"CAT A" "CAT B" What's the difference?

We get asked this question a lot; what is the different between the Cat A and Cat B that these agents, designers, landlords, project managers or other industry types talk about?

To be fair it is not surprising we get asked this, the design and construction industry, like many others, is frought with jargon and abbreviations – GA, M&E, HVAC, shell & core, Cat 6 (not the same as CAT or B), LOI, JCT, amongst many others! At Echospace we always try to avoid jargon and use plain English!

Cat A – Category A

The category of fit out this refers to is the basics, the nuts and bolts. It is what the landlord provides ready for the tenant. Essentially it is the empty space you see with only the floor, ceiling, basic lighting, a mechanical system / air conditioning, fire alarm, the toilets and the lift lobby or reception area. From these basics the scheme is then developed into a usable office space…cue the CAT B fit out.

This is an example of a CAT A space. Incidentally, a cracking building in Bristol that team Echospace are planning right now…those tiny people are us!

Spectrum Building – CAT A floor ready to receive a CAT B fit out.

Cat B – Category B

This is all about the nice stuff, the cat B fittings are what brings the space to life and makes it a usable office space. This is everything from the construction of the rooms, the electrical systems, feature lighting, the data cables, Wi-Fi, the tea point or kitchen, adjusting the air conditioning and plumbing, and finally decoration, signage and furniture – so a lot of stuff to design and more importantly a lot to get right! A common mistake that people make is not allowing enough time to think about, design and detail out their perfect CAT B office fit out. That’s where we can help.

3D visual of the proposed CAT B fit out of the space above.

Give us a call or drop us a note and we’ll help you map out a timeline so as to prevent expensive and unnecessary mistakes.

That is about it, it does not need to be overly complicated, but it is important to understand.

I hope this helps.

James