Glossary

FF&E (Furniture, Fixtures & Equipment)

Also known as: Furniture, Fixtures & Equipment, FF&E

FF&E refers to movable furnishings, fixtures, and equipment that are not permanently affixed to a building's structure—furniture, appliances, signage, and similar items—and is typically budgeted as a distinct soft-cost or separate capital line outside the base construction contract.

FF&E is especially significant in hospitality, multifamily amenity spaces, senior housing, and furnished residential product, where it can represent a material share of total project cost and where brand or operating standards (as in a hotel management agreement) often dictate specific FF&E quality and replacement cycles. FF&E is distinct from OFCI (owner-furnished, contractor-installed) items, where the owner procures the item directly but the GC handles installation as part of its contract scope—a common arrangement for specialty equipment or fixtures the owner wants to control the vendor selection for. Because FF&E is personal property rather than a real property improvement, it is often depreciated on a different schedule than the building shell and can be financed separately, through an FF&E reserve, a dedicated line of credit, or lease financing outside the primary construction loan.