Office grades explained: P, A, B and C grade
What P-, A-, B- and C-grade office space means, what each typically costs, and how to pick the right grade for your business.
Reviewed by Joe Sokolic · Updated
South African office space is informally graded P (premium) down to C. It isn't a formal certification — it's market shorthand for age, specification, location and services — but it maps closely to asking rental, and it's the quickest way to filter a search.
P-grade (premium)
The newest, best-located landmark buildings — typically under about ten years old, modern services, generous parking, green ratings, prime addresses in nodes like Sandton, the Cape Town foreshore and Century City. Highest asking rentals in the market.
A-grade
High-quality space in good buildings — well maintained, modern air-conditioning and lifts, adequate parking, roughly 10–20 years old or comprehensively refurbished. Where most established professional firms sit.
B-grade
Older but functional — dated finishes and services, tighter parking, secondary positions. Rentals meaningfully below A-grade for similar area; the value choice for occupiers who don't need a showcase address.
C-grade
The oldest stock, often in traditional CBDs like Johannesburg and Pretoria CBD — large floor plates subdivided into small suites, limited parking, minimal services. Lowest asking rentals anywhere.
Choosing a grade
Match the grade to what the space does. Client-facing head offices justify A- or P-grade; back-office and operations run well in B- or C-grade at a fraction of the cost. Many companies split the two.