What does a business closure clearance cost?
A business closure clearance (Betriebsauflösung) costs between CHF 3,000 and CHF 40,000 depending on floor area and sector. A 300 m² office runs roughly CHF 6,000 to CHF 12,000. Where the fit-out and equipment are in good condition, the resale proceeds can cover or exceed the cost.
Business closures differ from private clearances in three respects: there is usually substantial resale value in the inventory, data protection obligations apply, and the commercial lease frequently requires a strip-out back to the original condition (Rückbau).
The resale part is the most interesting of the three. Machine tools, commercial kitchens, shelving systems, forklifts, server hardware and high-quality office furniture have a real second-hand market in Switzerland. Where the fit-out is well maintained, it happens regularly that the job ends with a credit note rather than an invoice.
Guide prices by property type
| Property | Typical volume | Guide price |
|---|---|---|
| Office up to 150 m² | 40–80 m³ | CHF 3,000 – 6,000 |
| Office 150–400 m² | 80–180 m³ | CHF 6,000 – 12,000 |
| Retail unit with shop fit-out | 60–150 m³ | CHF 5,000 – 15,000 |
| Workshop / production floor | 100–300 m³ | CHF 8,000 – 25,000 |
| Warehouse with racking systems | 150–500 m³ | CHF 10,000 – 40,000 |
| Restaurant or catering business | 80–200 m³ | CHF 7,000 – 20,000 |
| File destruction to P-4/P-5Incl. certificate of destruction | per linear metre | CHF 8 – 18 |
Guide values for the Zurich area, transport and disposal fees included. The price becomes binding after a free site visit.
What determines the price
These factors explain why two properties of the same size can cost very different amounts.
Resaleable inventory
Can turn the invoice into a creditThe biggest lever of all. Machines, racking, IT and furniture with a second-hand market reduce the cost substantially or reverse it entirely.
Extent of the strip-out
+CHF 2,000–15,000Signage, partition walls, floor coverings, cable installations, racking anchored into the slab — whatever the lease requires to be removed determines a large share of the effort.
Data destruction
CHF 8–18 per linear metre of filesPaper files by security level, data carriers either physically destroyed or certified-wiped, each with a written protocol.
Hazardous waste
+CHF 500–5,000Workshops, laboratories and catering businesses leave behind chemicals, oils and refrigerants that have to be disposed of through certified channels.
Fixed handover date
+15–30 % on a tight deadlineIf the space has to be returned on a fixed date, the work needs more people in parallel rather than fewer people over a longer period.
What the price includes
Included
- Viewing, inventory assessment and written quote
- Valuation of the resaleable inventory
- Complete clearance
- Separated disposal of all waste fractions
- Setting aside records subject to statutory retention
- Disposal certificates
- Settlement statement for the resale proceeds
Costs extra
- Strip-out (Rückbau), calculated separately
- File destruction (charged per linear metre)
- Certified destruction of data carriers
- Asbestos remediation by a licensed specialist
- Final cleaning of the space
- Dismantling of systems containing refrigerant
Worked example: engineering office, 400 m², Dübendorf
- Clearance: 4 staff × 4 daysCHF 8,320
- File destruction, 300 linear metres to P-4CHF 3,600
- Certified wiping of IT (25 devices)CHF 1,250
- Disposal and transportCHF 2,100
- Resale of 22 workstations + server hardware− CHF 7,400
How to bring the cost down
Concrete steps that actually move the price.
Plan early
Resale takes time. With two to three months of lead time, machines and fit-out fetch considerably better prices than in a forced sale at short notice.
Have the lease reviewed
Not every strip-out is actually owed. Where the landlord approved the fit-out, you may even be entitled to compensation for it.
Clarify retention obligations first
Under the Swiss Code of Obligations, business books and accounting records must be kept for ten years. Setting them aside during the clearance is cheaper than reconstructing them from an archive later.
Do not scrap racking systems
Common systems from known manufacturers have a good second-hand market — provided they are dismantled properly rather than cut apart.
Frequently asked questions
Get a binding price
A free site visit, then a fixed price with no follow-up charges.
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