A tenant improvement project lives or dies on the open date. Everything else — scope, finishes, sequencing — is in service of that date. This checklist covers the decisions that have to happen before construction starts, in roughly the order they have to happen.
Scope and program
The first conversation is about the program: what business is moving into this space, how many people, what equipment, what front-of-house and back-of-house functions need to happen, and what the operations look like once you're open.
From the program, an architect and your GC can size the buildout. The mistake first-time TI clients make is signing the lease before the program is sized — and discovering after that the space doesn't quite fit, or fits but at a cost that wasn't budgeted.
Engage your contractor early — ideally before lease signature — so the work-letter, open date, and budget all align.
Lease commencement and the open date
Two dates matter:
- Lease commencement — when rent starts.
- Open date — when you actually need to be operating.
The construction schedule sits between these two. Long lead-time items (millwork, custom fixtures, kitchen equipment for hospitality, brand-specified finishes) need to be ordered the week you sign the lease. Plan review can take four to eight weeks; permits another two to four; construction six to sixteen.
If lease commencement is sixty days before open and the buildout needs ninety, you're already behind on day one.
Work-letter and landlord coordination
The lease's work-letter exhibit details:
- Tenant Improvement Allowance — how much landlord is contributing.
- Base-building condition — what's already in place when you take possession.
- Approval workflow — what plans landlord must approve before you proceed.
- Shared-system access — HVAC, sprinklers, electrical service.
- After-hours work rules.
- Construction insurance requirements.
Read the work-letter carefully with your GC before signing. Misalignments here become friction at every milestone.
Permits and plan review
Most TI work requires building permits. Plan review by the local jurisdiction can take four to eight weeks, depending on the city and the complexity. Your architect submits; your GC pulls the building permit; specialty trades (MEP, fire) often pull their own.
Submit plan review as early as possible — even before all finish selections are locked. Finish selections rarely affect plan review; structural, MEP, and life-safety decisions do.
After-hours work and tenant coordination
If the property is occupied, expect to negotiate:
- After-hours and weekend work windows.
- Dust and noise protection plans.
- Loading dock and freight elevator access.
- Coordination with neighboring tenants for any service interruptions.
A good landlord coordinates this; a good GC works inside it.
Brand standards and finish selections
For franchise or branded retail, finishes are dictated by the brand book. Confirm that your GC has the brand book and is pricing to it, not approximating. For independent operators, finishes are an open decision — but make them early enough that lead times don't blow the open date.
Inspections and certificate of occupancy
The final hurdle: passing inspections and securing a Certificate of Occupancy (CO). Without a CO, you can't open. Inspections typically include:
- Building (structural, framing, etc.).
- Mechanical, electrical, plumbing — usually separate inspections.
- Fire — sprinklers, alarms, exit signage.
- Health, where applicable (hospitality, healthcare).
- Final building inspection for the CO.
Your GC schedules these and walks the inspector through. Build a buffer — two weeks is reasonable for a non-trivial TI — for re-inspections and punch.
Planning a TI in the Phoenix Metro? Book a call with a senior PM. Bring the lease and the work-letter to the first meeting if you have them.