Free Tenant Improvement Calculator

Budget tenant improvement costs for a commercial space and calculate the landlord TI allowance coverage and out-of-pocket cost.

sqft
USD
USD
%
USD
%

Total TI Cost

$163,680

Landlord Allowance$90,000
Tenant Out-of-Pocket$73,680
Total Cost Per Sqft$54.56
Allowance Coverage %55.0%

Total TI Cost vs Square Footage

Tenant Improvement (TI) Budgeting

Tenant improvements are modifications made to commercial space to suit a tenant's specific needs. Understanding costs and the landlord's contribution is critical for lease negotiations.

Typical TI Costs

  • Light cosmetic: $15-$25/sqft (paint, carpet, minor updates)
  • Moderate buildout: $30-$60/sqft (new walls, ceilings, updated MEP)
  • Heavy buildout: $60-$120/sqft (restaurant, medical, lab)
  • Landlord TI Allowance

    The landlord typically provides a per-square-foot allowance toward improvements. This is negotiated in the lease and depends on:

  • Lease term (longer term = higher allowance)
  • Tenant creditworthiness
  • Market conditions
  • How specific the buildout is to the tenant
  • Important: TI vs. Rent Tradeoff

    A higher TI allowance often comes with higher rent. The landlord amortizes the TI cost into the rent over the lease term.

    Example Calculation

    3,000 sqft office at $45/sqft TI cost, $30/sqft landlord allowance, 8% architecture fee, $3,000 permits, 10% contingency.

    1. 01Base TI cost: 3,000 x $45 = $135,000
    2. 02Architecture fee: $135,000 x 8% = $10,800
    3. 03Permits: $3,000
    4. 04Subtotal: $135,000 + $10,800 + $3,000 = $148,800
    5. 05Contingency: $148,800 x 10% = $14,880
    6. 06Total TI cost: $148,800 + $14,880 = $163,680
    7. 07Landlord allowance: 3,000 x $30 = $90,000
    8. 08Tenant out-of-pocket: $163,680 - $90,000 = $73,680
    9. 09Allowance coverage: $90,000 / $163,680 = 55.0%

    Frequently Asked Questions

    Related Calculators