Commercial Tenant Improvement (TI) MEP Estimating
Plan-based quantity takeoffs and pricing for interior commercial renovations, office build-outs, retail fit-outs, and core & shell modifications nationwide.
What Is Included in a Commercial Tenant Improvement (TI) MEP Takeoff?
A commercial tenant improvement (TI) MEP takeoff quantifies interior alteration scopes for corporate offices, retail spaces, restaurants, and medical suites. It segregates demolition from new work, quantifying VAV box relocations, flexible duct runouts, linear slot diffusers, core-drilled restroom and breakroom plumbing tie-ins, lighting control sensors, and underfloor electrical raceways. Confirm applicable energy-code details in the project documents with the design team.
Commercial TI Trade Disciplines
Clear scope demarcation between base-building core & shell infrastructure and tenant fit-out packages.
Interior HVAC Alterations (Div 23)
Quantification of medium-pressure duct modifications, terminal VAV box relocations, thermostat wiring, and new air distribution patterns.
- Existing VAV box relocations, recalibrations & new reheat coils
- Flexible duct runouts (insulated R-6/R-8) and spin-in collars
- Linear slot diffusers, 2x2 supply grilles & eggcrate returns
- Exhaust fan tie-ins for conference rooms and copy centers
Power, Lighting & Controls (Div 26)
Complete electrical build-out including architectural lighting packages, daylight harvesting sensors, floor poke-throughs, and sub-panels.
- IECC / Title 24 vacancy sensors, photocells & dimming packs
- Commercial architectural LED fixtures, downlights & track lights
- Poke-through floor boxes, power poles & modular furniture feeds
- Tenant sub-panels, dedicated server room circuits & TV raceways
Restroom & Breakroom Plumbing (Div 22)
Takeoffs for core-drilled slab penetrations, ADA-compliant commercial restroom additions, breakroom sinks, and water heater arrays.
- Core drilling, firestop collars & horizontal waste below slab
- Breakroom sink, dishwasher, ice-maker & instant hot water hookups
- Commercial water closet, urinal & ADA lavatory additions
- Domestic water submetering and backflow preventer installations
Referenced Commercial Interior Codes & Standards
Our tenant improvement takeoffs reflect specified energy conservation details and architectural layout requirements.
Commercial TI Quantification & Specification Matrix
Engineering parameters and scope demarcation criteria for commercial interior fit-outs.
| TI Scope Area | CSI MasterFormat | Demolition vs. New | Governing Code | Quantification Unit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| VAV Relocations & Flex Duct | Div 23 36 00 | Isolated Dual-Layer Tracking | SMACNA Guidelines | Box count (EA), Linear Feet (LF) flex duct |
| Lighting Controls & Sensors | Div 26 09 23 | Full Modernization Takeoff | ASHRAE 90.1 / IECC | Occupancy sensors (EA), dimmers & NLC packs |
| Core-Drilled Restrooms | Div 22 13 00 | New Core & Base Stack Tie-In | ADA / IPC Codes | Core penetrations (EA), firestops, fixtures |
| Poke-Through Floor Power | Div 26 05 33 | Furniture System Interface | NECA MLU Standards | Floor boxes (EA), conduit LF, circuit home runs |
- Selective Demolition Breakdown
- Clear segregation of demolition tasks (fixture caps, duct removal, wiring make-safe) from new fit-out scope items.
- Project-specific delivery schedule
- Estimating support for compressed bid schedules typical of corporate commercial tenant interiors, with milestones discussed after scope review.
- Energy Code Compliance
- Granular quantification of automated lighting controls, daylight harvesting photocells, and continuous 0-10V dimming stations.
What You Receive in Your TI Bid Package
- Color-coded demolition vs. new work drawing markups for clear scope demarcation:
- Itemized fixture, device, and diffuser schedules cross-referenced to existing building tie-in points:
- Project-specific delivery milestones discussed around the bid deadline:
- Ready-to-submit Excel bid workbooks with labor and material breakdowns:
- Segregated Demolition & New Work Markups: Bluebeam plan markups clearly differentiating demo scopes from new equipment installations.
- Delivery milestones: Discussed after reviewing the project scope, drawing set, and requested bid deadline.
Explore Core Trade Estimating Scopes
Commercial TI Estimating Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
Need a Commercial TI MEP Estimate?
Send us your office, retail, or restaurant fit-out drawings to discuss scope, deliverables, and project-specific delivery milestones.
Tenant improvement example: distinguish reuse from new work
A synthetic fit-out drawing shows 10 existing diffusers: 6 remain in place and 4 are relocated. It also schedules 3 new diffusers. The estimating schedule should preserve those different work operations.
| Operation | Example count | Takeoff treatment |
|---|---|---|
| Remain in place | 6 EA | Identify retained scope |
| Relocate | 4 EA | Removal/reinstallation and revised connections |
| New | 3 EA | New supply and installation scope |
There are 13 final diffuser locations in the example, but only 3 newly supplied units. Price relocation and duct/controls changes from the documented work rather than treating every final location as a new equipment purchase. Record survey assumptions when existing conditions are not confirmed.