FAQ
Common questions
The questions we hear most often, answered plainly. If your question is not here, call us and we will answer it the same way.
What is a tenant improvement?
A tenant improvement, often shortened to TI, is the work that turns a leased shell or a previous tenant's space into the space your business actually needs. That can be as light as paint, flooring, and new lighting, or as heavy as moving walls, adding restrooms, and reworking the plumbing and electrical.
How long does a commercial build out take?
Most tenant improvements run two to four months of construction, with permit and plan check adding time on the front end that varies by city and by scope. We give you a realistic schedule tied to your opening date, and we tell you early if that date is not achievable rather than discovering it late.
Do you handle the permits and the certificate of occupancy?
Yes. We handle the permit application, plan check corrections, inspection scheduling, and the sign offs that lead to the certificate of occupancy. That certificate is what legally lets you open, so we build the whole schedule toward it.
Can you work around our business staying open?
Yes. For occupied spaces we phase the work, seal off active areas, and run the loudest and dustiest phases after hours or overnight where the scope allows. Tell us your hours and your busiest days and we will build the schedule around them.
Do you handle ADA and accessibility compliance?
Yes, and on commercial work it is not optional. Accessibility covers the path of travel from parking and entry, door widths and clearances, restroom turning space and fixture heights, and counter heights. It is one of the most common reasons a commercial project fails inspection, so we design it in from the start rather than correcting it at the end.
What types of commercial spaces do you work on?
Offices, retail, restaurants and cafes, medical and dental suites, salons, gyms, and light industrial or warehouse units. The scope and the code requirements change a lot between those, especially anywhere food or medical work is involved, and we scope each on its own terms.
Do you work with property managers and landlords?
Yes. Alongside full build outs we handle repairs, turnovers between tenants, and ongoing maintenance work for property managers and building owners. For a turnover we price to a firm window, because a vacant unit costs the owner money every week it sits.
Who pays for a tenant improvement, us or the landlord?
It depends entirely on your lease. Many leases include a tenant improvement allowance from the landlord, sometimes covering the whole scope and sometimes part of it. We are glad to price the work in a format you can take to your landlord or your broker for that conversation.
Are you licensed for commercial work?
Yes. We hold a Class B General Building license, which is the classification for projects involving multiple trades, and we carry the bonding and workers compensation coverage commercial landlords and property managers ask for. We can provide certificates on request.
How do you price commercial work?
Against a specific written scope, the same as our residential work. Commercial pricing has to account for permit and accessibility requirements, any after hours or phased work, and the finish level the space calls for. We put it in writing up front so you can budget against a real number.
