Office partition FAQs

A partition quotation normally covers the partition system, glass, frames, tracks, seals, fixings and installation labour, with doors, blinds, manifestation and strip-out listed as separate lines. Electrical, ventilation and sprinkler alterations are usually priced by specialist trades. Always check what is included so quotations can be compared like for like.

Quotes vary because of differences in specification, such as glass thickness, acoustic rating, door hardware and frame type, and in what each quote includes, such as decoration, manifestation, out-of-hours working and making good. Ask each supplier to state the system, the performance and the exclusions so the comparison is fair.

Glass partition doors typically cost £850–£2,600 each, supply and install, excluding VAT. Frameless pivot doors with standard hardware sit at the lower end, while framed double glazed doors with acoustic seals and Crittall-style doors with premium handles sit at the upper end. Prices are confirmed after a free site survey.

Strip-out of existing partitions typically costs £20–£45 per m², excluding VAT, plus making good of ceilings, floors and walls. The cost depends on the system, how it was fixed and how waste is removed from the building. Demountable systems can sometimes be relocated rather than scrapped, at around 35–60% of new.

Yes. Installation comes with a written workmanship guarantee, and the partition systems, glass and hardware carry the manufacturers' system warranties. The terms are set out with your quotation. Keeping doors and seals maintained in line with the manufacturer's guidance helps the partitions perform as intended throughout their life.

Office partitions use toughened glass made to BS EN 12150 or laminated glass made to BS EN 14449 and EN ISO 12543, impact classified to BS EN 12600. Both are safety glass suitable for critical locations under Approved Document K. Laminated glass stays held together if broken, which suits some locations.

Often, yes. Enclosed rooms may need smoke detection, alarm sounders and emergency lighting, and buildings with sprinklers usually need heads added or moved so each new room is covered. These alterations are designed and installed by specialist contractors and coordinated with the partition layout before glass is installed.

An inner room is a room that can only be left by passing through another room, called the access room. Approved Document B restricts inner rooms because occupants may not notice a fire in the access room. Solutions include vision panels, smoke detection or redesigning the layout so that every room opens directly onto a corridor.

The client has duties under CDM 2015, including making suitable arrangements for managing the project and providing pre-construction information. Where more than one contractor is involved, the client must appoint a principal designer and principal contractor in writing. The partition installer provides risk assessments and method statements for its work.

Yes. Changing the layout changes escape routes, travel distances and how a fire might spread, so the responsible person under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 should review the fire risk assessment once partitions are installed. Keep the manufacturer's test evidence and as-built drawings with your fire safety records.

Frameless single glazed partitions usually use 10mm or 12mm toughened glass, or 10.8mm to 12.8mm laminated glass. Double glazed partitions typically use two thinner panes, such as 6mm toughened and 6.4mm laminated, in a frame. The right thickness depends on height, span, acoustic needs and the manufacturer's tested system.

No partition is completely soundproof, but glass partitions can give good speech privacy. Indicative laboratory ratings are 32–35 dB Rw for 10mm toughened, 38–40 dB for acoustic laminate and 42–52 dB for double glazing. Site performance is usually several decibels lower, so doors and ceiling voids must be treated too.

EI 30 means the partition, tested as a complete system, maintains integrity and insulation for at least 30 minutes in a standard fire test. Integrity stops flames and hot gases passing through, and insulation limits heat on the safe side. The rating only applies when the tested system is installed exactly as tested.

Often, yes. Many rooms underperform because of the door or ceiling void rather than the glass. Adding drop seals and perimeter seals to the door, fitting a ceiling void barrier and resealing junctions can make a noticeable difference. Where the glass itself is the limit, panes can be upgraded within a compatible system.

Each suits different needs. Toughened glass is stronger and breaks into small, relatively blunt pieces, while laminated glass stays held together by its interlayer when broken and, with an acoustic interlayer, improves sound insulation. Many partition systems offer both, and the choice depends on location, acoustics and security.

The surveyor measures floor-to-ceiling heights, wall positions and window mullions, checks floor levels and ceiling void services, notes access routes and working restrictions, and discusses your layout, privacy needs and budget. Photographs and measurements are used to prepare drawings and a written quotation based on the conditions found on site.

Yes. Because toughened glass cannot be cut or drilled after toughening, sizes are checked against the site and the approved drawings before glass is ordered. On projects where walls, floors or ceilings are still being built, a final check measure is made once those elements are complete so that the glass fits accurately.

Glass and demountable installation is largely a dry process, so mess is limited to drilling dust, packaging and offcuts from frames. Stud partitions create more dust from cutting board and sanding joints. Work areas are protected and cleaned daily, and the site is left clean at handover after snagging.

Usually, the area along each partition line needs to be clear, with enough working space either side for safe handling of glass and materials. The survey agrees what needs moving and when. Furniture and IT equipment should be moved by your team or removals contractor unless otherwise agreed in the quotation.

At handover the partitions are cleaned, doors adjusted and a snagging inspection carried out with you. You receive the relevant documents, which can include as-built drawings, glass and product information, manufacturers' fire and acoustic test evidence where relevant, and care and maintenance guidance for your facilities records.

Most landlords ask for layout drawings, system specifications, fire and acoustic evidence where relevant, details of services alterations, risk assessments and method statements, contractor insurance and proposed working hours. Providing a complete pack at the start reduces questions and usually shortens the time taken to grant a licence for alterations.

It varies, but allow several weeks. The landlord's surveyor reviews the proposals, the solicitors agree the licence wording and both parties sign. Simple internal partitioning with a complete information pack is usually quicker. Start the process as soon as you have a layout so that consent does not delay the programme.

Glass and demountable systems are fixed with mechanical fixings into the floor, walls and ceiling or soffit, which leave small holes to make good on removal. Fixing to the ceiling grid rather than the slab can reduce making good where acoustic and fire needs allow. Your landlord may specify preferred fixing methods.

Possibly, if the landlord agrees. Some landlords prefer good quality glass partitions and meeting rooms left in place because they help relet the space, and may waive reinstatement. Get the landlord's decision in writing before the lease ends, because without it your dilapidations obligations may require removal.

Yes. A schedule of condition records the state of the premises, with photographs, before your works begin. It helps resolve disputes about original condition at lease end and shows what making good is reasonable. Ideally it is agreed with the landlord and attached to the lease or licence for alterations.