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  • Phased Construction: Renovating While You Stay Open

    Phased Construction: Renovating While You Stay Open

    Closing your doors during a renovation means lost revenue. With planning, most commercial spaces can be rebuilt in phases while staying open.

    How phasing works

    We divide the space into zones and rebuild one at a time, relocating your operations into completed areas as we go. Temporary partitions, separate HVAC zoning, and dust control keep the active side clean and quiet.

    What it requires

    Phased work takes more planning and usually a longer overall schedule, since each phase has its own mobilization and inspection. After-hours and weekend work can compress that timeline where the budget allows.

    Where it works best

    Retail, medical, and multi-department offices are strong candidates. Small single-room spaces are usually faster to close briefly than to phase.

    Need to stay open during construction? Tell us about your operation and we will lay out a phasing plan.

  • Landlord Work Letter vs. Tenant Improvement Allowance

    Landlord Work Letter vs. Tenant Improvement Allowance

    Two terms show up in almost every commercial lease, and tenants often treat them as the same thing. They are not.

    The work letter

    A landlord work letter describes what the landlord will build or deliver — for example, demised walls, a finished restroom, or HVAC to a certain capacity. It defines the starting condition of your space, often called the base building or warm shell.

    The tenant improvement allowance

    The TI allowance is money — a dollar amount per square foot the landlord contributes toward your build-out. You direct how it is spent, within the lease rules, and you fund anything above it.

    Why the distinction matters

    If the work letter delivers more, your allowance stretches further. If it delivers a bare shell, more of your allowance goes to base infrastructure before you reach finishes. Price the actual drawings against both before you sign.

    Reviewing a lease now? Send us the space plan and the work letter and we will price it.

  • How Long Does a Commercial Tenant Build-Out Take?

    How Long Does a Commercial Tenant Build-Out Take?

    The honest answer is that it depends on scope, permitting, and long-lead materials — but most commercial tenant build-outs follow a predictable range.

    Typical timelines

    A light refresh of an existing office — paint, carpet, minor reconfiguration — often runs three to five weeks. A full build-out of a warm shell into finished office space is usually eight to fourteen weeks of construction. Restaurant and medical space runs longer because of specialized inspections and equipment.

    What happens before construction starts

    Design, permit review, and subcontractor buyout typically add four to eight weeks ahead of the first day on site. Starting the permit process early is the single biggest schedule lever you control.

    What causes delays

    The usual culprits are late design decisions, long-lead items like switchgear and custom glass, landlord approvals, and change orders mid-project. A contractor who flags these during the estimate keeps them off the critical path.

    Working on a timeline? Send us your plans and we will give you a realistic schedule.