Turnkey offices: how to move in within weeks
An office move usually conjures up months of fit-out works, quotes and boxes. A turnkey office flips that equation: a space that is already fitted out, furnished and connected, where your team can work from day one. Here's how it works, and how fast it really is.
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Turnkey: what it actually means
A turnkey office (most often a managed office or a private office in a coworking space) comes with everything: furniture, ultra-fast internet, cleaning, maintenance, meeting rooms, and sometimes reception and mail handling. You buy nothing, you manage no building works, and you pay a single monthly fee. The only real question is choosing the right space.
The real timeline, from brief to move-in
| Stage | What happens | Typical duration |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Brief | Headcount, budget, neighbourhoods, priorities: we get to grips with what you need | 1 conversation |
| 2. First shortlist | A shortlist of relevant listings, your feedback, adjustments | 24-72 h |
| 3. Viewings | 3 to 4 targeted listings, not a marathon | 1-2 weeks |
| 4. Negotiation | Price, term, notice period, services | a few days |
| 5. Signing and move-in | The space is ready: you just bring your computers | immediately to a few days |
All in all: small teams (1-15 desks) take 3 weeks on average to decide, and teams of 15 to 50 desks around 8 weeks. There's no comparison with a traditional lease, where fit-out works often add several months before the first working day.
How fast can it go? Signed in 24 hours
A true story: a client's coworking space announced it was closing. She emailed us at 11.30pm. A viewing that same afternoon, the contract signed the next morning. More than a year and a half later, she's still in those offices, and still happy there.
This isn't the norm (and a considered decision beats a rushed one), but it shows what a market of ready-made spaces makes possible when the need is urgent: a space closing down, a fire, sudden growth, a lease ending sooner than planned for.
Who are turnkey offices for?
- Teams in a hurry: a looming deadline, rapid growth, the unexpected.
- SMEs without a property team: nobody who can be spared to run a fit-out project.
- Companies protecting their cash flow: zero CapEx and a predictable monthly cost (see our overview of prices per desk).
- Organisations in transition: between two leases, during building works, or for the length of an assignment.
Conversely, an established company that wants a bespoke headquarters amortised over many years will be better served by a 3-6-9 commercial lease (the standard French lease): it's a different project, not a lesser option.
What does a turnkey office include?
How quickly can you move in?
Is turnkey the same as a managed office?
What commitment is involved?
And to plan your exit from your current premises, follow our office move checklist, from 90 days out to 30 days after.
Need to move in quickly, and get it right?
Tell us your deadline: we shortlist the spaces that are genuinely available and negotiate the terms. Let us find your office or talk to an expert.
Find the ideal office,
without wasting time.
From the first viewing to signing your contract, Desk to Desk supports you every step of the way to ensure a smooth move for your team.
