Commercial Build-Outs From White Box to Open for Business
A build-out takes an empty space, a gray shell or a landlord’s white box, and turns it into a place you can run a business. The walls, ceilings, restrooms, lighting and finishes are all new, and the money usually comes from two pockets: yours and the landlord’s tenant improvement allowance.
Veteran BuiltCypress, Texas
Start with what the landlord is actually delivering. A gray shell can mean a concrete floor and four walls with no ceiling, no restroom and power stubbed to a single panel. A white box, sometimes called a vanilla shell, usually adds a ceiling grid, lighting, a restroom, HVAC and drywall on the perimeter. The lease spells out which one you are getting, and the difference can shift a lot of cost onto your side of the line. We read those documents with you before drawings start, so nobody prices work the landlord already owes you.
The tenant improvement allowance is a set amount the landlord puts toward your build-out, paid out as the work is done or after it finishes, usually against invoices, lien releases and inspection sign-offs. That means the order of work and the paper trail matter as much as the framing. We keep the draw paperwork lined up with the schedule so the allowance reimburses you on time, and we tell you early if the plan you want runs past what the allowance covers.
The construction runs in a familiar order: layout chalked on the slab, metal stud framing, rough-in for electrical, plumbing, data and HVAC branches, inspections, insulation and drywall, ceiling grid, then finishes and fixtures. Before any of that, the drawings go through city or county plan review, and the space needs a certificate of occupancy before you can open. On a Houston slab, new restrooms and sinks mean trenching for plumbing, which is easiest before anything else gets built on top of it.
Every commercial job has more people at the table than a house does: an owner or landlord, a tenant, inspectors and sometimes a health department. We keep one schedule, one point of contact, and work hours that suit the business, not ours.
If the previous tenant left a usable layout, a remodel of what is there may get you open sooner and spend less of the allowance.
When commercial build-outs makes sense
How we decide, written down so you can hold us to it.
- You signed, or are about to sign, a lease on an empty shell or white box and need it finished before you can open.
- Your landlord is offering a TI allowance and you want a contractor who keeps the draw paperwork clean.
- The space needs everything inside it built: restrooms, walls, ceilings, power and lighting.
And when it does not
- If you have not signed the lease yet, get a walk-through and a rough scope before negotiating the allowance, and do not let anyone start drawings that commit you.
- If the lease requires the landlord’s own contractor for the build-out, follow the lease, and we can still help you read the scope you are handed.
How we run it
- I
Lease and shell review
We walk the shell with the lease in hand and mark what the landlord delivers and what falls to you.
- II
Drawings and plan review
Floor plan, ceiling, power and plumbing layouts go to the permit office, and the landlord’s plan approval runs alongside.
- III
Rough-in and inspections
Framing, underground plumbing, electrical, data and HVAC rough-in are installed and inspected before walls close.
- IV
Finish and certificate
Ceilings, finishes, fixtures and sign power are completed, final inspections pass and the certificate of occupancy is issued before move-in.
What we ask before we price it
- What is the occupancy: office, retail, food service, medical or residential?
- Are there drawings, or do we need a designer or engineer involved?
- Which inspections apply, and who has the permit history?
- How should we coordinate with your other vendors?
- Are there tenants or customers who must not lose access?
What is the difference between a gray shell and a white box?
A gray shell is usually bare: slab, walls, a roof and utilities brought to the space. A white box adds the basics, often a ceiling grid, lighting, a restroom, HVAC and finished perimeter walls. Your lease defines it, so read that language closely.
How does a TI allowance work?
The landlord agrees to put a set amount toward your improvements and pays it out as work is completed or at the end, against invoices, lien releases and inspection sign-offs. Anything above the allowance is yours to cover, so the scope has to be priced before you sign.
Do I need a certificate of occupancy?
Yes. The city or county issues it after final inspections, and you should not open or move in without it. A build-out schedule ends with that certificate in hand, and the last coat of paint comes before it.
How long does a build-out take?
Plan review is often the longest single step, and it depends on the jurisdiction and how complete the drawings are. Construction time depends on size and how much plumbing and mechanical work the space needs. You get the schedule in writing once the scope is set.
Can you work with my architect?
Yes. If your use requires sealed drawings, the architect or engineer produces them and we build to them, raising questions early so they get answered on paper instead of during framing.
Who orders signage, furniture and IT equipment?
Usually the tenant, through their own vendors. We coordinate the blocking, power and data locations those vendors need, so their installs land on finished walls without rework.
Who you are hiring
We are a service-disabled veteran-owned company based in Cypress, verified by the Texas Veterans Commission. The person who writes your scope is the person you call if something is not right.
Google reviewers have given us 5.0 across 19 reviews, and the word that keeps coming up is honest. We would rather talk you out of a job than sell you one you do not need.
Military families and first responders take 10% off, and financing is available through Acorn Finance with a no-obligation prequalification. Ask about either when you call.