DFW cost guide
What does a commercial office finish-out cost in DFW?
Typical Dallas–Fort Worth office finish-outs run $45–$175 per square foot all-in. Where you land depends on whether you're working with a spec suite or shell space, the finish level you're after, and how much MEP work is involved.
The short answer
- Spec suite / second-generation: $40 – $80 / sf. Walls, ceilings, HVAC, and restrooms already exist — you're modifying.
- First-generation shell: $90 – $160 / sf. Bare concrete, open deck, no MEP distribution — you're building everything.
- High-end client-facing space: $130 – $175+ / sf. Glass fronts, custom millwork, premium finishes, upgraded systems.
Ranges reflect typical DFW pricing for 2025–2026 and represent construction cost only. Furniture, IT cabling, AV, and signage are usually carried as separate budgets.
The two starting points (biggest cost driver)
Before finish level, layout, or square footage, the single biggest variable in a commercial buildout budget is what condition the space is in when you take it over.
$40 – $80 / sf
Spec suite / second-generation
Demising walls, ceiling grid, HVAC distribution, restrooms, and base finishes are already in place. Most of your budget goes to layout changes, finishes, and refreshing what's tired. Permits are faster and timelines are shorter.
$90 – $160 / sf
First-generation shell
Concrete floor, structural deck above, stubbed utilities at the demising wall — nothing else. Framing, drywall, full MEP distribution, ceilings, and finishes are all on your scope. Longer permitting and longer construction windows.
Cost by finish level
Finish level is the second biggest budget lever. Same square footage, same starting condition — finish choices can swing the all-in cost by 50% or more.
| Finish tier | Typical range | What's included |
|---|---|---|
| Basic / functional | $45 – $70 / sf | Building-standard finishes, minimal MEP changes, carpet tile, 2×2 ACT ceilings, basic LED troffers. |
| Standard professional | $70 – $110 / sf | Mix of private offices and open plan, one glass conference room, upgraded LVT or carpet, modest millwork, accent paint. |
| High-end client-facing | $110 – $175+ / sf | Glass office fronts, custom millwork and reception, premium flooring, designer lighting, sound masking, upgraded HVAC zoning. |
Where the money goes (line-item breakdown)
A rough percentage breakdown of a typical mid-range DFW office finish-out budget. Actual splits vary by scope — heavy MEP scopes push HVAC and electrical higher; light cosmetic refreshes push finishes higher.
| Line item | % of total budget |
|---|---|
| Demolition | 2 – 5% |
| Framing & drywall | 8 – 14% |
| Doors, frames & hardware | 3 – 6% |
| Flooring (carpet tile / LVT / polished concrete) | 5 – 10% |
| Acoustic ceilings & lighting | 6 – 10% |
| HVAC modifications & controls | 8 – 15% |
| Electrical & low-voltage rough-in | 8 – 14% |
| Plumbing (break room, added restrooms) | 3 – 8% |
| Millwork, glass fronts & specialties | 5 – 12% |
| Paint & wall finishes | 2 – 4% |
| Permits, plan review & inspections | 1 – 3% |
| General conditions, GC fee & contingency | 12 – 18% |
What drives the budget up
Added restrooms
$25K – $60K each, depending on plumbing routing and finish level.
Glass conference room fronts
$300 – $600 / linear foot for demountable glass partitions.
Upgraded HVAC zoning
Adding zones, VAVs, or supplemental cooling for server / conference rooms.
Demising walls in occupied buildings
Acoustic separation, fire-rated assemblies, after-hours installation.
Premium flooring
Polished concrete + LVT mix typically adds $4 – $10 / sf over carpet tile.
Custom millwork & reception
Reception desks and feature walls range $8K – $40K+ per element.
Sound masking & AV infrastructure
$2 – $5 / sf for white-noise systems and conference-room AV rough-in.
After-hours work in occupied buildings
10 – 25% labor premium on demo, concrete cutting, and any high-noise scopes.
DFW-specific notes
Permitting timelines vary. Fort Worth and Dallas commercial permit reviews typically run 4–8 weeks; Southlake, Colleyville, Westlake, and Keller often clear in 2–4 weeks. Healthcare and food-service scopes add health-department review on top of building.
TI allowances are negotiable. Most Class A DFW office leases include a TI allowance of $30–$70/sf for new tenants and $10–$25/sf on renewals. Anything above the allowance is paid by the tenant — either upfront or amortized into rent. Reconcile what's "building standard" before signing.
Long-lead items move the schedule. Switchgear, RTUs, custom glass, and specialty lighting can run 12–20 weeks. We flag long-leads at the ROM stage and pre-order what we can.
Occupied-building work has rules. Most landlords restrict noisy work to before 7am or after 6pm, require ICRA-grade dust barriers, and route deliveries through service entrances. Plan on a labor premium for this work — it's worth it to keep neighboring tenants happy.
FAQ
DFW office finish-out cost questions
How much does an office finish-out cost per square foot in DFW?
For 2025–2026, typical Dallas–Fort Worth office finish-outs run roughly $45–$175 per square foot, all-in. Spec-suite (second-generation) work usually lands between $40–$80/sf. First-generation shell space — bare concrete, open deck, no MEP distribution — typically runs $90–$160/sf, and higher-end client-facing space pushes $130–$175+/sf. These are construction-only ranges; furniture, IT cabling, AV, and signage are usually carried separately.
What's the difference between a spec suite and a first-generation buildout?
A spec suite (second-generation space) already has demising walls, ceiling grid, HVAC distribution, restrooms, and base finishes. You're modifying what's there. A first-generation buildout starts with raw shell — concrete floor, structural deck above, stubbed utilities at the demising wall — and adds everything: framing, drywall, MEP distribution, ceilings, finishes. First-gen costs roughly 2–3× more per square foot and takes longer because there's no infrastructure to reuse.
How long does a 5,000-square-foot office finish-out take in DFW?
From permit issuance to certificate of occupancy, plan on 8–14 weeks for a typical 5,000 sf spec-suite finish-out, and 14–22 weeks for a first-generation buildout of the same size. Permitting itself adds 3–8 weeks depending on the municipality — Fort Worth and Dallas tend to run longer than Southlake, Colleyville, or Westlake.
Who pays for the finish-out — landlord or tenant?
It depends on the lease. Most office leases include a tenant improvement (TI) allowance — a per-square-foot dollar amount the landlord contributes. Anything over the allowance is paid by the tenant, either upfront or amortized into the rent. We help tenants reconcile what's actually covered (vs. excluded as 'above standard') before signing, and coordinate landlord-side and tenant-side scopes so nothing falls through the cracks.
Do I need an architect for a commercial finish-out in Texas?
For most commercial finish-outs over a few thousand square feet, yes — Texas requires architect-sealed drawings for permit submittal on most commercial occupancies. We coordinate the architect and MEP engineers as part of our design-build process so you have one team accountable for both the drawings and the construction.
What drives an office finish-out budget up the most?
The biggest cost drivers are added or upgraded MEP (extra HVAC zones, restroom additions, kitchen/break room plumbing, electrical service upgrades), glass-front conference rooms and demountable partitions, premium finishes (stone, hardwood, custom millwork), and after-hours work in occupied buildings. Adding a single restroom can run $25K–$60K; upgrading from carpet tile to LVT plus polished concrete typically adds $4–$10/sf.
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