St. Louis Commercial Tenant Improvement Guide 2026: Scope, Permits, Budget and Schedule
Updated: 3 days ago
A commercial tenant improvement (TI), also called a fit-out or build-out, is the work that turns a leased shell or an outdated suite into a space the incoming business can operate in. Projects move fastest when the owner, landlord, designer and contractor settle scope before demolition begins. This guide is written for St. Louis office, medical, retail, restaurant, franchise and professional-space projects where schedule, permits, trade coordination and a clean handoff matter as much as finish selections. It is a planning guide, not a substitute for project-specific code review; requirements vary by municipality, occupancy, fire district and scope.
What a tenant improvement includes
Depending on the project, a TI can include selective demolition, rough carpentry, metal stud framing, drywall and finishing, acoustical ceilings, painting, flooring, finish carpentry, doors and hardware, millwork, and coordination of mechanical, electrical, plumbing, fire protection, fire alarm, data and security trades. Light work may be paint, flooring, lighting and a few partitions. A full build-out adds offices, restrooms, plumbing, electrical upgrades, ceilings and finished surfaces throughout.
The base building gives you the shell. The tenant improvement makes it usable for the business moving in.
What a tenant improvement contractor handles
The TI contractor coordinates the construction work and, just as important, the sequence. Demolition exposes existing conditions before new framing begins. Framing and above-ceiling work are coordinated before drywall closes walls. Inspections, long-lead materials, owner selections and specialty equipment all affect the schedule. The contractor also manages site protection, deliveries, working hours and communication with property management in occupied buildings.
1. Start with existing conditions
Before pricing, document the existing layout, ceiling system, electrical service, HVAC distribution, plumbing locations, fire protection, fire alarm, accessibility conditions, storefront, doors and landlord-provided infrastructure. Unknown conditions are the biggest single cause of change orders. For leased spaces, collect the lease work letter, landlord criteria, base-building drawings, utility information and rules for after-hours work, loading, elevators, shutdowns and debris removal.
2. Define the use before the design
A medical office, restaurant, salon, retail shop and standard office create very different permit and MEP requirements inside the same shell. Confirm the proposed use, occupancy, occupant load, restroom count, accessibility, equipment loads and specialty systems before the construction scope is written. If the use is changing, identify zoning or municipal approvals early; a build-out that looks simple on paper can stall if the new use triggers additional review.
3. St. Louis County commercial permit planning
St. Louis County commercial building permits require plan submission. When a project includes building work plus mechanical, electrical or plumbing work, the County reviews those disciplines under the commercial building permit application, and separate trade permits are issued to the licensed discipline contractors after review. The County's application guidance requires the business or tenant name, so settle the tenant entity and project contacts before submittal. Official reference: St. Louis County electronic plan review.
4. Chesterfield and other municipalities add a step
Chesterfield requires Municipal Zoning Approval before the County building-permit process. Its checklist for a commercial interior finish calls for a Municipal Zoning Approval application, a key plan showing the area of work and a parking worksheet for non-residential uses; Chesterfield contracts building permitting and inspection through St. Louis County Public Works. Official reference: City of Chesterfield building permits. Other municipalities, and the City of St. Louis, run their own review, so confirm the jurisdiction before scheduling.
5. What to have before requesting a price
The strongest pricing starts with an architectural plan set and a clearly defined scope. Provide demolition plans, partition types, reflected ceiling plans, finish plans and schedules, door and hardware information, interior elevations, MEP drawings, specifications, addenda, landlord standards, alternates, a bid form, schedule expectations and a clear list of what is owner-furnished. If drawings are incomplete, identify allowances and exclusions instead of hiding uncertainty in a lump sum; that produces comparable bids and fewer disputes.
6. The biggest budget drivers
TI budgets are driven less by square footage than by what has to move or be replaced. The main drivers are demolition, partition density and wall types, ceiling work, electrical distribution and lighting, HVAC modifications, plumbing and restrooms, fire protection and fire alarm changes, accessibility corrections, doors and hardware, flooring, painting, millwork, specialty equipment, after-hours work, phasing and long-lead materials. Spell out who provides utility upgrades, sprinkler work, low voltage, signage, appliances, furniture, security, data, permits and testing between landlord, tenant and contractor.
7. Occupied buildings and phased work
Many St. Louis tenant improvements happen in occupied buildings or next to operating tenants. Dust control, temporary protection, noise planning, debris removal, delivery coordination, night work and clear communication with property management are part of the scope and the price. High ceilings, restricted elevators and phased turnover change labor and supervision needs; a useful proposal names those conditions instead of burying them.
8. Protect the schedule
A practical sequence: preconstruction and field verification, design completion, permit submittal, procurement, demolition, rough framing and MEP, rough inspections, insulation and drywall, ceilings, finishes, doors and hardware, fixtures, final inspections, punch list and closeout. Long-lead doors, specialty lighting, electrical gear, HVAC equipment, custom millwork and tenant-furnished equipment should be identified before demolition. The fastest field crew cannot recover weeks lost to late procurement.
9. What owners should ask before award
Ask who coordinates the daily site, how submittals and RFIs are handled, how change orders are approved, what is excluded, how shutdowns are scheduled, who owns permit coordination, what insurance is carried, how progress billing works and what closeout documents will be delivered. The lowest initial number is not always the lowest project cost; scope gaps and vague exclusions cost more than a properly scoped bid.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between a tenant improvement and a fit-out? None in practice. Tenant improvement, TI, fit-out and build-out all describe interior construction that adapts a leased commercial space for a specific tenant.
Who pays for tenant improvements? Usually a mix: a landlord TI allowance negotiated in the lease, with the tenant covering scope above the allowance. The work letter defines what the landlord delivers in the shell.
How long does a typical TI take? Small office suites run 4 to 8 weeks after permit; medical, restaurant and larger office projects run 10 to 16 weeks or more depending on MEP scope and lead times.
Does Salem work for owners or for general contractors? Both. Salem Developments is the GC for owners, tenants and property managers, and a self-performing demolition, framing, drywall, ceilings, paint and carpentry subcontractor for national and regional GCs.
When Salem Developments is a fit
Salem Developments LLC focuses on commercial tenant improvements, interior build-outs, renovation and selective demolition across Greater St. Louis, St. Louis County and St. Charles County, for office, medical, retail, restaurant, franchise and professional spaces. Recent work includes the Happy Cat Hotel & Spa build-out in St. Louis, Einstein Bros. Bagels in Creve Coeur, Live Well Massage Therapy in Kirkwood and site demolition for RISE in Maryland Heights.
For a project review, plans or site-walk request, use the commercial bid request form, call (636) 298-9013, or read about our tenant improvement services.
Comments