks |
What in the Lease Actually Costs Money
A tenant negotiating a lease is negotiating the fitout budget at the same time, whether they realise it or not, and several clauses have direct dollar consequences.
Make good is the one that surprises people most. A clause requiring the premises returned to base building condition at lease end means removing everything installed, including partitions, joinery, floor coverings, services alterations and sometimes the ceiling, at $15,000 to $100,000 depending on the tenancy. That liability exists from the day the lease is signed and it is worth provisioning for rather than discovering in the final year.
The handover condition matters next. A cold shell means bare structure with capped services, and everything from the slab up is the tenant's cost. A warm shell might include a ceiling, lighting, basic services and a floor finish. An existing fitout left in place sounds like a saving and frequently is not, since stripping it costs $80 to $250 a square metre and what remains may not suit. A landlord fitout contribution offsets real money and is negotiable. Approval rights let a landlord refuse a design, so early engagement avoids redrawing. And the rent free or fitout period determines how long the tenant is paying rent on a space they cannot trade from, which is a cost that grows every week the programme slips.
The Lease Decides the Budget
Make good obligations are the clause that costs most and surprises most. Returning a tenancy to base building runs $15,000 to $100,000. The lease sets the budget. That liability exists from the day the lease is signed rather than arising at the end. Provisioning for it early is the sensible approach. That provision belongs in the business plan rather than arriving as a surprise in the final year of a lease.
Handover condition ranges from a cold shell with capped services to a warm shell with ceiling and lighting. The difference between the two is substantial money. Make good obligations, the handover condition and any landlord contribution all sit in a document signed before the fitout was ever costed, and they routinely move a project by tens of thousands. Shopfitters who work these tenancies will read the lease first. A tenant comparing quotes will usually find the spread traces to exclusions rather than to margin. A partition moved after the sprinklers are set means both trades come back, which is why coordination matters more than speed.
An existing fitout left in place sounds like a saving and frequently is not. Stripping it costs $80 to $250 a square metre. Landlord fitout contributions offset real cost and are negotiable instead of fixed. Ask about one before accepting the first position offered. The liability surfaces years later when a landlord's expectations at exit differ from the tenant's recollection. Fitout contributions are usually paid on completion rather than upfront, which affects cash flow through the build.
Approval rights let a landlord refuse a design, so engage early rather than after drawings are finished. Stripping a tenancy back sits at commercial demolition. The rent free fitout period sets how long you pay rent without trading. Moving into the space sits at commercial relocations. Anybody fitting out across Adelaide will ask about the exhaust path before anything else on a hospitality tenancy. Tenancies in strata buildings add a corporation to the approval chain alongside the landlord and the council.
| Lease Item | Cost Effect | Negotiable? |
|---|---|---|
| Make good clause | $15,000 - $100,000 at exit | Often, at signing |
| Cold shell handover | Everything is your cost | Sometimes |
| Existing fitout left in place | $80 - $250 per m2 to strip | Worth raising |
| Landlord contribution | Direct offset | Yes |
| Rent free fitout period | Rent while not trading | Yes |
| Design approval rights | Redrawing costs time | Engage early instead |
Services Upgrades Cost More Than the Visible Work
Electrical capacity is the first thing to check, since a tenancy wired for a clothing shop will not run a commercial kitchen. Supply upgrades are expensive and slow. Services are where budgets go. Mechanical services covering air conditioning and ventilation regularly need reworking for a changed layout. Reworking the mechanical system sits at commercial air conditioning. Carcasses, shelving and counters all sit with that trade rather than with the main building works.
Hydraulic work covering water and waste depends entirely on where the existing points sit. Moving a floor waste in a concrete slab is major work. Electrical capacity, mechanical rework, hydraulic points and fire services are largely invisible in the drawings a designer presents, which is exactly why they should be itemised separately in every quote. An hour with the lease answers most of the budget question. In an older CBD building the services constraints can end a tenancy decision before design work begins.
Fire services including sprinklers, detection and exit signage must suit the new layout, with sprinkler systems designed to AS 2118. Changing a partition changes the sprinkler coverage. Data and communications cabling is its own trade with its own requirements. Structured cabling sits at data and network cabling. A shopfitter who itemises services separately is showing a tenant where the real money sits.
Services are where budgets blow out because they are largely invisible in a presentation drawing. Ask for them to be itemised separately. A services assessment before signing a lease is money well spent. Alarms and access control sit at commercial security systems. Long lead items including joinery, glazing and coolrooms need ordering well before the space is ready.
| Service | Common Issue | Check Before Signing |
|---|---|---|
| Electrical supply | Capacity too low for the use | Available amps at the board |
| Mechanical | Layout change needs rework | Existing system capacity |
| Hydraulic | Waste points in the wrong place | Where the floor waste sits |
| Fire services | Partitions change coverage | Sprinkler and detection layout |
| Data and comms | Separate trade, separate cost | Existing provision |
| Exhaust, hospitality | May not exist at all | Whether a path to roof exists |
Approvals, Consent and the Time They Add
Approval timelines are the most common cause of a fitout programme slipping, and they are also the easiest part to start early.
Development approval through the South Australian planning system is required for most commercial fitouts, and the scope depends on whether the use is changing. A retail shop becoming another retail shop is a lighter proposition than a shop becoming a cafe, because a change of use triggers assessment against parking, waste, noise and amenity considerations that a like for like change does not. Building rules consent covers the construction itself against the National Construction Code, including fire separation, egress, access and structural matters. Where a licensed building surveyor is engaged privately, that route is frequently faster than the council pathway. Several other approvals may apply depending on the trade. Food businesses notify the council and are inspected before opening. Liquor licensing runs on its own timeline entirely and is worth starting first because it is the longest. Signage often needs its own approval, particularly in heritage areas or on a main street. Landlord approval sits alongside all of it and is separate from any government process. The practical advice is to lodge early, expect questions, and treat any programme that assumes instant approval as optimistic. Planning and development information for the state sits at the PlanSA portal.
Development Approval and Building Consent
Most commercial fitouts need development approval, and the scope depends on whether the use is changing. A change of use triggers more assessment. Approvals drive the programme. Building rules consent covers the construction against the National Construction Code. Fire separation, egress and access all fall under it. Circulation space and turning areas reduce sellable floor, which is a design consideration as much as a compliance one.
A privately engaged building surveyor is frequently faster than the council pathway. Both of those routes are entirely legitimate. Development approval and building rules consent both take time, a change of use triggers more assessment than a like for like change, and liquor licensing runs the longest timeline of all. That starting condition decides both the scope and the rate. Photographing the tenancy before any work starts establishes the condition being returned to at exit.
Food businesses notify the council separately and are inspected before opening. That is in addition to the building approval. Liquor licensing runs the longest timeline of all and should be started first. Waiting until the fitout is already underway causes real delay. A residential builder taking on a first retail fitout is a different proposition from a specialist shopfitter.
Signage often needs its own approval, particularly on a main street or in a heritage area. Shop front glazing sits at commercial glazing. Treat any programme assuming instant approval as optimistic. Framing and fixing work sits at commercial carpentry. Clause interpretations differ, so getting the technical provisions checked early costs less than reworking a layout.
Disability Access Requirements
Access requirements apply to commercial premises and are not optional or negotiable. They are assessed as part of building consent. Access requirements are not optional. AS 1428 sets the technical provisions for access and mobility, covering doorways, circulation space and sanitary facilities. Clear opening width matters throughout. A grease arrestor also needs vehicle access for pump out, which constrains where it can physically sit.
A change of use or substantial alteration can trigger upgrade obligations for parts of the building beyond the fitout itself. That obligation catches a good many tenants out. AS 1428 sets the technical provisions for doorways, circulation and sanitary facilities, and a change of use can trigger upgrades to parts of the building beyond the fitout itself. Two tenancies of identical size can cost wildly differently. Most will flag a capacity problem at the first site visit rather than after pricing.
Accessible sanitary facilities are a frequent trigger, particularly where none exist. The cost is significant in a small tenancy. Entry thresholds, ramps and door hardware all have specific requirements. Widening an entry sits at door widening and accessible entry. Commercial grade coverings carry wear ratings that domestic products do not, and a landlord may require a specific one.
An access consultant reviewing the design early costs far less than reworking it. Wet area tiling sits at commercial tiling. The Premises Standards sit alongside the Code on this. The standards themselves are published by Standards Australia. Liquor licensing in particular runs the longest timeline and should be lodged before anything else.
| Access Element | Why It Arises | Cost Impact |
|---|---|---|
| Entry threshold and ramp | Level change at the door | Moderate |
| Clear door opening widths | Circulation requirements | Affects layout |
| Accessible sanitary facility | Triggered by use or works | Significant in small tenancies |
| Circulation space | Turning and passing areas | Reduces sellable floor |
| Counter heights | Service points | Joinery detail |
| Signage and wayfinding | Identification requirements | Small, easily missed |
Hospitality Fitouts and Why They Cost Twice as Much
A cafe or restaurant fitout at $2,500 to $5,000 a square metre costs roughly double a comparable retail space, and the difference is almost entirely in services and compliance and not in what a customer sees. Kitchen exhaust is the largest single item and the one most likely to be impossible. A commercial kitchen needs a canopy, ducting and a discharge point, and in a multi storey building or a strata complex there may be no available path to the roof at all, which can end a tenancy decision on its own. Grease arrestors are required and need a location, access for pump out and a connection that the water authority will accept. Hydraulic work is extensive, with floor wastes, multiple sinks, hand basins in specific locations and hot water capacity well beyond a retail fitout. Electrical load for cooking equipment, refrigeration and coolrooms routinely exceeds the tenancy supply and triggers an upgrade. Mechanical make up air is needed to balance the exhaust. Surfaces must be impervious and cleanable to food safety requirements, which rules out finishes that would be fine in a shop. Coolroom and cold storage adds structure and power. And the food business notification and inspection process runs alongside everything else. A tenant comparing a retail and a hospitality tenancy should treat them as different propositions entirely. Food safety guidance comes from SA Health.
Design, Documentation and Who Draws It
Every fitout needs documentation before anybody can price it accurately, and how a tenant gets that documentation shapes both the cost and how comparable the quotes turn out. A design and construct arrangement, where the shopfitter designs and builds, is the common route for smaller retail projects and it is fast, though it makes comparing quotes harder because each builder is pricing a different design. Engaging an interior designer or architect separately produces drawings that every builder prices identically, which is the only way to compare figures properly, at the cost of a design fee and additional programme. Franchise and chain retailers usually arrive with a documented brand standard that removes the question entirely. Several practical points follow. Documentation for approval purposes is a different level of detail from documentation for pricing, and a set good enough for one may not suit the other. Services design for a hospitality fitout usually needs a consultant rather than being left to the trades, since the interactions between exhaust, make up air and electrical load need coordinating. A landlord's design guidelines in a shopping centre constrain the design before it starts and should be obtained first. And a tenant who changes the design after pricing should expect variations, which is why spending time on the brief costs less than changing direction later. Joinery and shelving sit at commercial carpentry.
Cafes, Restaurants and Food Premises
Kitchen exhaust is the largest single item and the one most likely to prove impossible. A building without a path to roof cannot take a commercial kitchen. Hospitality is a different proposition. Grease arrestors are required and need a location plus access for pump out. Trade waste connections sit at commercial wastewater systems. A final clean before handover is usually a separate line rather than part of the builder's scope.
Hydraulic work is extensive, covering floor wastes, multiple sinks and hand basins in specific positions. Hot water capacity goes well beyond what retail needs. Kitchen exhaust, a grease arrestor, extensive hydraulics and electrical load for cooking and refrigeration all apply, and in some buildings there is no available path to roof at all. Builders will raise the services question without prompting. Some lodge everything together while others stage it, and either approach can work.
Electrical load for cooking, refrigeration and coolrooms regularly exceeds the tenancy supply. Upgrades are expensive and slow. Surfaces must be impervious and cleanable, which rules out finishes acceptable in a shop, and food premises construction follows AS 4674. Floor finishes sit at commercial flooring. Landlord guidelines, induction requirements and restricted working hours each add to the figure.
Mechanical make up air balances the exhaust and is frequently forgotten. It is not optional. Check the exhaust path before signing anything. Sizing the hot water sits at commercial hot water systems. Grid layouts have to coordinate with sprinklers, lighting and mechanical outlets above.
Programme, Trading Hours and the Cost of Delay
Every week a fitout runs over is a week of rent paid on premises generating nothing, which makes programme a financial matter instead of a scheduling one.
Several things drive the timeline more than the physical work does. Approvals come first and are the most common cause of slippage, which is why lodging early matters more than any efficiency on site. Items on long lead times, meaning joinery, glazing, specialist equipment and coolrooms, need ordering before they are needed rather than when the space is ready. Services trades have to sequence properly, since mechanical and fire work above a ceiling has to finish before the ceiling closes. In a shopping centre or an occupied building, work is regularly restricted to after hours, which slows progress and costs more per hour. Noisy and dusty work may be restricted further. Landlord induction requirements, insurance certification and site access protocols all take time to satisfy before anybody starts. A staged handover, where part of a tenancy opens while work continues elsewhere, is sometimes possible and worth raising early. And the final inspections, certification and any defect rectification sit between practical completion and actually trading. A tenant should build float into the programme and not assuming the optimistic case. Commercial painting sits at commercial painters.
| Hospitality Item | Why It Adds Cost | Check First |
|---|---|---|
| Kitchen exhaust canopy | Ducting to a discharge point | Is there a path to roof |
| Grease arrestor | Location and pump out access | Where it can physically go |
| Floor wastes and sinks | Coring a concrete slab | Existing hydraulic points |
| Electrical load | Cooking and refrigeration | Available supply capacity |
| Make up air | Balances the exhaust | Often forgotten entirely |
| Impervious surfaces | Food safety requirement | Finishes schedule |
The Products Specified on These Jobs
Fitout specifications name a fairly consistent set of suppliers, and recognising them helps a tenant understand what a quote is actually proposing.
On board and framing, CSR Gyprock and Knauf supply most plasterboard with Rondo providing the wall and ceiling framing systems. Suspended ceiling grids and tiles come largely from Armstrong, USG Boral and CSR Himmel. Laminates and decorative surfaces are dominated by Laminex, Polytec and Formica, with Caesarstone, Dekton and Neolith appearing on counters and servery tops. Cabinet hardware is almost always Blum, Hettich or Hafele. Commercial vinyl and carpet tile come from Forbo, Tarkett, Polyflor and Interface. Lighting specification frequently names Pierlite, Eagle Lighting or Brightgreen. Capral supplies much of the aluminium shopfront framing. A few things separate a specification from a generic description. Two quotes naming different laminate ranges are not pricing the same job, since decorative finishes vary several fold in cost. Commercial grade floor coverings carry wear ratings that domestic products do not, and a landlord or an insurer may require a specific rating. Fire rated board is a different product from standard sheet and appears wherever separation is required. And a quote that names products rather than describing them generically gives a tenant something to compare. Fire rated lining sits at fire rated plasterboard.
| Ask Every Shopfitter | Why It Matters | A Good Answer |
|---|---|---|
| Are services itemised separately | Where budgets blow out | Yes, line by line |
| Who manages the approvals | Timeline risk sits here | Named, with a programme |
| Is strip out included | $80 to $250 per m2 | Stated either way |
| What is excluded | Exclusions hide the gap | A written exclusions list |
| How is variation priced | Fitouts always vary | Rates agreed upfront |
| What is the programme | Rent runs while you wait | Dated, with milestones |
Programme and Getting Trading
Every week of delay is rent paid on premises generating nothing. Programme is a financial matter instead of a scheduling one. Exclusions hide the real difference. Approvals are the most common cause of slippage, which is why lodging early beats any efficiency on site. Start them first. Acoustic separation between tenancies is worth raising early where noise could become an issue.
Joinery, glazing and coolrooms all have long lead times and need ordering before the space is ready. Waiting until that point adds weeks to the programme. A quote leaving out services, approvals, strip out or the shop front is pricing a smaller job, so the exclusions lists should be compared before the figures ever are. It belongs in the brief rather than found during construction. Retention and defect liability periods sit between practical completion and the final payment.
Work in shopping centres and occupied buildings is often restricted to after hours. That slows progress and raises the hourly rate. Delay costs rent. Landlord induction, insurance certification and access protocols take time before anybody starts. Handover cleaning sits at commercial cleaning. Those clauses also determine what a tenant can alter mid lease without further approval.
Build float into the programme rather than assuming the optimistic case. Wall and ceiling lining sits at commercial plastering. Every week a fitout runs over means paying rent on a space that earns nothing, which makes the programme a financial matter rather than a scheduling one. Shopfitters tend to sequence the approval lodgements in different ways.
Planning for the End at the Beginning
The most expensive fitout mistakes in South Australia are made at the start of a lease by tenants thinking only about opening, and they surface years later at exit. Make good is the obvious one, and a tenant who negotiated the clause down at signing, or capped it at a dollar figure, is in a far better position than one who accepted a standard return to base building obligation without pricing it. Photographing the tenancy in detail before any work starts establishes the condition being returned to, which matters enormously when a landlord's expectations at exit differ from the tenant's recollection. Keeping the full documentation set, approvals, certificates and as built drawings makes both any mid lease alteration and the eventual make good far simpler and cheaper. Several other considerations apply. A fitout designed with removable and not fixed elements costs a little more initially and considerably less to strip. Assigning a lease to a new tenant who takes on the fitout can avoid make good entirely, which is worth exploring before assuming the cost. Some landlords will accept a fitout staying in place if it suits the next tenant. Depreciation treatment of fitout expenditure is worth a conversation with an accountant early rather than late. And a tenant approaching the end of a lease should get make good priced well in advance instead of in the final months. Dispute pathways run through SACAT.
Regional Considerations Across South Australia
Adelaide CBD tenancies often sit in older buildings with services constraints that newer centres do not have. Exhaust paths are a recurring issue. Plan the exit at the start. Shopping centre fitouts come with landlord design guidelines, induction requirements and after hours restrictions. All three of those affect what the fitout finally costs.
Heritage listed buildings in the city and inner suburbs limit what can change externally. Shop fronts and signage both need particular care there. A make good clause negotiated down or capped at signing puts a tenant in a far better position than one accepting a standard return to base building obligation without pricing it. Most will walk the tenancy before committing to a figure.
Strip retail on suburban main streets is generally simpler and cheaper to fit out. Fewer parties are involved. Regional South Australia has fewer specialist trades, so programmes allow for travel. Grid and tile ceiling systems sit at suspended ceilings.
| Location Type | What It Means | Practical Response |
|---|---|---|
| Adelaide CBD, older building | Services constraints | Assess before signing |
| Shopping centre | Guidelines and after hours | Budget for both |
| Heritage listed | External change limited | Early council conversation |
| Suburban strip retail | Fewer parties involved | Generally simpler |
| Regional town | Fewer specialist trades | Allow travel in programme |
| Industrial or warehouse | Large area, light fitout | Lower rate per m2 |
| Item | Cost | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Basic retail fitout | $800 - $1,500 per m2 | Light services, simple finishes |
| Mid range retail | $1,500 - $2,800 per m2 | Joinery drives much of it |
| High end retail | $2,800 - $5,000 per m2 | Specification, not complexity |
| Hospitality fitout | $2,500 - $5,000 per m2 | Services dominate |
| Shop front and glazing | $15,000 - $60,000 | Outside the per metre rate |
| Strip out of existing fitout | $80 - $250 per m2 | Check who pays |
Comparing Fitout Quotes Without Being Misled
Fitout quotes are among the hardest to compare because two builders can price the same drawings and arrive at figures tens of thousands apart, usually through what each assumed rather than through margin.
Exclusions are where the difference hides. A quote excluding services, approvals, strip out, floor coverings or the shop front is pricing a smaller job than one including them, and the cheaper figure frequently ends higher once the gaps are filled. Ask every shopfitter for a written exclusions list and compare those before comparing prices. Provisional sums are the second area, since an allowance for joinery or a shop front that has not been designed yet is a placeholder and not a price, and a low provisional sum makes a quote look competitive while guaranteeing a variation later. Variation rates should be agreed upfront because fitouts always vary, and a contract without agreed rates leaves the tenant negotiating from a weak position mid project. Payment terms and retention matter for cash flow. Programme should be dated with milestones rather than expressed as a duration. Insurance, licensing and the builder's own commercial track record are worth verifying, since a residential builder taking on a first retail fitout is a different proposition from a specialist shopfitter. Contractor licensing is checked with Consumer and Business Services, and consumer guarantees are explained by the ACCC.
What Shopfitting Costs
A basic retail fitout at $800 to $1,500 a square metre covers a simple space with light services. Finishes are straightforward. Mid range retail at $1,500 to $2,800 a square metre covers most suburban and centre tenancies. Joinery drives much of it. High end retail at $2,800 to $5,000 a square metre reflects specification instead of complexity. Materials and detailing account for most of that difference.
Hospitality at $2,500 to $5,000 a square metre is driven by services rather than appearance. Exhaust and hydraulics dominate. A shop front and glazing package at $15,000 to $60,000 sits outside the per metre rate. Security shutters sit at commercial roller doors. Strip out at $80 to $250 a square metre and make good at $15,000 to $100,000 bracket the project. Thermal and acoustic lining is covered at commercial insulation.
What to Look Out For
Read the make good clause before signing and not before leaving. That liability starts on day one. Get a services assessment before committing to a tenancy. Electrical capacity and exhaust paths can end a deal. Compare exclusions lists before comparing prices. The cheaper quote very often excludes a great deal more.
Treat provisional sums as placeholders rather than prices. A low allowance guarantees a variation later. Start approvals first, since they cause most delays. Commercial building disputes can be taken to SACAT for resolution.
How to Get Useful Quotes
Give the tenancy area and the trade type. Those two set the per square metre range immediately. Say whether it is a cold shell, a warm shell or an existing fitout. The starting condition changes everything. Share the lease provisions covering make good, contributions and approval rights. Those lease provisions shape the entire scope of works.
Describe the services position if known, including electrical capacity and any exhaust path. Those drive the budget. State the target trading date and any landlord restrictions on working hours. Programme affects price. Have each quote itemise services separately, list exclusions in writing, name who manages approvals, identify provisional sums and give a dated programme. Pin those five down and the quotes become comparable, and epoxy floors sit at epoxy flooring.
Shopfitting Across South Australia
We connect households with roof cleaning operators across South Australia for retail, hospitality and office fitouts, strip outs and make good, from inner Adelaide and the coastal suburbs through the plains and the Adelaide Hills, out to the Barossa, the Fleurieu, the Mid North and the South East.
▶ Adelaide City & Inner Suburbs 16 areas
▶ Adelaide Metro 13 areas
Eastern Suburbs
Western Suburbs
▶ Adelaide Northern Suburbs 15 areas
Inner North
North East
North & Playford
▶ Adelaide Southern Suburbs 19 areas
Inner South
South & Marion
Outer South & Onkaparinga
▶ Adelaide Hills 12 areas
Hills Face Zone
Outer Hills
▶ Adelaide Beaches 9 areas
Bay & Western Beaches
Port Adelaide & LeFevre
▶ Barossa & Clare Valley 10 areas
Barossa Valley
Clare Valley
Mid North
▶ Fleurieu Peninsula 7 areas
South Coast
Inland Fleurieu
▶ Yorke Peninsula 7 areas
Copper Coast
Southern Yorke
▶ Eyre Peninsula 8 areas
Upper Eyre
Lower Eyre & West Coast
▶ Limestone Coast 9 areas
Mount Gambier Region
Coonawarra & Penola
Upper Limestone Coast
▶ Riverland & Murray 8 areas
Riverland
Murray Bridge & Mallee
▶ Kangaroo Island 5 areas
▶ Flinders Ranges & Outback 9 areas
Southern Flinders
Flinders Ranges
Outback SA
Shopfitting FAQs - SA 2026
What does a shopfitout cost in SA?
Basic retail runs $800 to $1,500 per square metre, mid range $1,500 to $2,800 and high end $2,800 to $5,000. Hospitality is $2,500 to $5,000 driven by services rather than finishes. A shop front and glazing package sits outside that at $15,000 to $60,000.
Why does the lease matter so much?
Because it sets the budget before any design work begins. Make good obligations, the handover condition, any landlord fitout contribution and design approval rights all sit in a document signed before the fitout was costed, and they routinely move a project by tens of thousands.
What is make good?
A clause requiring the premises returned to base building condition at lease end, meaning partitions, joinery, floor coverings and services alterations all removed. It runs $15,000 to $100,000 depending on the tenancy, and the liability exists from the day the lease is signed.
Is an existing fitout a saving?
Often not. Stripping it costs $80 to $250 per square metre and what remains may not suit the new use anyway. A cold shell is honest about what you are taking on, where an existing fitout can look like a head start and prove to be the opposite.
Why is hospitality double the cost of retail?
Almost entirely services and compliance rather than what customers see. Kitchen exhaust, grease arrestor, extensive hydraulics, electrical load for cooking and refrigeration, make up air and impervious surfaces all apply, and the exhaust path can be impossible in some buildings.
What causes fitout delays most?
Approvals. Development approval and building rules consent both take time, and a change of use triggers more assessment than a like for like change. Liquor licensing runs the longest timeline of all. Lodging early matters more than any efficiency on site.
Do disability access rules apply?
Yes, and they are not negotiable. AS 1428 sets technical provisions for doorways, circulation and sanitary facilities, and a change of use or substantial alteration can trigger upgrades beyond the fitout itself. An accessible sanitary facility is a significant cost in a small tenancy.
Why do quotes vary so widely?
Usually through what each builder assumed rather than through margin. A quote excluding services, approvals, strip out or the shop front is pricing a smaller job. Ask every shopfitter for a written exclusions list and compare those before comparing prices.
What is a provisional sum?
An allowance for something not yet designed, such as joinery or a shop front. It is a placeholder rather than a price, and a low provisional sum makes a quote look competitive while guaranteeing a variation later. Identify them and question the allowances.
What should I check before signing a lease?
Electrical supply capacity against your intended use, whether a hydraulic connection sits where you need it, and for hospitality whether any path to roof exists for exhaust. A services assessment before signing is money well spent and occasionally ends a deal.
Commercial Construction Specialists - SA
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For Tradies - SA
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This page provides guidance information only and is not professional advice of any kind. Details may change, always verify with the relevant authorities and seek independent professional advice where needed.
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Reviewed by The Quote Yard Editorial Team
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We connect you with independent local tradies and service providers, we don't perform any trade work ourselves. Tradies provide their own quotes directly to you. Always confirm licensing, insurance, and scope of work before engaging any provider.
All SA tradies are required to hold appropriate licences. Verify at Consumer and Business Services SA.
Figures on this page are indicative 2026 SA estimates only and vary with tenancy size and condition, whether the space is a cold shell or a previous fitout being stripped, joinery specification and finishes, services upgrades including electrical, mechanical, hydraulic and fire, council and landlord approval requirements, and programme constraints including after hours work. Quotes should always be obtained for your specific project. Building, planning, licensing, disability access and consumer protection requirements are set by legislation, the National Construction Code and Australian Standards and are periodically updated, so confirm the current position with the relevant authority and your shopfitter before relying on any figure.