Shop Fitout Costs: Tips for Designing a Shop Fitout on a Budget

Physical stores still rule the marketplace, and they have an edge over stores with an online presence — with a brick-and-mortar store, you capture your customer’s attention completely. There is nothing to compete with your product when they are physically in your establishment.

Because of this, it’s important for you to have a great fitout in your store and add style and flair that will draw in customers and keep their attention, allowing you to make a sale. Fortunately, with a few tricks, you can get a great shop fitout design on a relatively small budget. Here’s what you need to know about fitout for your retail space.

Shop fitout costs

There’s no one simple answer to the question, “Just how much does a shop fitout cost?” Several different components go into pricing a fitout, including your location, the size of your space, the complexity of the project and the materials used.

The average retail fitout cost can range anywhere from $1,000 to $25,000. If you’re doing a remodel, it may cost less than if you’re doing a brand new full fitout. And, if you have a lot of floor space to cover, you may run up against the constraints of your budget.

The elements involved in a shop fitout design

Every business has different focuses and unique needs, but there are a few essential items that almost every establishment will need to consider when budgeting for a fitout. These are a few of the items that go into the average retail fitout costs:

- The space — Are you renting a building? How big is it, and does it need any upgrades? Also, what will you be responsible for, and what is the landlord willing to do?

- Your floors — Consider what type of flooring you’d like to use and what will hold up to the traffic you’ll get every day.

- Lights — These costs depend on the style of lighting and if you need an electrician to help you with the wiring. Many times, landlords will supply lighting, so check your contract.

- Walls — What do you plan to do with the walls? Paint? Hang shelves or slatwalls?

- Signs — Think about where you’ll need signs the most. Will you have some on the outside of the store? Do you need some signs inside to focus traffic?

Key factors to consider

When you are working through the shop fitout costs, these factors will go a long way toward letting you know what you need.

Take a minute to answer the following questions honestly:

- What are you trying to accomplish with the fitout?

- What type of customers are you trying to bring in?

- What is your brand like? And how do you want to represent that brand in your fitout?

- What are the one or two hooks you’ll use to reel in customers?

- Having answers to these questions can help you with the design of your store — the layout, the type of shelves or hanging racks, the display cases and more.

Tips for designing your shop fitout on a budget

Going in with some solid information is a good way to start your shop fitout design process. Once you’ve gathered the information and you know what you want, here’s how you can save money while making your dream store become a reality.

Work with what you already have

Build your fitout plan around what is already in existence at your location. Check out the floors, lighting, storefront and walls. Look to see if there are displays, countertop displaysracks, hangers, and anything else available. Can you work with what’s already there? What needs to be redone?

If you can reuse items that are in good condition, you may be able to save some money in your shop fitout costs so you can use them someplace else.

Order bulk supplies

When ordering shelvesdisplay cases, risers, mannequins and other objects, it’s almost always cheaper to order them in bulk. The more you order, the cheaper it usually is for these objects. Use these as the basic racking for your store and put just a few custom pieces around for an eye-catching experience. There’s no need for every piece in your store to be custom.

Make the most of the floor space

Take time to think through the layout of your store. Use a straight floor plan when possible and keep it simple, allowing your customers to flow through your space freely. Don’t overcrowd your floor space without good reason, and keep clean lines so your customers can find exactly what they are looking for in your establishment.

Research your options

If you’re looking for a specific style or fitout design, spend some time researching the options available to you. If you’re looking for wood flooring, you may be able to find vinyl with a wood finish for a more reasonable price. Take the time to shop around.

Let the light in

The sunlight, that is. If it’s at all possible, have a glass storefront or large windows. It makes your space more open and will even make your merchandise look more inviting.

Get more than one quote

If you’re looking to hire a shopfitter or bring in builders, get several quotes, especially for custom work. This will let you compare the costs and the work you are doing to get the best deal.

If you’re ready to get started with your fitout, implementing some of these basic ideas can help you to get a fitout that will help you increase your sales and get you up and running quickly. Get in touch with our team at Shop for Shops if you have any questions or need help with your fitout design!