What a tenant improvement actually costs per square foot

Everyone wants a per-foot number for a tenant improvement, and everyone is a little disappointed by the honest answer: it depends, and the range is wide. A light cosmetic refresh and a full restaurant buildout can both be called a "TI," and they are not remotely the same job.

What moves the number

• Use — an open office finishes far cheaper per foot than a commercial kitchen or a medical suite with special plumbing and power.
• Existing conditions — a second-generation space with usable infrastructure costs less than a raw shell where every system starts from nothing.
• Systems — HVAC, electrical capacity, and plumbing are where budgets swing hardest. Moving a bathroom is not a finish decision, it is a plumbing project.
• Finishes — the same square footage can be builder-standard or brand-flagship, and the spec sheet is entirely in the tenant’s control.

Why a number beats a range

A per-foot range tells you whether you are in the right universe. It does not tell you what your job costs. The only figure worth budgeting against is one built from your scope, in your space, with your finishes — a scoped estimate, not an average pulled from someone else’s project.

That is what a site walk gets you. We come out, look at the actual conditions, and hand you a real number you can take to your owner. Call us and we will set one up.