Separate the project into scope categories
| Project type | Questions to resolve |
|---|---|
| Refresh | Which surfaces, finishes, fixtures, and repairs are included? Does any work affect existing systems? |
| Tenant improvement | Are walls, electrical, data, HVAC, plumbing, or accessibility features changing? What design and approval information is needed? |
| Specialized space | Which operational, equipment, safety, and occupancy requirements need a qualified designer or specialist before pricing? |
Build a budget by component
- Design, surveys, or specialist assessments needed for the scope.
- Permit and inspection requirements to confirm with the relevant authority.
- Site protection, temporary arrangements, selective removal, and disposal.
- Labor, materials, equipment, and coordination between the required trades.
- Access restrictions, occupied-space phasing, and schedule dependencies.
- Testing, punch-list work, cleanup, closeout, and agreed exclusions.
Use allowances openly
Oasis does not publish a universal commercial renovation rate. Existing conditions, design detail, product choices, and access make broad market averages a weak basis for committing to a project. Ask for a line-item scope and identify each allowance that is not a fixed price.
Record who approves changes, what documentation is needed, and whether a change affects both price and schedule. Any contingency in the owner’s budget should be tied to project uncertainty; it is not automatically permission for a contractor to spend that amount.
Confirm requirements before setting a start date
Regulated trade work, structural changes, and use changes may need specialist design, permits, inspections, or other approvals. Determine the requirements for the actual site and work. A general website guide cannot confirm that a specific project is exempt or approved.
Keep occupancy and cleaning in the plan
Phase work around agreed access, utilities, tenant communication, and reopening conditions. State who handles daily construction cleanup and the final post-construction clean. Those are different tasks and should not be left for the last day.
Compare a complete proposal
Use the same drawings, scope, finish choices, allowances, exclusions, and access calendar for each bidder. Review payment milestones, change approval, closeout records, and warranty terms alongside the price. See our renovation service page and tenant improvement scope guide.
Common questions
Can a square-foot price establish the renovation budget?
It can be a comparison unit only when the scope and assumptions are defined. It is not a substitute for a site assessment and project-specific proposal.
Are design and permits included?
Confirm them in writing. Responsibility, scope, fees, and any required professional services should be clear before work begins.
How can we limit unexpected costs?
Resolve major scope questions early, document existing conditions, separate allowances, and approve changes in writing before additional work proceeds.