Commercial Lease Space Build-Out Cost Calculator
ANA›Life Services Authority›National Calculator Authority›Commercial Lease Space Build-Out Cost Calculator
.calc-container { max-width: 640px; margin: 2rem 0; padding: 1.5rem; background: #fff; border: 1px solid #ddd; border-radius: 8px; box-shadow: 0 1px 3px rgba(0,0,0,0.06); font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, sans-serif; } .calc-container h3 { font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 1.15rem; color: #1a1a1a; margin-bottom: 1rem; padding-bottom: 0.5rem; border-bottom: 2px solid var(--ac, #3d5a80); } .calc-row { display: flex; align-items: center; gap: 0.75rem; margin-bottom: 0.75rem; flex-wrap: wrap; } .calc-row label { min-width: 160px; font-size: 0.9rem; color: #333; font-weight: 500; } .calc-row input[type="number"], .calc-row select { flex: 1; min-width: 120px; max-width: 200px; padding: 0.5rem 0.6rem; border: 1px solid #ccc; border-radius: 4px; font-size: 0.9rem; font-family: system-ui, sans-serif; color: #1a1a1a; background: #fafaf8; } .calc-row input:focus, .calc-row select:focus { outline: none; border-color: var(--ac, #3d5a80); box-shadow: 0 0 0 2px rgba(26,74,138,0.12); } .calc-row .unit { font-size: 0.82rem; color: #888; min-width: 30px; } .calc-btn { display: inline-block; margin-top: 0.5rem; padding: 0.55rem 1.5rem; background: var(--ac, #3d5a80); color: #fff; border: none; border-radius: 4px; font-size: 0.9rem; font-weight: 600; cursor: pointer; font-family: system-ui, sans-serif; } .calc-btn:hover { opacity: 0.9; } .calc-result { margin-top: 1.25rem; padding: 1rem 1.25rem; background: #f0f6fc; border-left: 3px solid var(--ac, #3d5a80); border-radius: 0 6px 6px 0; display: none; } .calc-result.visible { display: block; } .calc-result-label { font-size: 0.78rem; text-transform: uppercase; letter-spacing: 0.06em; color: #666; margin-bottom: 0.25rem; } .calc-result-value { font-size: 1.6rem; font-weight: 700; color: var(--ac, #3d5a80); } .calc-result-detail { font-size: 0.85rem; color: #555; margin-top: 0.5rem; line-height: 1.5; } .calc-note { margin-top: 1rem; font-size: 0.8rem; color: #888; font-style: italic; } .calc-grid { display: grid; grid-template-columns: 1fr 1fr; gap: 0.75rem; margin-top: 0.75rem; } .calc-grid-item { padding: 0.6rem 0.8rem; background: #f8f9fa; border-radius: 4px; border: 1px solid #eee; } .calc-grid-item .label { font-size: 0.75rem; color: #888; text-transform: uppercase; letter-spacing: 0.04em; } .calc-grid-item .value { font-size: 1.1rem; font-weight: 600; color: #1a1a1a; } @media (max-width: 720px) { .calc-row { flex-direction: column; align-items: flex-start; gap: 0.3rem; } .calc-row label { min-width: auto; } .calc-row input[type="number"], .calc-row select { max-width: 100%; width: 100%; } .calc-grid { grid-template-columns: 1fr; } } .calc-chart { margin: 1rem 0; text-align: center; } .calc-chart svg { max-width: 100%; height: auto; } .calc-chart-legend { display: flex; flex-wrap: wrap; justify-content: center; gap: 0.6rem 1.2rem; margin-top: 0.6rem; font-size: 0.8rem; color: #555; } .calc-chart-legend span { display: inline-flex; align-items: center; gap: 0.3rem; } .calc-chart-legend i { display: inline-block; width: 10px; height: 10px; border-radius: 2px; font-style: normal; } .calc-related { max-width: 640px; margin: 2rem 0 1rem; padding: 1.25rem 1.5rem; background: #f8f9fa; border: 1px solid #e8e8e8; border-radius: 8px; } .calc-related h3 { font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 1rem; color: #1a1a1a; margin: 0 0 0.75rem; padding-bottom: 0.4rem; border-bottom: 2px solid var(--ac, #3d5a80); } .calc-related-list { list-style: none; padding: 0; margin: 0 0 0.75rem; display: grid; grid-template-columns: 1fr 1fr; gap: 0.4rem 1.5rem; } .calc-related-list li a { font-size: 0.88rem; color: var(--ac, #3d5a80); text-decoration: none; } .calc-related-list li a:hover { text-decoration: underline; } .calc-browse-all { margin: 0.5rem 0 0; font-size: 0.9rem; font-weight: 600; } .calc-browse-all a { color: var(--ac, #3d5a80); text-decoration: none; } .calc-browse-all a:hover { text-decoration: underline; } @media (max-width: 720px) { .calc-related-list { grid-template-columns: 1fr; } }
Commercial Lease Space Build-Out Cost Calculator
Estimate the total cost to build out a commercial lease space, your net out-of-pocket expense after tenant improvement (TI) allowances, and how that cost can be amortized over your lease term.
Total Leasable Square Footage (sq ft)
Finish Level
Basic / Shell Finish (~$55/sq ft) Standard Office Finish (~$85/sq ft) Mid-Range Retail / Medical (~$130/sq ft) High-End / Specialty (~$200/sq ft) Custom (enter cost per sq ft below)
Custom Build-Out Cost per Sq Ft ($)
Tenant Improvement (TI) Allowance ($ per sq ft)
Lease Term (years)
Contingency Buffer (%)
Calculate Build-Out Cost
document.getElementById('com_finish').addEventListener('change', function() { var customRow = document.getElementById('com_custom_row'); customRow.style.display = (this.value === 'custom') ? 'block' : 'none'; });
function comCalc() { var resultDiv = document.getElementById('com_result'); resultDiv.style.display = 'none'; resultDiv.innerHTML = '';
// --- Gather inputs --- var sqft = parseFloat(document.getElementById('com_sqft').value); var finishSel = document.getElementById('com_finish').value; var customCost = parseFloat(document.getElementById('com_custom_cost').value); var ti = parseFloat(document.getElementById('com_ti').value) || 0; var leaseYears = parseFloat(document.getElementById('com_lease_years').value); var contingency = parseFloat(document.getElementById('com_contingency').value); if (isNaN(contingency) || contingency 500000) errors.push("Square footage cannot exceed 500,000 sq ft."); if (finishSel === 'custom') { if (isNaN(customCost) || customCost 2000) errors.push("Custom cost per sq ft seems unreasonably high (max $2,000)."); } if (isNaN(ti) || ti 30) errors.push("Lease term cannot exceed 30 years."); if (contingency > 50) errors.push("Contingency buffer cannot exceed 50%.");
if (errors.length > 0) { resultDiv.style.display = 'block'; resultDiv.innerHTML = 'Please fix the following:' + errors.map(function(e){ return ''; }).join('') + ''; return; }
// --- Core Formula --- // 1. Base cost per sq ft var baseCostPerSqft = (finishSel === 'custom') ? customCost : parseFloat(finishSel);
// 2. Gross build-out cost (before contingency) // Gross Build-Out Cost = Square Footage × Cost per Sq Ft var grossBuildOut = sqft * baseCostPerSqft;
// 3. Contingency amount // Contingency = Gross Build-Out Cost × (Contingency % / 100) var contingencyAmt = grossBuildOut * (contingency / 100);
// 4. Total build-out cost (with contingency) // Total Build-Out Cost = Gross Build-Out Cost + Contingency var totalBuildOut = grossBuildOut + contingencyAmt;
// 5. Total TI allowance // Total TI Allowance = TI per Sq Ft × Square Footage var totalTI = ti * sqft;
// 6. Net tenant cost (out-of-pocket after TI) // Net Tenant Cost = Total Build-Out Cost − Total TI Allowance // (floored at 0; negative means landlord covers full build-out) var netTenantCost = Math.max(0, totalBuildOut - totalTI);
// 7. Landlord overage (if TI > total cost, landlord may keep remainder or apply to rent) var landlordOverage = Math.max(0, totalTI - totalBuildOut);
// 8. Effective cost per sq ft (net) var netCostPerSqft = netTenantCost / sqft;
// 9. Monthly amortization (simple straight-line, no interest) // Monthly Cost = Net Tenant Cost / (Lease Years × 12) var leaseMonths = leaseYears * 12; var monthlyAmort = netTenantCost / leaseMonths;
// 10. Annual amortization var annualAmort = netTenantCost / leaseYears;
// 11. Monthly amortization per sq ft var monthlyPerSqft = monthlyAmort / sqft;
// --- Format helpers --- function fmt(n, dec) { dec = (dec === undefined) ? 2 : dec; return n.toLocaleString('en-US', {minimumFractionDigits: dec, maximumFractionDigits: dec}); } function fmtD(n) { return '$' + fmt(n); }
// --- Build result HTML --- var html = '### Build-Out Cost Estimate '; html += ''; html += 'ItemAmount'; html += 'Square Footage' + fmt(sqft, 0) + ' sq ft'; html += 'Base Cost per Sq Ft' + fmtD(baseCostPerSqft) + ''; html += 'Gross Build-Out Cost' + fmtD(grossBuildOut) + ''; html += 'Contingency (' + fmt(contingency, 0) + '%)' + fmtD(contingencyAmt) + ''; html += 'Total Build-Out Cost' + fmtD(totalBuildOut) + ''; html += 'Total TI Allowance(' + fmtD(totalTI) + ')'; html += 'Net Tenant Out-of-Pocket' + fmtD(netTenantCost) + '';
if (landlordOverage > 0) { html += 'TI Surplus (landlord retains or credits to rent)' + fmtD(landlordOverage) + ''; }
html += 'Effective Net Cost per Sq Ft' + fmtD(netCostPerSqft) + ''; html += 'Lease Term' + fmt(leaseYears, 0) + ' years (' + fmt(leaseMonths, 0) + ' months)'; html += 'Annual Amortized Cost' + fmtD(annualAmort) + ''; html += 'Monthly Amortized Cost' + fmtD(monthlyAmort) + ''; html += 'Monthly Amortized Cost per Sq Ft' + fmtD(monthlyPerSqft) + ''; html += '';
if (netTenantCost === 0 && totalTI >= totalBuildOut) { html += 'Note: Your TI allowance fully covers the estimated build-out cost. Negotiate any surplus as a rent credit or additional improvements.
'; } else if (netTenantCost > 0 && netTenantCost
#### Formulas Used
Gross Build-Out Cost = Square Footage × Cost per Sq Ft
Contingency Amount = Gross Build-Out Cost × (Contingency % ÷ 100)
Total Build-Out Cost = Gross Build-Out Cost + Contingency Amount
Total TI Allowance = TI Allowance per Sq Ft × Square Footage
Net Tenant Cost = max(0, Total Build-Out Cost − Total TI Allowance)
Effective Net Cost per Sq Ft = Net Tenant Cost ÷ Square Footage
Monthly Amortized Cost = Net Tenant Cost ÷ (Lease Years × 12) [straight-line, no interest]
#### Assumptions & References
- A 10% contingency is the industry-standard buffer recommended by the Construction Management Association of America (CMAA) for tenant improvement projects.
- Tenant Improvement (TI) Allowance is a landlord concession paid per square foot toward the tenant's build-out; typical ranges are $20–$80/sq ft depending on market and lease term length.
- Amortization shown is straight-line (no financing cost). If you finance the net cost, add your lender's interest rate to determine true monthly carrying cost.
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