Office Fit-Out Company in Riyadh: Design and Build

Office fit-out in Riyadh, from empty floor plate to a working office

Companies in Riyadh are opening regional headquarters, growing local teams and moving into towers on King Fahd Road, Olaya, KAFD and the city's business parks. Most of these spaces are handed over as shell and core or Category A, so the tenant still has to plan, design, approve and build almost everything. That is the work we do.

NoVi Designs and Finishing is a design and build fit-out company with a Saudi branch on Al Shaikh Hamad Al Thany Street in Al Olaya, Riyadh, supported by our design studio in Cairo. We take an office from the first space plan to handover in one scope: space planning, interior design, MEP coordination, finishing works, custom joinery, FFE (furniture, fixtures and equipment) supply and handover with as-built drawings and a defects period. Our quality management system for finishing and decoration works is certified to ISO 9001.

What our office fit-out service in Riyadh covers

• Space planning and test fits: headcount, growth, open plan versus enclosed offices, meeting rooms and support spaces, tested against the real floor plate.
• Interior design: concept, materials, lighting and brand integration, with 3D visuals for sign-off before anything is ordered.
• MEP coordination: HVAC zoning, lighting, power and data, fire alarm and sprinkler adjustments, coordinated with the building's systems.
• Finishing works: partitions, glass fronts, ceilings, flooring, acoustic treatment, wall finishes and doors.
• Custom joinery: reception desks, pantry units, storage walls and feature elements.
• FFE supply: workstations, task seating, meeting furniture, soft seating, accessories and signage, see our FFE supply service.
• Smart controls: lighting scenes, meeting room controls and energy management can be integrated through partners such as HDL.
• Handover: as-built drawings, a snag list closed out with you and a defects period after you move in.

Shell and core, Cat A and Cat B: know what the landlord is giving you

Shell and core

Structure, facade, lifts and main risers are complete, but the floor is bare, usually without raised floor, ceiling, final HVAC distribution or lighting. This is the heaviest scope.

Category A (Cat A)

The landlord typically delivers a finished but empty floor with raised floor, ceiling, base lighting, HVAC and fire services for an open plan. Specs differ from tower to tower, so the fit-out manual is the first document to read.

Category B (Cat B)

The tenant fit-out that turns Cat A into your office: partitions, meeting rooms, reception, pantry, prayer rooms, finishes, furniture and branding. It often means relocating diffusers, sprinklers and lights around new rooms, which is why MEP coordination is central to our process.

Approvals and building rules for office fit-outs in Riyadh

Most office towers and business parks in Riyadh have a tenant fit-out manual issued by the landlord or facility manager. It usually sets drawing submissions, review stages, working hours, insurance, contractor registration and technical standards for HVAC, fire and electrical works. In most buildings, work cannot start on site until the landlord gives its written approval or NOC.

Beyond the landlord, fit-out works in Saudi Arabia typically need to comply with the Saudi Building Code and with Civil Defense fire and life safety requirements, and some projects require municipal permits through the Balady platform. What applies to your floor, and who submits it, depends on the building and the scope, and the building management or authority will confirm it. We prepare design and MEP drawings to the landlord's requirements, respond to review comments and agree with you upfront who handles each submission.

Our office fit-out process, step by step

1. Brief and site survey: we visit, measure and review the fit-out manual and existing services.
2. Space plan and test fit: layout options matched to headcount, departments and growth plans.
3. Concept design: materials, lighting and 3D views of reception, boardroom and workspace.
4. Detailed design and MEP coordination: construction drawings, finishes schedule, joinery details and coordinated MEP layouts.
5. Itemised BOQ and quotation: every item quantified and priced so you can compare, adjust and value-engineer line by line.
6. Landlord review and approvals: drawing submissions to the landlord and responses to comments, while any authority permits stay with the responsible party agreed for your project.
7. Procurement: long-lead items such as imported furniture, glass partitions and specialist lighting are ordered early.
8. Site execution: finishing works, joinery installation and MEP works, with regular progress reports.
9. Handover: testing, snag close-out, as-built drawings and the defects period.

How long does an office fit-out in Riyadh take?

There is no honest single number, but the timeline is driven by a few predictable factors:

• Starting condition: shell and core takes longer than Cat A.
• Decisions: fast sign-offs save more time than anything on site.
• Reviews: landlord and authority cycles vary by building.
• Long-lead items: imported furniture and custom glazing can take many weeks.
• Working hours: many towers limit noisy works to evenings or weekends.

After the site survey we give you a programme with design, approval, procurement and site phases shown separately, so you can plan your lease start and move-in date with realistic dates.

What drives office fit-out cost in Riyadh

We do not publish price lists because two offices of the same size can differ widely in cost. The main cost drivers are:

• The starting condition (shell and core versus Cat A).
• Enclosed rooms versus open plan, and partition type.
• The extent of HVAC and fire services changes.
• Finish level in client-facing areas such as reception, boardroom and executive offices.
• Custom joinery and feature elements.
• Furniture specification, imported or local.
• Technology: AV in meeting rooms, access control and smart controls.

Your quotation is an itemised BOQ prepared after the site survey, so you see exactly what you pay for and where to save.

Designing an office that works in Riyadh

Heat, glare and air conditioning

Air conditioning runs most of the year in Riyadh. Glass offices on the facade, server rooms and crowded meeting rooms need careful HVAC zoning, and west-facing glazing usually needs a glare and solar control strategy through blinds, film or layout choices. We solve this in the MEP design, not after complaints.

Spaces Saudi offices actually need

• Prayer rooms with ablution facilities placed sensibly in the plan.
• A reception or majlis-style guest area.
• Separate or flexible areas where the workplace policy requires them.
• Pantries and tea points sized for real use, including Saudi coffee service.
• Quiet rooms and phone booths.

Site logistics in Riyadh towers

Loading bay slots, service lift bookings, material storage, noise restrictions and permits to work are typically controlled by the facility manager. During Ramadan working hours change, and each summer Saudi Arabia typically applies a midday ban on outdoor work in direct sun, usually from 15 June to 15 September between 12:00 and 15:00, so the dates announced for the current year should be checked. This can affect deliveries and any external works. We build these constraints into the programme from day one.

Why companies choose NoVi for office fit-out

• One design and build team: design, MEP, finishing, joinery and furniture under one contract.
• ISO 9001 quality management for finishing and decoration works.
• A Saudi branch in Al Olaya, Riyadh, close to the city's main office districts, backed by our design studio in Cairo.
• Experience across Saudi Arabia: our Saudi work covers Riyadh, Dammam, Al Khobar, Makkah and Madinah, including Hassan Café in Riyadh, a 400 m² café where we delivered interior design, FFE, lighting, custom joinery, branding support and 3D visuals.
• Corporate office design experience: see our corporate office design portfolio and wider commercial designs.

Related services

• Corporate and commercial design and build services
• Interior design in Riyadh
• Hotel and hospitality fit-out
• Office fit-out in Cairo, restaurant and café fit-out and clinic fit-out in Egypt
• NoVi in Saudi Arabia

Start with a site survey

Send your floor plan, the landlord's fit-out manual if available, headcount and target move-in date. We visit, review the constraints and return with a clear plan and an itemised BOQ. Book a site survey or request a proposal. You can also call or WhatsApp our Riyadh branch on +966 54 346 1981, Sunday to Thursday, 10:00 to 18:00 Riyadh time.