Cost & Budgeting
What Drives the Cost of a Commercial Tenant Improvement in Metro Vancouver
Understand how the existing space, mechanical and electrical needs, finishes and approval requirements shape a tenant improvement budget in Metro Vancouver.
Quick answer
A tenant improvement budget depends on the existing space, the systems needed for its proposed use, finish selections and approval requirements. Begin by confirming what the landlord provides and what the construction scope needs to include.
What a per-square-foot estimate includes
A per-square-foot figure is useful only when the scope and assumptions are clear. Check what it includes, the type of space it describes and whether it reflects the existing building conditions and intended use.
The five factors that actually move your budget
Base-building condition. Confirm which finishes, utilities and building systems are already provided and whether they support the intended use. The work required to make the space suitable should be identified before developing the fit-out budget.
Mechanical and electrical scope. Commercial kitchens, wellness studios with specific HVAC or plumbing needs, and higher-occupancy retail all demand more from mechanical and electrical systems than a straightforward office build-out. If the existing systems don’t already support your intended use, that gap becomes part of your budget.
Finish level. Flooring, millwork, lighting, and fixtures span an enormous range, and this is usually the area tenants have the most direct control over. It’s also where a budget conversation early — before drawings are finalized — saves the most friction later.
Permit complexity. A straightforward retail layout permits differently than a change of occupancy, a food-service installation, or a project touching structural or life-safety systems. More complex permitting usually means more consultant involvement (and cost) before construction even starts.
Lease restoration requirements. Some commercial leases require the space to be restored to a prior condition at the end of the term. That’s a real future cost that belongs in your planning now, not a surprise during move-out.
What this means for your budget conversation
Share the space, intended use and any available drawings or landlord work requirements. We’ll use that information to discuss the scope, pricing assumptions and next steps toward a project-specific budget — see how that works for general contracting and tenant improvement projects.
Questions worth asking up front
Can you just tell me a price per square foot?
We can discuss an initial range once we understand the space and proposed use. A useful estimate will state what it includes and which assumptions still need to be confirmed.
When should I start the budget conversation?
Bring construction questions into the discussion before committing to a space where possible. We can help assess the proposed work; ask your leasing and legal advisers to confirm allowances, landlord obligations and restoration terms.
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Tell us about your space.
Assessing a space? Share the location, intended use and any available plans or landlord work requirements so we can discuss what the construction scope may involve.