Reading a lease for fitout cost before you sign

The cost is rarely just the rent

Most operators focus on rent and incentives. The fitout cost questions that matter live in the landlord's works, make-good and services clauses.

What to look for

• Landlord works — what the landlord provides as base building versus what you carry
• Make-good obligations — what you must reinstate at the end of the lease
• Services capacity — whether the base building supports your intended use without upgrade
• Approval rights — landlord consent for fitout works and any restrictions on design

Why it matters early

A premises that needs significant base-building upgrades, or carries a heavy make-good obligation, can shift your effective fitout cost by tens of thousands. These are negotiable before you sign; they are fixed after.

A short review pays for itself

A pre-lease cost review takes the heads of terms and tests them against an indicative fitout scope. It's the cheapest point in the project to change your mind.