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Shop interior with timber wall shelving, display islands and bags under track lighting

Retail and Shop Dilapidations

One team, one contact: claim settled, shopfront reinstated, next store opened.

Since 2016

10+ years building and handing back
London commercial space

Shop exits, refits and moves

  • 12 weeksto refit Drake's 120 sq m Savile Row flagship without closing a day
  • 8 weeksto design and build Drake's new 500 sq m warehouse, handed over early
  • 60%of the labour on site is our own team
  • £10Mpublic and employers' liability cover on every job

Closing or moving a shop? Hand it back on your terms

One team, one point of contact for leaving a shop: Craftex handles retail dilapidations for shops and brands, so you are not juggling a surveyor, a solicitor and three contractors. We price the claim and the works upfront, negotiate the landlord's claim on your behalf and strip the shop out to what the lease asks, shopfront included. If you are moving, we refit the next store too, and the joinery and fixtures worth keeping are moved or resold.

A shop schedule usually asks for the unit back as a shell: shopfront and signage out, joinery stripped, floors and ceilings reinstated, services capped. Some of it the lease requires. Much of it can be priced down, or left for an incoming retailer by agreement.

Our own RICS-qualified quantity surveyor reviews the landlord's schedule, prices it line by line, prepares the response and negotiates it with the landlord's surveyor. Under section 18(1) of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1927, damages for disrepair can never exceed the fall in value of the landlord's interest. A landlord who will re-let the unit to another retailer, or refit it anyway, may have a far smaller claim than the schedule suggests.

Empty shop with a long curved run of white shelving on a polished concrete floor

Trusted by leading businesses

  • Trainline
  • Auto Trader
  • YouTube
  • Medusa
  • Fuse
  • Drakes
  • PTOS
  • Close Connections
  • Marnie
  • Vortex Post
  • Minds Ahead
  • Missy
  • Fora
  • Gama Healthcare
  • Equinix
  • Hubble
  • B-Engineering

What retail dilapidations include

Six parts of a shop handback, each priced against your lease before anything is stripped.

Commercial floor stripped back to shell, with exposed ductwork and glazed partitions

Shop strip out to shell

Display, fixtures and finishes taken out to the standard the lease sets.

Row of small shops beneath brick upper floors on a high street

Shopfront and signage

Your shopfront and signs removed and the facade reinstated, with any consents in place.

Shop with timber trestle tables and wall shelving on a pale stone floor

Bespoke joinery and fixtures

Dismantled carefully for reuse in your next store, or offered to the landlord.

Suspended ceiling grid with perforated tiles seen from below

Floors, ceilings and lighting

Reinstated where the lease asks, repaired rather than replaced where that is enough.

Long white back-of-house room lined with shelving

Stockroom and back of house

Racking, storage and staff areas cleared and made good.

Ceiling services with sprinkler pipes and cable trays exposed above a stripped floor

Services capped and certified

Power, data, water and any extraction made safe, with certificates for the handback.

How it works

How a shop handback runs, schedule to keys

  1. Free claim review

    • Send the lease, licences and schedule. We tell you where the claim is weak.
  2. Priced response and reuse plan

    • Every item answered and priced, plus what moves to the next store.
  3. Negotiation

    • We meet the landlord's surveyor and argue each item on the lease and the numbers.
  4. Works or settlement

    • You choose the cheaper route: we do the works, or you settle in cash.
  5. Handback and the move

    • Works finished before the end date, keys returned, the next site ready.

Shopfronts, joinery and fixtures: move, reuse or strip

Tape measure laid across the worn edge of a timber table top

Joinery worth moving. Bespoke counters, display walls and fitting rooms are often worth more moved than skipped. We list each piece, check it against the next store's plan and dismantle it so it can go back up. More on tenant dilapidations.

Clothing store with white display tables, rails and mirrored columns under track lighting

Refit the next store. We negotiate the old lease and fit out the new shop as one team, so the move takes days, not weeks. Drake's trusted us with its Savile Row flagship refit. See our retail fit-out service.

Read more

A retail move is two projects that meet on one date: the old unit handed back, the new one ready to trade. Shopfronts on a listed building or in a conservation area may need consent to remove or reinstate, so we check that early and build it into the programme.

Cover of the free Craftex guide to fit-out and M&E works

Free guide: fit-out and MEP works at lease end

How shop fit-out and M&E packages are scoped, sequenced and signed off, written from the units we strip, reinstate and fit out. A short, free read before the schedule lands.

One team, one point of contact

Six promises, written into your contract

  1. One team, one point of contact

    No separate surveyor, solicitor and contractors to manage: one person runs the claim, the works and the move.

    Drake's: dilapidation works and the full move to the next warehouse, one team.

  2. Costs upfront, and the figure stands

    We price the claim and the works at the start, and the price we sign is the price you pay at handback.

    we won Drake's warehouse by coming in about £15k below the other quotes.

  3. Our own RICS-qualified surveyor

    An in-house RICS-qualified surveyor on the same turnkey team assesses the schedule, prepares the response and negotiates for you, challenging every over-claimed item with section 18 and the works-or-cash choice.

    No outside surveyor to brief: the person who prices the claim works with the crews who do the works.

  4. Reuse, move or resell

    Shop joinery, display fixtures and lighting that still work go to your next store or are resold, not skipped.

  5. Our own crews, handed back on the date

    We do the reinstatement and strip-out ourselves, around 60% of the work by our own crews, planned around your operations.

    Drake's Savile Row stayed open through a 12-week refit.

  6. £10M cover, zero snags

    Public and employers' liability of £10 million each; snagged before you inspect, with certificates and photos for the handback.

Example quotation with the note: send it to us, we will beat it

Already have a quote? Send it to us. We'll beat it.

Holding the landlord's schedule, a shop strip-out quote or a surveyor's figure? Send it to us. A director reviews it and replies the same working day with how we beat it for the same scope.

Compare your options

Where shop lease exits go wrong, and what we do instead

AreaThe usual riskWith Craftex
The first figurethe landlord's schedule is paid as sentevery line is tested and priced at real cost
The shopfronta good shopfront is torn out by defaultwe ask whether the landlord wants it kept
Joinerybespoke fixtures go in a skipthey are dismantled for your next store
Consentsthe facade is changed without checking consentlisted-building and planning questions are checked first
The datestrip-out starts after the last trading daythe programme is set back from the lease end
The moveseparate firms for the claim, the strip-out and the new storeone team for all three

What moves the cost of retail dilapidations?

Six things decide what a retail tenant pays at lease end. We settle each one before you agree a figure with the landlord, so the claim reflects your lease and the real cost of the work.

What moves the costWhat we do about it
The reinstatement clause and your licencesWe list what must go and what may stay
The shopfront and any consentsWe check what the landlord and the planners require
Joinery, display and fitting roomsWe offer to leave them, or move them to your next store
Floors, ceilings and lightingWe repair before we replace
The landlord's plans for the unitWork a re-let or refit would supersede comes out
Time to the end dateWe programme the works to finish before the lease does

Our team

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Retail dilapidations: tenant questions

Can you negotiate our retail dilapidations claim with the landlord?

Yes. We prepare a priced response to every item and negotiate it with the landlord's surveyor. Because we also do the works, every figure we agree is one we can deliver.

Is it cheaper to do the works or pay the landlord?

It depends on the schedule, the time left and the landlord's plans for the unit. We price both routes so you can choose.

Do we have to remove our shopfront?

Only if the lease or your licence says so. A landlord re-letting to another retailer may prefer to keep it, and we put that to them.

Can our joinery and fixtures move to the new store?

Often, yes. We check each piece against the new plan before anything is dismantled.

How long before the lease end should we start?

As early as you can, so the negotiation, the strip-out and the new store all fit before the end date.

Do we still need a dilapidations surveyor?

Not always. Many tenants use us instead, as the people who price and build. On a large or disputed claim we work alongside your surveyor.

Do you work outside London?

Claim reviews and negotiations, yes, anywhere in the UK. Our crews work across Greater London and the South East.

How fast do you reply?

Fast: every enquiry gets an answer on the same working day it arrives.

What our clients say

See all reviews on Google
  • Craftex has completed a range of both small and large-scale projects on our commercial property with exceptional precision and quality. Dmitriy consistently delivers courteous, prompt service and has shown great flexibility in accommodating last-minute changes to plans and timelines. I highly recommend Craftex for their professionalism and outstanding workmanship.

    Pascal Hunt

  • We hired Craftex for a commercial ground floor fit-out with 2 flats above. There were some minor co-ordination hiccups with third-party suppliers but the team kept it moving. Finish quality was strong. Kitchens and doors look great. I have already asked them for a quote on the next project.

    Ben Edell

  • We used Craftex for a shop-to-flat conversion in Chelsea — turning an old retail space into two rental units. Access wasn’t the easiest, but the guys handled it well, no drama. Quote was clear, no hidden extras, and they actually stuck to it, which is rare. Finish came out solid, exactly what we needed for rentals. Joe (PM) kept things ticking and communication was always on point. All in all, smooth job — would use them again for sure.👍

    Apartify Estates

  • The results from Craftex’s commercial refurbishment in London are fantastic. The team was friendly, clear in communication, and made sure the project stayed on track. The workspace now feels efficient, welcoming, and modern. Definitely a team you can trust!

    Alaa Betar

  • Hired Craftex for our conversion project. We had to convert a 600m2 office into 8 apartments. Guys did an excellent job in terms of program efficiency and quality of the finishes which gave us a big upside to exit the project 2 months faster than other competitors’ timelines.

    Misha Levit

  • Great experience from start to finish. Communication was clear, the workmanship was excellent, and the whole project was managed professionally.

    Rhea Langford

  • I’d like to thank the team at Сraftex for the work they did on our office.
    It was really important for us to get the work done quickly, but without compromising on quality, as we regularly have clients and guests visiting and needed to move into the new office within a month.
    We spent around two weeks discussing and agreeing all the details before the work started. What I really appreciated was that everything we agreed beforehand was actually followed through during the job. The work was also completed on time.
    Thanks to the whole Сraftex team for a great job. I’d definitely use them again if we need any work done in the future.

    IURII PYLYPETS

  • We recently worked with Craftex and honestly couldn’t be happier with the results. From start to finish, the team was professional, reliable, and highly skilled. The quality of workmanship exceeded our expectations, and everything was completed on time and to a very high standard.
    Communication throughout the project was excellent, and they always went above and beyond to make sure we were satisfied. It’s rare to find a construction company that combines professionalism, attention to detail, and great customer service so well.
    Without a doubt, Craftex is one of the best construction companies we have ever worked with. Highly recommended to anyone looking for quality and trustworthy builders.

    Adam Miah

  • Great company to work with as always. Super flexible at dealing with evolving requirements and fast deployment and execution.

    Akshay Khanna

  • Hired Craftex to do the full design and fit out of my gym in Chelsea. Super efficient and fast team. They gave the best price and a proper fast track program. We managed to open in less than 6 weeks with no headaches or surprises during construction. Quality was great, we had zero snags on completion. I’ve worked with a few companies before but these guys really impressed me from project management to how they treat the client. Top GGs.

    Александр Хоменко

  • I worked perfectly with Sviat and Joe, with their architect they came up with a very smart design for our office to fit more desks and optimise the space to its maximum capacity. They also did excellent value engineering on the MEP design proposed by others, allowing us to save around £50K. The quality and speed were outstanding we finished two weeks ahead of schedule. Highly recommend these guys.

    John Smith

  • Happy with the end result. Tight timeline but they pulled it off. The team worked late shifts and even weekends to help us open the doors on schedule. Site was always left tidy at the end of the day and no surprise charges either. Good communication throughout. Would definitely use Craftex again.

    Pawel Kamionka

  • Highly recommended!
    Craftex are the kind of fit-out contractors in London you can truly trust. From the very first meeting, they understood our vision and gave practical ideas to make the most of our space. They turned our old storage area into a clean, efficient, and well-organized warehouse. The team was professional, easy to work with, and clearly took pride in their work.

    Monika Kamionka

  • We brought in Craftex to refurb our London office and honestly, they made the whole thing way easier than we expected. They listened, suggested ideas we wouldn’t have thought of, and explained everything clearly. Not the cheapest quote we got, but the end result shows why, the place looks modern, clean, and our team actually enjoys being here now. Communication was spot-on too. No chasing and confusion, deadlines were hit. If you want people who genuinely care and don’t treat your project like “another job,” I’d recommend them.

    A Google User

  • Sviat and his team at Craftex were brilliant to work with on our office redesign. From the first meeting, they took the time to understand how we actually use the space rather than just pitching generic solutions. They came back with clever, practical ideas to maximise use of the space and get more employees and desks inside . Every step was handled professionally, and the process felt surprisingly smooth for a project of this size. They finished one week ahead of schedule, and the transformation is clear — our office feels brighter, more functional, and much more welcoming. I’d happily recommend Craftex to anyone who wants a reliable design team that also makes the journey enjoyable.

    Cucu Iulian

  • We recently worked with Sviat and the Craftex team on a complete warehouse refurbishment, and the results have been outstanding. From the very beginning, their team was professional, organized, and attentive to every detail. The project was completed on time and within budget, without disrupting our day-to-day operations.

    Simone Racaku

  • My experience with Craftex was excellent from beginning to end. They took the time to really listen to what I wanted and then offered practical suggestions that made the design even better. I always felt like they cared about creating a space that worked for me, not just one that looked nice on paper. The end result is an office that feels stylish, welcoming, and very functional for day-to-day work. The process itself was straightforward, well-managed, and never stressful. I’d definitely recommend Craftex if you’re looking for office design and build services in London — they made the whole journey a positive one.

    Ion Bounegru

  • I’m really pleased with my experience working with Craftex. As a commercial construction firm, they handled everything from start to finish without any unnecessary stress on my side. What impressed me was how they suggested practical ideas that improved the design while also keeping things realistic. The communication was always clear, so I never felt out of the loop. The project ran smoothly, deadlines were met, and the end result is exactly what I was hoping for — a space that feels both functional and modern. It’s not easy finding contractors who are this reliable, but Craftex definitely proved they can be trusted.

    Taron Papoyan

  • I had an amazing experience working with Sviat and the Craftex team on our office fit-out in London. They were always professional, responsive, and quick to offer the best advice whenever decisions needed to be made. I really appreciated how they balanced style with practicality — the office doesn’t just look fantastic, it works perfectly for our team. Everything was done with care and attention to detail, and the project never felt overwhelming because they managed it so well. Communication was clear from start to finish, and I always felt involved in the process. I would happily recommend Craftex to anyone looking for a trustworthy contractor.

    Artur Dvorak

  • Craftex carried out a warehouse fit-out for us, and I couldn’t be happier with the outcome. The space has been completely transformed into a highly organized and efficient environment that makes our daily operations much smoother.
    The team was professional but also very approachable — I always felt comfortable asking questions or giving feedback. They came up with smart, practical solutions that worked perfectly for our setup, and everything was explained clearly along the way.
    The best part was how they stuck to the agreed timeline, finishing on schedule without cutting corners. It’s rare to get both quality and reliability, but Craftex delivered both.

    Roma Shchukin

  • We’re extremely happy with Sviat and the Craftex team’s work. They suggested clever ideas, managed the project efficiently, and delivered a functional, modern space. The team was easy to communicate with and very professional throughout the process!

    Polina Lysenko

  • I can honestly say our office has been completely transformed thanks to Craftex. From the very first meeting, the team was approachable, professional, and full of creative ideas that really made sense for our business. They didn’t just focus on how the space would look but also how it would work for the team day-to-day. The new layout is efficient, modern, and welcoming, and you can tell they really thought about the details. The whole process was smooth and surprisingly stress-free. They kept me updated at every stage, which gave me confidence. I’m really happy with the results and wouldn’t hesitate to recommend them to anyone.

    Mykyta Khadzhynov

  • These guys actually deliver. They handled our first industrial to residential conversion near Tower Bridge, turned an old warehouse into 4 modern flats. They stuck to the plan, kept the site clean and the timing was on point. No hidden extras, no drama, just a professional construction company in London that gets the job done.

    Богдан Главацкий

  • We recently hired Craftex for a commercial office fit-out project in Central London, and overall, we’re really happy with the result. There was a delay on our side with a custom glass partition supplier, but the Craftex team managed the construction schedule very professionally and kept everything on track. Their guys worked clean, respected our workspace and IT setup, and kept the site tidy throughout. If you're looking for a reliable office refurbishment company in London, I’d definitely recommend Craftex. Would use them again without hesitation.

    Ardian Beleshi

  • This was a full high-end renovation of my Victorian rental apartment in Westminster, just off Sloane Square and Belgravia. The scope included full fit-out: electrics, plumbing, a new bespoke kitchen, and a luxury bathroom refurbishment. Craftex took care of everything and made the process easy. They weren’t the cheapest, but you can tell they really know what they’re doing when it comes to prime London property renovations.
    The team was professional, organised, and genuinely seemed to care about getting everything right. I was especially impressed with the quality of the finish – the attention to detail really shows in every corner.
    I’m very happy with the results and would definitely recommend Craftex to anyone looking for reliable, high-quality renovation work in Central London.

    Наталия Цимбалюк

  • I was stressed about timing since we had bookings lined up, but they smashed it. Even worked Saturday to finish the floor. My clients love the look — the beauty salon fit-out turned out exactly how I wanted. Couldn’t have pulled it off without their help. Genuinely appreciate the way they communicated throughout the refurbishment. If you need reliable help with beauty salon design or fit-out, especially in a place like Chelsea — these are the guys.

    Rami Jusupova

  • Fuse Energy hired Craftex on the fit-out and installation of our engineering and research centre, which included electrical, heating, lighting, plumbing, and ventilation upgrades. They delivered everything to a high standard and were proactive throughout — even working weekends to help speed up the programme, despite not being contracted to. They managed last-minute changes very well, communication was clear and consistent, and the team was professional from start to finish. We’d happily recommend Craftex to anyone needing a reliable construction partner.

    Hainro Eybers

  • Holistic therapy space fit-out
    Super impressed. I had a very specific vision for the studio. calm tones, soft lighting, hidden storage etc. the craftex team just got it. build was done quicker than I expected and the guys were polite, tidy and actually listened. we had 2 snags on day one but they fixed it before the week was out. worth it for the peace of mind.

    Dariia Shvyryda

  • Made a full refurbishment and redesign of our Central London office. Fantastic work, quality service and reliable people. Can recommend it to everybody

    Nikita Nigai

  • Amazing experience with these guys. I trusted them my apartment in London and Business. They are always accurate, very professional, responsive and neat. They would always advice me right things for my best interest. I had luxury experience with them and I would definitely recommend Craftex to everyone.

    Motush Motushev

  • Could not be HAPPIER with Sviat and the Craftex team, they certainly showed me that they’re the number one office design company in London that we’ve had the pleasure of working with. They gave us a unique design just like we wanted, and we loved the first initial draft of the concept. Also have to give them props for Construction, I gave them a tight timeline as we needed to move our team in ASAP, so they pulled double shifts and I didn’t see a drop in quality. Will be to talking to the team when we move up to our next bigger office. Highly recommended A+++

    Mikhail Burdoev

  • Very professional company. Craftex did brilliant minimalistic design and completely refurbished my apartment to the highest quality.

    Vlad

  • I and my husband are very satisfied with Craftex's service and customer support. We bought a house in Hampstead and wanted to redesign and renovate it. On our initial free consultation with Sviat, we found out that we actually can do loft conversion and rear extension and add value to the property straight away.
    We worked with the Craftex design team to bring our vision to life and deliver planning approvals. At that time guys started stripping out to save time on the construction programme as we wanted to move in ASAP.
    We worked with very experienced project director Konstantin who was responsible for all aspects of project delivery from design to construction with a very good eye on details and customer care.
    We saved a lot of money by having professional advice from the start. Project management and quality at Craftex are at the highest level. Many thanks to Craftex Team.

    Lia Lavryk

  • ISO 9001
  • ISO 14001
  • ISO 45001
  • CHAS
  • Constructionline Gold
  • SafeContractor
  • TrustMark
  • FMB
  • NICEIC
  • NAPIT
  • MCS
  • CSCS
  • Considerate Constructors
  • RICS, Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors
  • RIBA, Royal Institute of British Architects
  • ARB, Architects Registration Board
  • Public & Employers' Liability £10M
  • Professional Indemnity £10M
  • ISO 9001, 14001 and 45001 certified

Closing or moving a shop?

One team, one point of contact from claim to keys. Send the lease, the schedule or just the address for your free dilapidations claim review. We will come back to you the same working day.

Unit 5, 160 Buckingham Palace Road, London SW1W 9TR

info@craftex.co.uk

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