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North America Office Fit-Out Costs Face Structural Reset
The cost of building out modern office space in the U.S. and Canada has been structurally reset, with average fit-out costs now reaching $295 per square foot for a medium-quality space. That’s according to the new U.S. and Canada Office Fit-Out Costs Guide 2026 from JLL, sampling 50 cities across the two markets.
Globally, the average for medium-quality fit-outs is $205 per square foot. The cost gap in North America is driven by persistent structural pressures and limited supply, while the competition for talent is making investment in high-quality, tech-enabled space a business imperative, JLL says.
“Clients who are holding out for costs to come down before committing to a project are taking a real risk,” said Louis Molinini, head of Project and Development Services, Americas at JLL. “The structural pressures – labor, trade, technical complexity – are not going to unwind on a timeline that favors waiting. The primary way occupiers compete for talent right now is through the quality of their space, and the bar for what that means has moved up considerably.”
- ◦Development
