Life Sciences Fit Out Cost Guide

U.S. Guide 2025 Highlights

This guide is an essential tool to assist in corporate life sciences real estate decision-making, providing a better understanding of capital planning and relocation budgets.

Our 2025 Life Sciences Fit Out Cost Guidecovers five lab types, two cGMP types, warehouse and office across the six major U.S. life sciences markets.

Life Sciences Fit Out Costs

Across all life sciences facility types and the six markets surveyed, fit out costs overall averaged $846 psf, with costs totaling $771 psf on the low end and $986 psf at the high end. By facility type, costs were highest for BSL3, averaging $1,497 psf and lowest for warehouse at $264 psf. By market, costs were highest in San Francisco, averaging $1,157 psf on the high end and lowest in Raleigh-Durham, averaging $592 psf on the low end.

Most Expensive, by Market and Facility Type 
Comparing all markets and facility types, the three priciest markets were all BLS3 facility types on the high end: San Francisco ($2,283 psf); Philadelphia ($2,037 psf); and Boston ($2,023 psf).

Least Expensive, by Market and Facility Type 
On the low end, the three most cost-effective markets consisted of two warehouse subtypes and one office fit out: Raleigh/Durham (Warehouse)--$160 psf; Seattle (Warehouse)--$196 psf; and Raleigh/Durham (Office)--$204 psf.

Understanding Costs: An Example

The fit out costs provided here for individual lab types give guide users the flexibility to better understand costs. The floor plans and associated cost, by type of space, are based on 36,205 total usable square feet (sf). The cGMP gene MFG suite was the costliest to fit out in this project, averaging $1,230 per square foot or approximately 41% of total project cost. G&A spaces were the largest space allocation at 14,365 sf, or 40% of the total project size.

Cost Example: cGMP Gene Therapy Small: Manufacturing, Seattle

^{*The table consists of the project drawing usable square-foot take offs and the average cost psf per type of space. To get the cost psf on rentable sf, one will need to account for the loss factor of the building.}

Estimated costs are indicative of market averages based on certain assumptions. Since exact costs for specific projects may differ from those presented here, we recommend engaging a Cushman & Wakefield Project & Development Services (PDS) professional to advise on precise costs based on your unique construction requirements.