To fully understand what Cat A+ is, let’s start by briefly explaining what Cat A and Cat B are. Both are the long-established terms used to describe the kind of space that’s delivered in the real estate world.

A Cat A fit-out is typically implemented for a landlord and includes floors and ceilings finished to industry standard, painted walls, toilet facilities, and mechanical and electrical services. It’s an empty, open space. A blank canvas for a tenant to move into.

A Cat B space is what follows – the tenant fit-out, your transformation of the blank canvas to a fully functioning office space. This might include new floor and ceiling finishes or wall treatments, new lighting,  cabling, AV, various defined zones such as private offices, meeting rooms, reception and kitchen areas, furniture throughout, and bespoke detail such as branding, signage, art and other accessories.

Cat A+ sits in between these two categories.  It’s a fully furnished and wired space that is immediately occupiable so all you need to do is move in. The benefit to you is that your landlord has funded the fit-out cost and the benefit to them is that they find a tenant sooner. It’s a win-win for all.

Cat A+ is a fairly new concept. It came about following the success of co-working providers who brought flexible leases, inclusive costs and plug and play environments to the market. Traditional landlords needed to find new ways to make their properties as appealing to tenants, and Cat A+ was the solution.

In my previous roles as both a Designer and Project Director I was a key member of the team that conceived of and pioneered the Cat A+ concept, working alongside parent company ThirdWay and some big players in the agent and landlord world to define, design and deliver what the market needed. Cat A+ made it possible for small businesses, that might have struggled to fund a refurbishment and who didn’t want to share a co-working office, to move into their own, private, fully finished and functioning workspace.

TX, the tenant experience, is a natural progression of Cat A+ but a revolutionary change to how real estate is typically marketed. TX adds elements of customisation to the offering so that your experience, and your workplace as a result, is more personal to you and your business. TX elevates Cat A+ from a great space with benefits to an immersive experience that gives you control of your final environment, clarity of costs, and a timeline to move in by, all in your first viewing.