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Bare shell, warm shell or fitted office: what you get and what it costs to move in

Short answer: A bare shell floor is an empty structure that you fit out completely, a warm shell adds the base services (usually ceiling, lighting, air conditioning and fire safety), and a fitted office is ready to work in. The less the landlord has built, the more you spend and the longer you wait before moving in, but the lower the rent and the more control you have over the layout.

These three terms appear in most office lease listings, and landlords use them differently. We track 1,110 office buildings with space to lease across Gurgaon, Noida and Delhi (checked 24 Oct 2026). The same building can offer one floor as bare shell and another as fitted, so always ask which condition the floor you like is offered in, and get it written into the term sheet.

What each condition usually includes

	Bare shell	Warm shell	Fitted (plug and play)
Structure, facade and glazing	Yes	Yes	Yes
Lifts, stairs and common toilets in the core	Yes	Yes	Yes
Power supply brought to the floor	Yes	Yes	Yes
False ceiling and basic lighting	No	Usually	Yes
Air conditioning ducts and outlets on the floor	No, or up to a point on the floor	Usually	Yes
Sprinklers and fire detection laid out for open office	Base only	Usually	Yes
Floor finish or raised floor	No	Sometimes	Yes
Cabins, meeting rooms, pantry	No	No	Yes
Workstations and chairs	No	No	Usually
IT cabling and server room	No	No	Sometimes

"Warm shell" has no fixed definition. One landlord's warm shell includes toilets and a pantry on the floor; another's stops at the ceiling grid. Ask for the specification sheet and walk the floor before you compare rents.

What it costs to move in

Rent is only one line. For each option, add up:

1. Security deposit. On a leased office it is often 6 to 10 months of rent. On a fitted floor it can be higher, because the landlord has more invested in the space.
2. Fit-out spend. This is highest on bare shell: civil work, ceiling, lighting, air conditioning distribution, fire safety changes, partitions, flooring, furniture, IT and branding. On warm shell you skip the base services. On a fitted floor you usually pay only for changes, furniture top-ups and IT.
3. Approvals. Changes to sprinklers, fire alarms and air conditioning usually need the building's approval and, for larger offices, fire department sign-off. Budget time and fees for it.
4. Rent while you build. Many landlords in Gurgaon and Noida give a rent-free fit-out period on bare shell floors. It is usually shorter, or not offered, on fitted floors. It is agreed in the lease, so ask before you sign.
5. Restoring the floor at exit. Most leases ask you to hand the floor back in the condition you received it. On bare shell that can mean paying to strip out your fit-out.

A fitted floor saves the upfront spend, but the landlord recovers the cost of the fit-out through a higher rent, a separate fit-out rental, or a longer lock-in. Ask for the rent split into "bare rent" and "fit-out rental", and what happens to the fit-out rental if you renew.

How long each takes

• Bare shell: a full fit-out usually takes 45 days to 5 months from design to handover, depending on size, scope and building approvals. See fitting out your own office for the steps.
• Warm shell: usually shorter, because the ceiling, lighting, air conditioning and fire safety are already in.
• Fitted: usually a few weeks, for IT, furniture changes and branding.

Which one suits you

• Bare shell suits teams of about 100 seats and up, staying 5 years or more, who want their own layout and brand. The spend is spread over a long stay.
• Warm shell suits teams who want their own layout without paying for base services, and who need to move in faster than a full fit-out allows.
• Fitted suits teams who need to move in quickly, want little upfront spend, or are not sure of headcount beyond 3 years. Check that the existing layout really fits your team before you sign: a fitted floor with too many cabins can cost more to change than a warm shell.
• Not sure you want to lease at all? A managed office gives you a fitted space with one monthly fee. See managed office or your own office for the break-even, and the true cost of a coworking seat for what sits on top of the seat price.

Questions to ask the landlord

1. Exactly what is handed over? Ask for the specification sheet and the floor's drawings.
2. Is there a rent-free fit-out period, and from which date does rent start?
3. Who pays for approvals for changes to fire safety and air conditioning?
4. On a fitted floor, how is the rent split between bare rent and fit-out rental?
5. What must the floor look like when you leave?

Browse office space for lease in Gurgaon, Noida and Delhi. Tell us your team size, preferred area and move-in date, and we will send a complimentary shortlist of floors in the condition you want.

FAQ

What is the difference between bare shell and warm shell? A bare shell floor is an empty structure with power brought to the floor. A warm shell usually adds a false ceiling, basic lighting, air conditioning outlets and fire safety laid out for an office. Definitions vary, so ask for the landlord's specification sheet.

Is a fitted office more expensive than a bare shell office? The monthly rent is usually higher on a fitted floor, because the landlord recovers the cost of the fit-out through a higher rent, a separate fit-out rental or a longer lock-in. The upfront spend is much lower than fitting out a bare shell yourself.

How long does it take to fit out a bare shell office? A full fit-out usually takes 45 days to 5 months from design to handover, depending on size, scope and building approvals.

Do landlords give a rent-free period for fit-out? Many landlords in Gurgaon and Noida give a rent-free fit-out period on bare shell floors. It is usually shorter, or not offered, on fitted floors. It is agreed in the lease, so ask before you sign.

Last checked 6 Nov 2026.