Spring Commercial Buildout Timeline Guide: Open by Fall
Starting a commercial buildout in spring gives Bay Area business owners the best chance of opening by fall. A 6-month construction timeline from March to September aligns with lease negotiations, permit approvals, and the goal of opening before the holiday season. This guide covers the full timeline from tenant improvement negotiation through grand opening, permit preparation for Bay Area commercial projects, construction calendar management, how to align your lease start date with buildout completion, and costs that range from $150 to $350+ per square foot. Whether you are building out a restaurant, retail space, or office, a spring start date puts you on the strongest path to a fall opening.
How long does a commercial buildout take in the Bay Area?
Most Bay Area commercial buildouts take 4-8 months depending on the scope and type of business. A basic office or retail buildout may take 4-5 months, while a restaurant or food-service buildout with full kitchen infrastructure can take 6-8 months. Starting in March positions you for a September or October opening.
Why Spring Is the Best Time to Start Your Commercial Buildout
For Bay Area business owners planning a new location, the calendar works backward from your desired opening date. If you want to open before the holiday season, when retail and food-service revenue peaks, you need to be in construction by spring. A March or April start date, combined with a 4-8 month buildout timeline, puts your grand opening in September or October.
This timing is not just about hitting a revenue window. Spring starts benefit from warmer weather for any exterior work, longer daylight hours for extended construction shifts, and better subcontractor availability at the beginning of the building season. Your project avoids the compressed timelines and premium pricing that come with trying to rush a buildout in summer or fall.
The key to making this work is preparation. Lease negotiations, design, permitting, and equipment ordering all need to happen before construction begins. Business owners who start these steps in late fall or early winter set themselves up for a smooth spring groundbreaking.
The Spring-to-Fall Commercial Buildout Timeline
Here is the full timeline from initial planning through opening day:
| Phase | Duration | Target Dates |
|---|---|---|
| Lease negotiation and TI allowance | 4-8 weeks | November-January |
| Space planning and design | 4-6 weeks | December-February |
| Permit submission and review | 6-16 weeks | January-April |
| Equipment and material ordering | Overlaps with permitting | February-March |
| Demolition and site prep | 1-2 weeks | March-April |
| Rough construction (framing, MEP rough-in) | 3-6 weeks | April-May |
| Inspections | 1-2 weeks | May-June |
| Finish work (drywall, flooring, painting) | 2-4 weeks | June-July |
| Equipment installation | 1-3 weeks | July-August |
| Final inspections and approvals | 1-3 weeks | August-September |
| Punch list and finishing touches | 1-2 weeks | September |
| Soft opening / Grand opening | - | September-October |
This timeline assumes a moderately complex buildout (restaurant, specialty retail, or professional office). Simple office buildouts can compress to 4-5 months. Complex restaurant or medical buildouts may extend to 8-10 months.
Aligning Your Lease with Your Buildout
Lease timing is one of the most frequently mismanaged aspects of commercial buildouts. Here is how to handle it:
Negotiate a Buildout Period
Most Bay Area commercial landlords expect tenants to need construction time before opening. Negotiate a buildout period, typically 3-6 months of free or reduced rent, at the start of your lease. This period covers the construction timeline so you are not paying full rent on a space you cannot yet use.
Tips for negotiation:
- Longer lease terms (5-10 years) give you more negotiating power for a longer buildout period
- Document your expected construction timeline and share it with the landlord
- Request that the buildout period begins on lease signing, not on a specific calendar date
- Negotiate a rent commencement date tied to Certificate of Occupancy or a fixed number of months, whichever comes first
Time Your Lease Signing
If you want to start construction in March, work backward:
- March: Construction begins (you need permits in hand)
- January-February: Permits under review (submitted November-January)
- November-December: Design finalized, permits submitted
- October-November: Lease signed, buildout period begins
Signing the lease in late fall or early winter gives you time to complete design and permitting during the buildout period, with construction starting in spring.
Permit Preparation for Bay Area Commercial Projects
Commercial permitting in the Bay Area involves multiple agencies and review cycles. Understanding the process helps you plan realistically.
Building Department Review
Your city’s building department reviews structural, mechanical, electrical, and plumbing plans. For commercial projects, this review is more detailed than residential work and includes ADA compliance, fire separation, exit paths, and occupancy load calculations.
Typical review timelines:
| City | Initial Review | With Revisions |
|---|---|---|
| San Jose | 6-10 weeks | 8-14 weeks |
| Palo Alto | 10-14 weeks | 12-18 weeks |
| Cupertino | 6-10 weeks | 8-14 weeks |
| San Mateo | 6-8 weeks | 8-12 weeks |
Health Department Review (Food Service)
Restaurant and food-service buildouts require separate health department plan review. This covers kitchen layout, food storage, handwashing stations, ventilation, grease traps, and pest control. Health department review adds 4-8 weeks to the permitting timeline and must be completed before you can apply for your food service permit.
Fire Marshal Review
Commercial spaces require fire marshal approval for fire sprinkler systems, fire alarm systems, exit signage, and occupancy load. This review typically runs concurrently with building department review but may require a separate submission.
All pricing is approximate, reflects 2026 Bay Area market conditions, and is subject to change. Every project is unique. Final costs are determined on a project-by-project basis during our design phase.
Planning Commission or Design Review
Some Bay Area cities require planning commission approval or design review for new commercial tenants, especially if the buildout includes exterior signage changes, facade modifications, or changes to the parking layout. This adds 4-8 weeks and may involve a public hearing.
Construction Calendar Management
Once permits are approved and construction begins, managing the construction calendar becomes the daily priority.
Phase Sequencing
Commercial buildouts follow a logical sequence. Each phase must be completed and often inspected before the next can begin:
- Demolition: Remove existing improvements, expose structure, identify any hidden conditions.
- Rough framing: Build new walls, soffits, and structural elements.
- Mechanical, electrical, and plumbing (MEP) rough-in: Install HVAC ductwork, electrical wiring, plumbing lines, and fire sprinkler modifications.
- Inspections: Rough-in inspections must pass before walls are closed.
- Drywall, taping, and painting: Close walls, apply finishes.
- Flooring: Install tile, hardwood, polished concrete, or other flooring.
- Finish MEP: Install light fixtures, outlets, switches, plumbing fixtures, and HVAC registers.
- Equipment installation: Commercial kitchen equipment, display cases, specialty fixtures.
- Final inspections: Building, fire, and health department sign-offs.
- Certificate of Occupancy: The city issues this once all inspections pass.
Subcontractor Coordination
Commercial buildouts require coordinating multiple specialized subcontractors: framers, electricians, plumbers, HVAC technicians, fire sprinkler installers, tile setters, painters, and equipment installers. Spring scheduling is favorable because subcontractors are transitioning from the slower winter season and have more availability.
Your general contractor or design-build firm manages this coordination. Poor subcontractor scheduling is one of the biggest causes of timeline slippage, so working with a firm experienced in commercial buildouts is important.
Cost Considerations
Bay Area commercial buildout costs vary significantly by business type:
All pricing is approximate, reflects 2026 Bay Area market conditions, and is subject to change. Every project is unique. Final costs are determined on a project-by-project basis during our design phase.
| Business Type | Cost per Square Foot | Example (2,000 sqft) |
|---|---|---|
| Basic office (open plan) | $150-$200/sqft | $300,000-$400,000 |
| Professional office (private offices, conference rooms) | $200-$275/sqft | $400,000-$550,000 |
| Retail store | $175-$275/sqft | $350,000-$550,000 |
| Restaurant (full kitchen) | $250-$350+/sqft | $500,000-$700,000+ |
| Coffee shop / Cafe | $200-$300/sqft | $400,000-$600,000 |
| Medical / Dental office | $250-$350/sqft | $500,000-$700,000 |
Where the budget goes:
- Construction (demolition, framing, finishes): 40-50%
- MEP systems (mechanical, electrical, plumbing): 20-30%
- Equipment and fixtures: 10-20%
- Design and permitting: 8-12%
- Contingency: 10-15%
Restaurant buildouts cost the most per square foot due to commercial kitchen infrastructure: Type I and Type II hoods, grease traps, walk-in coolers, fire suppression systems, and specialized plumbing.
Why Custom Home Design and Build
Custom Home brings years of commercial buildout experience across the Bay Area. Our design-build approach handles everything from initial space planning through Certificate of Occupancy: design, permitting, MEP coordination, construction management, and equipment installation.
We have completed restaurant buildouts, retail spaces, office build-outs, and specialty commercial projects in San Jose, Palo Alto, and surrounding cities. We know how to manage the multi-agency permitting process that makes Bay Area commercial projects uniquely complex, and we build that timeline knowledge into every project plan.
Plan Your Spring Buildout Now
The clock is ticking toward a fall opening. If you want to be in business before the holiday season, the planning, permitting, and preparation phases need to start immediately.
Contact Custom Home Design and Build to discuss your commercial buildout. We will evaluate your space, build a realistic timeline, and create a plan that gets you from lease signing to grand opening on schedule.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a tenant improvement (TI) allowance, and how does it affect my buildout timeline?
A TI allowance is a dollar amount your landlord contributes toward buildout costs, typically expressed as a per-square-foot figure. In the Bay Area, TI allowances range from $30-$100+ per square foot for commercial leases depending on the property, lease term, and negotiating power. Negotiate your TI allowance before signing the lease, as it directly affects your construction budget. The negotiation process can take 2-6 weeks and should happen before your spring construction start date.
How long does it take to get a commercial building permit in the Bay Area?
Commercial building permits in the Bay Area typically take 6-16 weeks for plan review, depending on the city and project complexity. Restaurants and food-service spaces take longer due to health department reviews. San Jose commercial permits average 8-12 weeks. Palo Alto and some Peninsula cities can take 12-16 weeks. Submit your plans as early as possible, ideally in January or February for a spring construction start.
Should I start my lease before the buildout is complete?
Ideally, negotiate a buildout period (rent-free or reduced rent) at the beginning of your lease. Most commercial leases in the Bay Area allow a 3-6 month buildout period before full rent begins. Time your lease signing so the buildout period covers your construction timeline. Starting your lease in March with a 6-month buildout period means full rent begins in September, aligned with your opening.
What is the most common reason for commercial buildout delays?
Permit delays are the number one cause. Commercial projects, especially restaurants, require approvals from multiple agencies: building department, fire marshal, health department, and sometimes the planning commission. Submitting complete, code-compliant plans reduces revision cycles. The second most common delay is material lead times for specialty equipment like commercial kitchen hoods, walk-in coolers, and custom millwork.