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The 9 best commercial builders in Canberra

Canberra builders for commercial projects of roughly $500,000 to $50 million: office, clinic and retail fitouts, hospitality, warehouses and small apartment or townhouse jobs. Not the tier-one contractors. Each builder's licence was checked on the Access Canberra register.

Updated October 2026.

Builders listed
9
Licences confirmed on the register
9 of 9
Average Google rating
4.0
Google reviews, combined
72
Builders paying to be here
None
  • LicenceA current Access Canberra builder licence, matched to the business.
  • ReputationIndependent reviews, awards and years trading.
  • Right kind of workCommercial fitouts, new builds or small multi-residential work shown on their own site.
  • No paid placesNobody pays to be listed or to move up.

Commercial builders in Canberra, ranked

These builders show completed commercial work at this scale on their own sites. They're ranked on fit for that work, reputation and track record.

  1. 1

    Monarch Building Solutions

    Fyshwick. Canberra, the NSW South Coast and the Riverina

    5.0 from 3 Google reviews

    Best for mid-sized education, health and community projects

    • Won two 2026 Master Builders ACT awards, for an early learning centre and a fitout, the firm says.
    • Works on projects from $100,000 to $40 million, according to the firm.
    • Says it has more than 30 awards since starting in 2005.
    ACT builder licence
    20231299 Checked
    Building since
    2005
    Builds
    Education, Health, Fitouts, Aged care, Multi-residential
    More about Monarch Building Solutions

    Monarch Building Solutions is a Fyshwick based commercial builder founded in 2005, with a second office in Batemans Bay. It works across education, health, community housing, retirement living and fitouts, on projects the firm says range from $100,000 to $40 million.

    Recent Canberra work includes the Watson Health Hub and a rehabilitation facility for Winnunga Nimmityjah. At the 2026 Master Builders ACT awards it won the fitout category under $1 million and, the firm says, the $5 million to $10 million commercial category for Deakin Early Learning Centre.

    Awards: 2026 Master Builders ACT Excellence Awards: Commercial Construction $5 million to $10 million (Deakin Early Learning Centre), winner (according to the firm); 2026 Master Builders ACT Excellence Awards: Commercial or Retail Fitout, Refurbishment or Alteration less than $1 million (23NC), winner; 2026 Master Builders NSW Southern Regions Excellence in Building Awards: two wins for St Peter's sports centre and performing arts projects (according to the firm)

    02 6162 0232Visit website
  2. 2

    Projex Building Group

    Kingston. Canberra

    5.0 from 8 Google reviews

    Best for refurbishments and fitouts for private and government clients

    • Won the 2025 Master Builders ACT Commercial Construction $5 million to $20 million award.
    • Holds ISO 9001, 14001 and 45001 certification marks, as shown on its website.
    • Builds across health, retirement living, clubs and education in Canberra.
    ACT builder licence
    2007904 Checked
    Building since
    2006
    Builds
    Fitouts, Health, Education, Hospitality, Aged care
    More about Projex Building Group

    Projex is a Kingston based Canberra builder working on construction, refurbishment and fitout projects for private and government clients. Its project list covers health, retirement living, housing, education and clubs, including a 1600 square metre refurbishment of the Canberra Southern Cross Club in Woden under a lump sum contract.

    It won the 2025 Master Builders ACT $5 million to $20 million commercial category for Gugan Gulwan with CK Architecture. It also won the 2024 Master Builders ACT fitout category for $5 million to $10 million with the Aviation Lane fitout, designed by The Mill Architecture and Design. Its site shows ISO quality, environment and safety certification marks.

    Awards: 2025 Master Builders ACT Excellence Awards: Commercial Construction $5 million to $20 million (Gugan Gulwan), winner; 2025 Master Builders ACT Excellence Awards: Special Purpose/Adaptable Dwelling (Whitlam), winner; 2024 Master Builders ACT Excellence Awards: Commercial Fitout, Refurbishment or Alteration $5 million to $10 million (Aviation Lane Fitout), winner

    02 6239 2569Visit website
  3. 3

    Manteena Commercial

    Fyshwick. Canberra and the ACT

    4.3 from 11 Google reviews

    Best for complex refurbishments and education buildings

    • Canberra builder since 1980, according to the firm.
    • Won the 2022 Master Builders ACT Commercial Construction $5 million to $20 million award.
    • Publishes licence numbers for each of its companies on a dedicated page.
    ACT builder licence
    2016838 Checked
    Building since
    1980
    Builds
    Education, Fitouts, Government, Heritage
    More about Manteena Commercial

    Manteena Commercial is the commercial arm of the Manteena group, which the firm says has built in Canberra since 1980 from its Fyshwick head office. It handles new buildings, refurbishments, fitouts and construction management for private, government and institutional clients, and offers early contractor involvement and buildability reviews.

    Its projects include the Burgmann Anglican School Middle School Design Hub, which won the 2022 Master Builders ACT $5 million to $20 million category, and work at the National Gallery of Australia.

    Awards: 2022 Master Builders ACT Excellence Awards: Commercial Construction $5 million to $20 million (Burgmann Anglican School Design Hub), winner

    02 6280 7033Visit website

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  5. 4

    Fore Group

    Braddon. Canberra and Sydney

    Best for office and hospitality fitouts and refurbishments

    • Won the 2024 Master Builders ACT fitout award for MED Restaurant.
    • Won the 2025 Master Builders ACT fitout category over $10 million for West Block.
    • Specialist fitout and refurbishment builder, with offices in Braddon and Sydney.
    ACT builder licence
    2020468 Checked
    Building since
    2019
    Builds
    Fitouts, Hospitality, Government, Heritage
    More about Fore Group

    Fore Group is a fitout and refurbishment builder with its Canberra office in Braddon and a second office in Sydney. The firm says its work covers new builds, fitouts, refurbishments and minor works across a range of sectors.

    Its refurbishment of the heritage West Block building won the 2025 Master Builders ACT fitout category over $10 million, and MED Restaurant won the 2024 fitout category under $1 million. Site manager Isaac Hamad was named 2025 Onsite Construction Manager of the Year.

    Awards: 2025 Master Builders ACT Excellence Awards: Commercial or Retail Fitout, Refurbishment or Alteration more than $10 million (West Block), winner; 2024 Master Builders ACT Excellence Awards: Commercial Fitout, Refurbishment or Alteration less than $1 million (MED Restaurant), winner; 2025 Master Builders ACT Excellence Awards: Onsite Construction Manager of the Year (Isaac Hamad), winner

    02 6152 8244Visit website
  6. 5

    RAM Constructions

    Mitchell. Canberra and region

    3.5 from 14 Google reviews

    Best for warehouses and community buildings, plus public landscape works

    • Won the 2025 Master Builders ACT Commercial Construction under $5 million award.
    • Prequalified as an ACT Government construction contractor, the firm says.
    • Operating in Canberra since 1976, according to its website.
    ACT builder licence
    2005218 Checked
    Building since
    1976
    Builds
    Industrial, Fitouts, Education, Community
    More about RAM Constructions

    RAM Constructions is a Mitchell based builder that says it has worked in Canberra since 1976. It builds industrial warehouses, commercial buildings and office fitouts, and also does public landscape and civil works around Canberra's parks and national institutions.

    Its Denman Village Park amenities building won the 2025 Master Builders ACT Commercial Construction under $5 million category, and the same park won landscape and bridge awards. The firm says it is prequalified with the ACT Government and its leadership includes a Class A licensed builder.

    Awards: 2025 Master Builders ACT Excellence Awards: Commercial Construction less than $5 million (Denman Village Park Amenities Building), winner; 2025 Master Builders ACT Excellence Awards: Landscape Design and Construction Commercial (Denman Village Park), winner; 2025 Master Builders ACT Excellence Awards: Civil Bridgeworks (Denman Village Park Pedestrian Bridge), winner

    02 6242 5200Visit website
  7. 6

    FDC Construction & Fitout

    Canberra City. Canberra, with offices in other capitals

    3.7 from 3 Google reviews

    Best for office fitouts and education buildings

    • Won Master Builders ACT awards in 2024 and 2025 for fitouts and an education building.
    • Has a Canberra office in Moore Street with its own ACT licensed company.
    • Prints its ACT builder licence number on its contact page.
    ACT builder licence
    201741 Checked
    Builds
    Fitouts, Education, Government, Commercial
    More about FDC Construction & Fitout

    FDC Construction and Fitout is a national builder that says it has been in business for 35 years, with a Canberra office in Moore Street run through its own ACT company. It delivers office fitouts, refurbishments, education buildings and mixed use projects.

    In Canberra, Radford College won the 2024 Master Builders ACT $5 million to $20 million commercial category, and fitouts for Deloitte and the Department of Health and Aged Care have also won Master Builders categories.

    Awards: 2025 Master Builders ACT Excellence Awards: Commercial or Retail Fitout, Refurbishment or Alteration $5 million to $10 million (Department of Health and Aged Care, Stage 1), winner; 2024 Master Builders ACT Excellence Awards: Commercial Construction $5 million to $20 million (Radford College), winner; 2024 Master Builders ACT Excellence Awards: Commercial Fitout, Refurbishment or Alteration more than $10 million (Deloitte Canberra Office), winner

    02 6222 8800Visit website
  8. 7

    SHAPE

    Canberra City. Canberra and region

    3.8 from 4 Google reviews

    Best for office fitouts and building refurbishments

    • Has worked in Canberra since 1989, according to the firm.
    • Recent Canberra work includes the KPMG office fitout and a facade replacement on National Circuit.
    • Says most of its Canberra work comes from repeat clients.
    ACT builder licence
    19905059 Checked
    Building since
    1989
    Builds
    Fitouts, Government, Education, Health
    More about SHAPE

    SHAPE is a national fitout and construction company that says it set up in Canberra in 1989. Its Canberra team works for government, education, health and corporate clients on office fitouts, refurbishments, facade work and some new builds.

    Recent local projects listed on its site include the KPMG Canberra office fitout and a facade replacement on National Circuit. The firm says a majority of its Canberra work comes from repeat clients. It is a large business, so it suits bigger fitouts more than small shop jobs.

    02 6241 6166Visit website
  9. 8

    Milin Builders

    Griffith. Canberra, including Coombs, Denman Prospect and Googong

    3.8 from 17 Google reviews

    Best for apartment and townhouse developments

    • Won the 2026 Master Builders ACT apartments up to 3 storeys award for MIO, Googong.
    • Won the 2025 Master Builders ACT Highrise Living award in Phillip.
    • Claims 30 years building in Canberra, according to its website.
    ACT builder licence
    20101364 Checked
    Builds
    Multi-residential, Apartments, Townhouses
    More about Milin Builders

    Milin Builders is a Griffith based builder focused on multi-residential work. The firm says it has 30 years of experience and grew from building single houses into a builder of apartments and townhouse developments, with many projects in the Molonglo Valley suburbs of Coombs and Denman Prospect.

    Recent awards include the 2026 Master Builders ACT category for apartments up to 3 storeys, for MIO at the entrance to Googong, and the 2025 Highrise Living category in Phillip. It also won a 2016 Master Builders award for Brooklyn in Turner.

    Awards: 2026 Master Builders ACT Excellence Awards: Apartments and Units up to 3 storeys (MIO, Googong), winner; 2025 Master Builders ACT Excellence Awards: Apartments and Units Highrise Living (Phillip), winner; 2016 Master Builders ACT Excellence in Building Awards: Apartments and Units 4 Storeys and Above (Brooklyn, Turner), winner (according to the firm)

    02 6260 3338Visit website
  10. 9

    Nikias Diamond

    Symonston. Canberra and region

    3.3 from 12 Google reviews

    Best for warehouses, showrooms and community buildings

    • Family business tracing its Canberra building roots to the 1960s.
    • Builds warehouses, showrooms, childcare and clinics across Canberra.
    • Won a 2025 Master Builders ACT award for best use of material in a residential project.
    ACT builder licence
    2005446 Checked
    Building since
    2003
    Builds
    Industrial, Retail, Childcare, Medical
    More about Nikias Diamond

    Nikias Diamond is a family owned Canberra construction company based in Symonston. Its history goes back to director Dino Nikias's work in ACT property and construction from the 1960s, and the current building company was formed in 2003 when George Diamond joined the business.

    Its project list is mostly commercial and industrial: warehouses in Hume and Fyshwick, motor dealerships, the Belconnen Markets redevelopment, childcare centres and a clinical services building. It also builds some high end homes and won a 2025 Master Builders award for material use on a Forrest project.

    Awards: 2025 Master Builders ACT Excellence Awards: Best Use of Material in a Residential Project (Forrest, with DNA Architects), winner

    02 6282 4039Visit website

Commercial building costs in Canberra

Rates per square metre. Canberra has the widest office fitout range RLB publishes, from open plan to fully partitioned space. Tender prices rose 3.8% in 2025; RLB forecasts 4.3% for 2026.

WorkTypical cost
Office fitout, open plan to fully partitioned$1,900 to $7,100 per sqm
Retail, small shops and showrooms$1,560 to $3,250 per sqm
Warehouse, single storey$910 to $1,720 per sqm
Medical clinic fitout in an existing shell (national, indicative)$1,500 to $3,000 per sqm

Office, retail and warehouse rates are from the RLB Riders Digest 2026 for Canberra, priced at the end of 2025, and exclude GST, land, site works and professional fees. The office rate includes workstations and loose furniture. The medical range is a national MedicalSearch figure (July 2026), indicative only.

Procurement and contracts for a Canberra project

If your tenant is a government agency, security rules and a fixed move-in date can drive the whole job. Choose the delivery method with that in mind.

Three routes cover most Canberra projects at this scale.

  • Construct only. Your architect and engineers finish the design and builders price the same set of drawings. Easiest to compare. Anything missing from the design is your risk and comes back as a variation.
  • Design and construct. The builder develops the design, often from your concept or a planning approval, and gives one price. One party answers for design and build, but the builder will choose the cheapest way to meet your brief unless the brief is specific.
  • Early contractor involvement. You pay a builder to join during design, test buildability and cost as the drawings develop, then negotiate the build contract. Good for old buildings and tight programs. You give up a clean competitive tender.

Standard contracts

Use an industry standard form, amended by a construction lawyer, rather than the builder's own terms. Standards Australia published AS 4000:2025 in June 2025; it supersedes AS 2124-1992 and updates AS 4000-1997. AS 4902-2000 is still the current design and construct form, with a review planned. Where an architect administers the contract, the ABIC contracts from Master Builders Australia and the Australian Institute of Architects (MW-2018 for larger jobs, SW-2018 for simpler ones) come in a version for each state and territory. Ask for the ACT version.

Tender or negotiate

Tender to three to five builders on complete documents for a market price. If your tenant has a fixed move-in date or security requirements, early contractor involvement or a negotiated price with a builder who has done that kind of work can save time. Have a quantity surveyor check any negotiated number. Our fixed price vs cost plus guide covers pricing models.

Approvals and licences for commercial work in Canberra

You appoint the certifier, not the builder.

In the ACT the owner appoints a licensed building surveyor as certifier. The certifier assesses the plans for building approval and issues the building commencement notice before work starts. Development approval (a DA) is needed too, unless the work is exempt, so check that early for any change of use or external works.

Which ACT builder licence class

  • Class C: low rise residential only (class 1, 2 or 10a buildings of 2 storeys or lower).
  • Class B: medium rise, buildings of 3 storeys or lower.
  • Class A: unlimited, any height and all building classes.

For commercial work you want Class B or Class A, matched to the height of your building. If a company holds the licence, find out who its licensed nominee is and check that person's class too. Search the Access Canberra list of builders and its disciplinary register; our licence check guide shows how.

How to choose a commercial builder in Canberra

  • Relevant work. Ask for recent projects of your type and size. If your tenant is a government agency, ask about security-cleared staff and experience with secure areas.
  • Financial capacity. Ask for financial statements or a credit report, annual turnover and current commitments. Your job shouldn't be a large share of the builder's year.
  • Payment of subcontractors. The ACT's Building and Construction Industry (Security of Payment) Act 2009 gives subcontractors a right to progress payments and adjudication. Ask how the builder pays its trades and how often it's been taken to adjudication.
  • Insurance. Get certificates of currency for contract works, public liability and workers compensation. ACT residential building work insurance applies only to class 1 and 2 homes up to 3 storeys, so it won't cover commercial work.
  • References. Call past clients and a subcontractor. Use our questions to ask a builder.

Checking an ACT builder's licence

It takes a couple of minutes, and it's the same check we ran for every builder above.

  1. Search the list of builders

    Ask to see the licence, then search the Access Canberra public register (List of builders) by name or licence number. Access Canberra list of builders

  2. Check the class

    Class C covers low rise homes of 2 storeys or less. Class B covers buildings up to 3 storeys and Class A has no height limit. A house needs Class C or higher; bigger or commercial jobs need B or A.

  3. Check the nominee

    If a company or partnership holds the licence, find out who its licensed nominee is and check that person holds the right class.

  4. Check discipline and details

    Search the Access Canberra disciplinary register, and confirm the full name, address, business name and ABN on the contract match. ACT Planning: find a professional

How we chose these builders

We started from builders working across Canberra, then kept only those with a current Access Canberra licence, a clear record of commercial work on their own site, and a solid independent reputation. Order weighs fit for this kind of project, reviews and awards, years trading, and how openly each builder explains its process, licence and warranty. Size and advertising spend don't count.

No builder pays to be listed or ranked. If you request quotes through this page, we pass your project to builders that suit it. Read the full method.

Commercial builders in Canberra: common questions

How much does an office fitout cost per square metre in Canberra?

RLB's 2026 Canberra figures put a good quality office fitout at $1,900 to $7,100 per sqm, excluding GST and including workstations and loose furniture. It's the widest range of any capital. Open plan sits at the bottom and fully partitioned space at the top.

What licence class does a commercial builder need in the ACT?

Class B covers medium rise buildings of 3 storeys or lower. Class A is unlimited, covering any height and all building classes. Class C is limited to low rise residential work. Check the class on the Access Canberra list of builders.

Who appoints the certifier on a Canberra project?

The owner. In the ACT you appoint a licensed building surveyor as certifier, who assesses the building approval and issues the building commencement notice before work can start.

Does a commercial fitout need a development application in the ACT?

It depends. Development approval is needed unless the work is exempt, and a change of use or external work is more likely to need one. Ask your certifier or planner before you commit to a lease or a contract.

Is there home warranty insurance on commercial work in Canberra?

No. ACT residential building work insurance applies to work of $12,000 or more on class 1 or class 2 homes of no more than 3 storeys. On a commercial job, your protection comes from the contract, its securities and the builder's finances.

Can my builder's subcontractors claim payment directly?

They can claim progress payments from whoever engaged them, usually the builder, and take disputed claims to adjudication under the ACT's Building and Construction Industry (Security of Payment) Act 2009. That's one reason to ask how a builder manages its cash flow.

This list is a guide only. Check the builder's licence, insurance and contract yourself before you sign.