What a GP clinic costs to set up
Medical fitouts price between office and dental: more services than an office, less machinery than a surgery. Here are the published Australian numbers for getting a general practice open.
The build
| Scope | Cost |
|---|---|
| Refresh of existing medical space | $50,000 to $100,000 |
| Fitout rate, mid-range | $1,500 to $2,500 per sqm |
| Fitout rate, premium | $2,600 to $3,500 per sqm |
| 150 sqm GP practice, construction | ~$300,000 |
| Full setup total (published band) | $150,000 to $500,000 |
Equipment runs 20 to 40% of the budget: allow $8,000 to $15,000 per consulting room, $10,000 to $28,000 for a treatment room, with the line items being couches ($1,200 to $4,500), ECG ($2,000 to $5,000), spirometry, compliant vaccine fridges ($1,600 to $6,000) and a Class B autoclave ($9,500 to $16,000). Add IT at $15,000 to $40,000, practice software, accreditation, and the operating reserve every new clinic underestimates: $50,000 to $100,000.
The room maths
A four-room clinic at $350,000 all-in runs about $1735 a week financed over five years, longer terms available where property backs it. Against consulting-room billings, the build cost is carried by utilisation in a way rent alone never shows; the fitout is buying capacity.
Financing a clinic
Medical professionals carry premium lender appetite: fitout and equipment write into one facility, imaging and larger diagnostics as their own assets, and property-backed structures at roughly 6% to 9% p.a. as a working rule where the practitioner owns premises or home equity. Property-backed borrowers generally price around 6% to 9% p.a. and non-property-backed deals around 9% to 13%, with approvals commonly back in 24 to 48 hours. Start at medical finance.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a GP clinic fitout cost per square metre?
Mid-range medical fitouts run $1,500 to $2,500 per square metre and premium $2,600 to $3,500, excluding equipment, which adds 20 to 40% of the budget.
What does it cost to open a medical practice in Australia?
Published totals run $150,000 to $500,000: a refresh of existing medical space from $50,000, a 150 square metre new build around $300,000 construction plus $100,000 to $150,000 of equipment.
What equipment does each consulting room need?
Allow $8,000 to $15,000 per consulting room and $10,000 to $28,000 for a treatment room: couches, ECG, spirometry, vaccine fridges and sterilisation.
How are medical fitouts financed?
One facility for fitout plus equipment, larger diagnostics as separate assets, and property-backed structures where the practitioner holds premises or home equity.
Rooms to a weekly number
Tell us the room count and site and we will come back with the structure, usually within a day.
This article is general information only and not financial, credit, or tax advice. Ventas Asset Lending is a finance broker, not a lender. Approvals are subject to lender assessment. Consider your own circumstances and speak to a qualified professional, including your accountant for any tax questions.