Office Fit-Out and Tenant Improvement Estimating
We estimate office fit-out and tenant improvement from your drawings — partitions, ceilings, finishes, millwork and the MEP modification that follows the layout — starting with the base building and tenant scope boundary, because that boundary moves the number more than any finish decision does.
Get a Free QuoteThe Scope Boundary Comes First
Before a single partition is measured, what the base building already provides has to be established — and it is frequently unclear.
The work letter defines the boundary. A lease work letter or landlord work agreement states what the base building delivers: whether the ceiling grid is in, whether HVAC distribution reaches the space, whether sprinkler heads are dropped, whether the electrical panel exists and what capacity it has.
Every one of those is a real cost. Ceiling grid across a full floor plate, HVAC branch distribution, sprinkler drops to the layout and an electrical panel are each substantial. Assuming they are provided when they are not is a large and avoidable error.
Second generation space is different again. An existing fit-out being reconfigured brings demolition, what survives, what has to be relocated and what is simply in the wrong place. Very little of that is visible on a new layout drawing.
So we state what we assumed. The boundary the estimate was built to appears on the face of it. On fit-out work that statement is more useful than any other single thing in the document.
What We Quantify
Demolition. Selective demolition of existing partitions, ceilings, flooring and MEP, with protection of base building elements and the disposal an occupied building requires.
Partitions. By wall type and height, separating full height to deck from partial height, with rated, acoustic and demountable assemblies kept distinct because they differ substantially.
Ceilings. Acoustic grid and tile, gypsum board ceilings, soffits, clouds and exposed structure treatments, with the seismic bracing grid requires in seismic regions.
Doors, frames and hardware. Counted by opening against the schedule, with the hardware set for each — including access control preparation where the security scope reaches it.
Glazing and office fronts. Interior glazing, office fronts and conference room glass by unit and system, which is a growing share of modern fit-out and prices like a product rather than a partition.
Finishes. Flooring by material and room from the finish schedule, wall finishes, paint by substrate and any specialty finish, with substrate preparation carried.
Millwork and casework. Reception, pantry, storage and built-in furniture to the specified AWI grade, with the one-off items priced individually.
MEP modification. HVAC distribution and controls to the new layout, electrical distribution, lighting and controls, data and communications rough-in, plumbing for pantries and any added restrooms, and sprinkler head relocation to the ceiling layout.
Where Fit-Out Estimates Go Wrong
Base building scope assumed provided
Ceiling grid, HVAC distribution, sprinkler drops and electrical panel capacity are each substantial items. Assuming the landlord provided them when the work letter says otherwise is the largest single error available on a fit-out.
Sprinkler relocation missed
Every ceiling layout change moves sprinkler heads, and every partition to deck changes the sprinkler design. It is a code requirement, it follows the layout, and it is routinely forgotten until the fire marshal reads the plan.
Electrical capacity assumed adequate
A dense open plan with heavy equipment loads and modern lighting may exceed what the base building panel can deliver. Where it does, the remedy is a service or panel upgrade that has nothing to do with the fit-out scope.
After-hours and building rules ignored
Working in an occupied building means freight elevator scheduling, restricted hours, noise limits, protection of common areas and sometimes union labor requirements the building imposes. None appears on the drawings.
Long-lead furniture-adjacent items missed
Interior glazing systems, specialty lighting and custom millwork carry lead times that sit on the critical path of a compressed fit-out programme.
Second generation conditions assumed clean
Existing conditions above the ceiling, abandoned cabling, non-compliant existing work and asbestos in older buildings are all discovered rather than drawn, and they are common on a reconfiguration.
What Moves a Fit-Out Number
The scope boundary. What the base building provides against what the tenant carries. It is the largest variable and it is settled in the work letter rather than the drawings.
Density and layout. An open plan and a heavily partitioned layout at the same square footage are different jobs — more partitions, more doors, more ceiling transitions, more lighting circuits and more HVAC zones.
Finish level. The same floor plate delivered as a standard office fit-out or a high-end corporate space can differ by a multiple, and the finish schedule is where that lives.
MEP intensity. Server rooms, dense workstation power, specialty lighting, supplemental cooling and conference AV each add real scope, and a technology-heavy fit-out is mostly MEP.
Building constraints. Freight access, elevator scheduling, restricted hours, protection requirements and building-imposed labor rules affect productivity substantially in an occupied tower.
Schedule compression. Fit-out programmes are usually short and tied to a lease commencement date. Compression means overtime, additional crews and reduced productivity, and it is priced rather than hoped through.
Trades in a Fit-Out
Interior trades, with MEP modification carrying more than people expect.
What You Receive
- An estimate in editable Excel organized by trade or by CSI division
- The base building versus tenant scope boundary stated explicitly on the face of the estimate
- Demolition and new work separated so the two scopes can be read independently
- MEP modification quantified rather than allowed for
- Long-lead items flagged as schedule risks alongside their cost
- A marked-up plan set showing where every quantity came from
- An assumptions and exclusions schedule
- The pricing basis and the date that basis was current
Documents We Need
- Tenant layout plans, reflected ceiling plans and finish plans
- The lease work letter or landlord work agreement — the governing document for the scope boundary
- Room finish schedule and door and hardware schedule
- Wall type schedule with partition heights and rated assemblies
- Mechanical, electrical, plumbing and fire protection drawings for the fit-out
- Base building information — existing HVAC distribution, electrical capacity and sprinkler layout
- Building rules — access hours, freight elevator, protection and any labor requirements
- For second generation space: existing conditions and any hazardous materials survey
- The target completion date, since fit-out programmes are usually compressed
Tools and Standards
Quantities, rates and assemblies are read against the published references that govern this work. Where a project specification conflicts with any general reference, the specification governs:
- CSI MasterFormat — the division structure the estimate is organized against
- AWI Architectural Woodwork Standards, for millwork grade
- NFPA 13 — sprinkler design where partition layout changes affect it
- The applicable energy code, for lighting power density and controls requirements
- ADA Standards for Accessible Design, for clearances, door hardware and restroom work
Questions Worth Settling Before You Bid
Each of these moves the number materially and each is answerable before bid day.
What exactly does the base building provide?. Ceiling grid, HVAC distribution, sprinkler drops, electrical panel and its capacity, and whether the floor is level enough for the specified flooring. The work letter should say and frequently does not say clearly.
Is there enough electrical capacity?. A dense layout with heavy equipment loads may exceed the panel. The remedy is a service or panel upgrade that sits outside the fit-out scope entirely and costs accordingly.
How level is the existing slab?. Large-format tile, sheet flooring and some resilient products need a flatter substrate than a typical slab provides. Grinding or self-levelling across a full floor plate is a substantial item.
What are the building's rules?. Freight elevator scheduling, working hours, noise restrictions, protection requirements and any labor conditions the building imposes. These affect productivity substantially and appear on no drawing.
Do partitions go to deck or to ceiling?. Full height to deck changes the partition quantity, the acoustic treatment, the firestopping and the sprinkler design together. It is a wall type question with consequences across four packages.
When does the lease commence?. Fit-out programmes are compressed and tied to a date. If the schedule requires overtime and additional crews, that is a cost to price rather than a hope to carry.
Frequently Asked Questions
What's the biggest variable in a fit-out estimate?
The base building versus tenant scope boundary, without much competition. Whether the ceiling grid is in, whether HVAC distribution reaches the space, whether sprinkler heads are dropped and what the electrical panel can deliver are each substantial items, and assuming they are provided when the work letter says otherwise is the largest available error.
Do you include sprinkler relocation?
Yes, always. Every ceiling layout change moves heads and every partition run to deck changes the sprinkler design. It is a code requirement that follows the layout directly, and it is routinely forgotten until the fire marshal reads the plan.
Do you check electrical capacity?
We flag it. A dense open plan with heavy equipment loads may exceed what the base building panel can deliver, and where it does the remedy is a service or panel upgrade that sits outside the fit-out scope entirely. Send the base building electrical information and we will say whether it is a question worth answering before you bid.
Do you price work in occupied buildings differently?
Yes. Freight elevator scheduling, restricted hours, noise limits, protection of common areas and any labor rules the building imposes all affect productivity substantially, and none of it appears on the drawings. Tell us the building rules with the plans.
Can you estimate second generation space?
Yes, and the demolition and existing conditions are where those estimates live. Abandoned cabling above the ceiling, non-compliant existing work and asbestos in older buildings are discovered rather than drawn, so the assumptions are stated explicitly rather than absorbed.
Do you account for schedule compression?
Yes, where the programme requires it. Fit-out schedules are usually short and tied to a lease commencement date, and compression means overtime, additional crews and reduced productivity. That is priced rather than hoped through, with the assumption stated.
Send the plans and the lease work letter
Upload your plans or tell us what you need. We’ll reply with pricing and a delivery date.
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