Grade A vs Grade B Office Space: What the Labels Really Mean

Office listings are full of grades, and they are not regulated. There is no official body that awards a building Grade A status, so the label is a guide rather than a guarantee. Understanding what sits behind it helps you decide what is worth paying for.

What Grade A usually means

Grade A is the top of the market: new or recently refurbished buildings with high ceilings, excellent natural light, modern air conditioning, raised floors, fast lifts, strong sustainability credentials and a impressive reception. Think flagship schemes in central Manchester, Leeds or London.

You pay for it. Prime Grade A serviced space in a major regional city typically runs from around £400 to £650 per desk per month, and leased Grade A rents sit at the top of each city's range.

What Grade B usually means

Grade B covers perfectly good buildings that are a little older or a little further from the prime pitch: solid space with decent specification, often recently refreshed, at a meaningfully lower price. Much of the UK's serviced office stock sits here.

In major regional cities, good Grade B serviced space typically runs from around £200 to £450 per desk per month. For many teams the saving funds a bigger office, a better location or simply a healthier budget.

When each grade makes sense

Choose Grade A when clients visit often, when you are competing hard for talent, or when the address itself carries weight in your market. Choose Grade B when the team is mostly internal, when budget matters more than the lobby, or when you would rather spend the difference on people.

The smart move is to view both. We regularly show clients a Grade B building two streets from a Grade A scheme at two thirds of the price, and the right answer depends on how your business actually works. Ask us for a shortlist and we will include a spread of grades with honest guidance on each, usually within 48 hours.