Office Partitions Across the UK

Plasterboard stud partitions usually cost around £120 to £250 per linear metre at a standard ceiling height, including finishing. Single-glazed partitions are typically £300 to £550 per linear metre, double-glazed acoustic systems £500 to £900, and fire-rated glazing £800 to £1,200 or more. A small glazed meeting room with one door often comes to £3,000 to £7,000.

Often, yes. Putting up internal partitions in an office can change the means of escape and fire safety of the building, which is covered by Part B of the Building Regulations in England and equivalent rules elsewhere in the UK. If a new layout creates rooms off escape routes, changes corridor widths or affects fire separation, building control will usually need to be involved. In Scotland a building warrant may be required.

Yes. Glazed partitions and doors in offices fall within the critical locations where glass must break safely, so toughened or laminated safety glass is used. Large areas of clear glass also need manifestation, such as frosted bands or graphics, so people can see the glass, usually at two heights between about 850mm and 1000mm and between 1400mm and 1600mm from the floor.

Sound reduction is measured as an Rw rating in decibels. Single-glazed partitions are typically around 35 to 42 dB, insulated plasterboard and demountable solid walls around 42 to 48 dB, and double-glazed acoustic systems around 45 to 52 dB. For confidential meeting rooms, aim for the higher end and make sure the door, seals and ceiling void are treated too, because sound easily travels over a partition that stops at a suspended ceiling.

Only where the fire strategy requires it. Partitions that form protected escape corridors or separate higher-risk rooms commonly need 30 minutes fire resistance with FD30 fire doors, and compartment walls may need 60 minutes or more. Ordinary meeting rooms within an open floor often do not need fire-rated partitions, but the layout should be checked against your fire risk assessment.

A single meeting room in plasterboard or a demountable system can often be installed in one to three days. Larger fit-outs take one to several weeks. Glazed systems usually need a lead time of a few weeks for the glass to be made to size after the final survey.

If you lease your office, almost certainly. Most commercial leases require landlord consent, often called a licence for alterations, before any partitions are installed, and many require them to be removed at the end of the lease. Demountable systems can make that easier.

Yes. Most jobs are planned so the work area is screened off and noisy tasks are done early, late or at weekends. Demountable and glazed systems are largely prefabricated, so there is little dust compared with traditional building work.