FIS revises client guide to office fit-out and adds e-learning version

The Finishes and Interiors Sector (FIS) trade body has published a revised edition of its Client Guide to Office Fit-Out and Refurbishment, and has also developed the document into an e-learning course for clients.

FIS said on 27 October 2026 that the new edition promotes best practice in the fit-out process and takes account of new working practices and advances in sustainability. The guide's publication page describes it as the 2026 edition.

According to FIS, the way business environments are used has changed fundamentally since Covid and Grenfell, with agile working and online meetings now the norm rather than the exception.

James Parlour, FIS Technical Director, said: "Clarity over process and expectations in the fit-out process benefits clients, designers and contractors alike." He added that the guide is aligned with the RIBA plan of works and lays the groundwork for better design.

What the guide covers

FIS said the document takes a client from the initial decision on whether to refurbish an existing office or relocate and fit out new premises, through to post-occupancy evaluation.

The body said the authors recognise that not everyone involved in, or sanctioning, a project is an industry professional or familiar with statutory rules. It has therefore set the guide out as a step-by-step process from initial concept to completion and handover.

FIS said the revised edition reflects on the responsibilities of a client under the Building Safety Act, including the interaction with "higher risk buildings" as defined in the legislation, and how to consider the impact early in planning a fit-out. It also reflects what FIS described as the evolution and rapid maturation of best practice and methods of measurement relating to sustainability.

The guide is free to download from the FIS website.

The e-learning course

Alongside the guide, FIS has developed an e-learning module, titled Guidance for completing an Office Fit Out or Refurbishment, which it said offers an interactive alternative. The course is based on the client guide and is intended to assist clients, according to FIS. It is accessed through the FIS Academy.

Mark Randall, managing director at IOR Group, is quoted on the guide's publication page: "The guide is excellent for taking clients through the steps and decision points required for quality project delivery."

Background

This is at least the third iteration of the guide. FIS launched the original on Thursday 25 May 2017 during Clerkenwell Design Week, saying at the time that it would enable contractors to demonstrate they follow best practice. A previous revision followed on 16 March 2023.

The guide sits within the remit of the FIS Fit-out Working Group, which the body said was formed to represent and support the interior fit-out sector. One of the group's stated objectives is to educate and inform clients and specifiers about the fit-out process.

FIS describes itself as the not-for-profit representative body for the £12bn finishes and interiors sector in the UK. It was formed in 2015 from the merger of the Association of Interior Specialists (AIS) and the Federation of Plastering and Drywall Contractors (FPDC).

Both the 2026 guide and the e-learning course are available now through the FIS website.