# 2026 Vancouver Tenant Improvement Budget Checklist

Use this checklist before signing a commercial lease or approving a tenant improvement quote in Metro Vancouver.

## Lease and allowance questions

- What is the tenant improvement allowance per square foot?
- Is the allowance paid upfront, reimbursed after completion, or credited through rent?
- Does the allowance include design, engineering, permits, IT, security, signage, furniture, fixtures, and equipment?
- Does the landlord require a preferred contractor?
- What restoration work does the lease require when you leave?

## Shell condition checks

- Is the space a warm shell, cold shell, vanilla shell, or previously occupied unit?
- Are washrooms already in place and code-compliant for the new use?
- Is the electrical panel large enough?
- Are existing HVAC zones suitable for the new layout?
- Does the sprinkler layout work with the new room plan?
- Are there hazardous materials or asbestos risks?

## Permit and municipality checks

- Which municipality reviews the permit?
- Does the work qualify for a faster tenant-improvement stream?
- Does the use trigger a change of occupancy?
- Do you need plumbing, electrical, sprinkler, fire alarm, gas, or mechanical permits?
- Who is responsible for booking inspections?

## Quote line items to request

- Demolition and disposal
- Framing, drywall, doors, frames, and hardware
- Flooring, paint, and finishes
- Millwork and counters
- Plumbing, electrical, mechanical, sprinklers, and fire alarm
- Data, security, and AV rough-ins
- Permit coordination and inspections
- General conditions, site protection, clean-up, and contingency