Commercial renovation costs
in Vancouver (2026).
Most commercial renovations in Vancouver cost about $90 to $400+ per square foot for construction in 2026, depending on whether you are building an office, store, restaurant or clinic. This guide shows the ranges by type of space, budget examples by size, and what the numbers leave out.
Commercial renovation costs in Vancouver: quick answers
Short answers to the questions we hear most about commercial budgets.
- What does a commercial renovation cost?
- Most Vancouver projects run about $90 to $400+ per sq ft for construction, depending on the type of space.
- What is the cheapest type?
- An office refresh that keeps the existing layout, at about $90 to $150 per sq ft.
- What costs the most?
- Full-service restaurants and dental clinics, which need heavy plumbing, ventilation and equipment.
- What isn't included?
- Design and engineering fees, permits, furniture, IT and AV, signage, specialty equipment and GST.
Commercial renovation costs
per square foot in Vancouver
Construction cost per square foot of leased space, by type of commercial space.
| Type of space | Typical construction cost per sq ft |
|---|---|
| Office refresh (paint, flooring, lighting, minor walls) | $90 to $150 |
| Office full build-out | $150 to $250 |
| Retail store | $100 to $220 |
| Café or quick-service restaurant | $180 to $260 |
| Full-service restaurant | $250 to $400+ |
| Medical clinic | $180 to $300 |
| Dental clinic | $220 to $400 |
| Warehouse office or childcare centre | Priced per project |
2026 planning ranges for construction in Vancouver, based on published local contractor pricing. They exclude design and engineering fees, permit fees, furniture, IT and AV, signage, specialty equipment and GST.
These ranges are for budgeting before you have drawings. They cover the construction work inside your unit: demolition, framing, drywall, ceilings, flooring, painting, electrical and lighting, plumbing, heating and ventilation changes, millwork and finishes. The spread inside each range comes from how much of the space changes and how much infrastructure the use needs.
Uses that depend on water, drainage and air, such as restaurants, cafés and dental clinics, sit higher because plumbing, ventilation and equipment connections make up a large share of the work. Offices and retail stores sit lower because most of the budget goes into walls, ceilings, lighting and finishes. Once QUAY has seen the space and your drawings or brief, a fixed-price proposal replaces these ranges.
Commercial renovation cost
examples by size
The per-square-foot ranges above, applied to typical unit sizes.
| Example space | Size | Construction budget range |
|---|---|---|
| Office refresh | 3,000 sq ft | About $270,000 to $450,000 |
| Office full build-out | 3,000 sq ft | About $450,000 to $750,000 |
| Retail store | 1,200 sq ft | About $120,000 to $264,000 |
| Café or quick-service restaurant | 1,500 sq ft | About $270,000 to $390,000 |
| Full-service restaurant | 2,500 sq ft | About $625,000 to $1,000,000+ |
| Medical clinic | 2,000 sq ft | About $360,000 to $600,000 |
| Dental clinic | 1,800 sq ft | About $396,000 to $720,000 |
Examples multiply the 2026 planning ranges by the unit size. They are not quotes, and the same exclusions apply.
Size matters less than you might expect. A small café can cost more in total than a much larger office, because the kitchen, grease management, exhaust and plumbing are needed no matter how big the dining room is. Small units also carry fixed costs such as permits, drawings, site set-up and washroom work that spread over fewer square feet, so the cost per square foot tends to rise as the unit gets smaller.
Use these examples to test a lease before you sign it. If the numbers don't work with your budget and any tenant improvement allowance, it's better to know before you commit to the space.
What drives commercial
renovation costs in Vancouver
The same square footage can land at either end of a range. These are the reasons why.
The space you start with
A unit handed over as a bare shell needs more work than one with usable ceilings, lighting, washrooms and mechanical systems. What the landlord provides, and what you have to build, is set out in the lease.
Plumbing, ventilation and power
New washrooms, sinks in treatment rooms, commercial kitchen exhaust, extra cooling and electrical service upgrades are among the biggest line items in any commercial budget.
Building rules and working hours
Many commercial and mixed-use buildings limit noisy work to set hours and require elevator bookings and common-area protection. Work scheduled after hours or on weekends is planned and priced in from the start.
Permit and code requirements
Changing the use of a space, or the extent of the work, can bring requirements for fire-life-safety, accessibility or mechanical upgrades. Confirming the permit path early keeps these in the budget instead of becoming surprises.
Finish level is the other big variable. Custom millwork, feature lighting, glass partitions and premium flooring can move a project from the middle of its range to the top. QUAY's proposals list allowances for these items separately, so you can see where the money goes and adjust before construction starts.
What commercial renovation
cost ranges don't include
Plan for these on top of construction so the total budget holds up.
The ranges on this page cover construction only. A complete commercial budget usually also needs to include design and engineering fees for architects, interior designers and mechanical, electrical or structural engineers; permit and application fees; furniture and fixtures; IT, phones, security and AV equipment; signage; specialty equipment such as commercial kitchen appliances, dental chairs or medical devices; and GST.
Some costs depend on the building. Landlords may ask for deposits, insurance, building-approved trades for certain systems, or after-hours security and elevator bookings. If the space needs work that the lease assigns to the landlord, such as bringing services to the unit, confirm who pays before you sign. On the other side of the ledger, a tenant improvement allowance from the landlord can cover part of the construction cost.
QUAY's fixed-price proposal lists exactly what is included, what is excluded and which items are allowances, so you can add the rest of your budget around it with confidence.
Commercial renovation costs
by type of space
Where the money goes in each kind of commercial project, with links to the detail.
$90 to $250 per sq ft
Layout, ceilings, lighting, data and millwork drive the cost. A refresh that keeps the layout sits at the low end. See office renovation costs.
$100 to $220 per sq ft
Storefront, lighting, display millwork, fitting rooms and back-of-house storage. See retail renovations and our store renovation cost guide.
$180 to $400+ per sq ft
Kitchen exhaust, grease management, plumbing, gas and equipment connections make food service the most infrastructure-heavy use. See restaurant renovations.
$180 to $400 per sq ft
Treatment-room plumbing, clinical millwork, equipment coordination and infection-control finishes. See medical clinic and dental clinic renovations.
Warehouse office build-outs and childcare centres are priced per project because the scope varies so much from one unit to the next. A warehouse office can be a few rooms on the floor or a full mezzanine level, and a childcare centre has to meet licensing and permit requirements that depend on the site. See warehouse office build-outs and childcare centre renovations for what's involved.
Commercial renovation timelines
and what they mean for cost
Typical construction time. Design and permits are scheduled separately and come first.
4–6 weeks
Construction time
4–8 weeks
Construction time
8–12 weeks
Construction time
8–12 weeks
Construction time
Time is part of the cost of a commercial renovation. Rent often starts before you open, so every week of construction is a week of rent without revenue. That's why QUAY confirms the permit path, orders long-lead items such as kitchen equipment, clinical cabinetry and custom millwork early, and schedules work to protect your opening date.
For office tenants in eligible Vancouver buildings, the City's Tenant Improvement Program says complete applications get an initial review and contact within 5 to 10 business days, which can shorten the time before construction starts. Other uses go through the City's regular permit process. See our commercial permits page for more.
Tenant improvement allowances and
commercial renovation costs
The lease decides who pays for what. Read it with the construction budget in hand.
In a leased space, the total cost of a renovation is often shared. The landlord may complete some work before handover, known as landlord's work, and may contribute a tenant improvement allowance toward the tenant's work. Both are negotiated as part of the lease, so the amount and what it can be spent on change from one deal to the next.
The best time to negotiate is before you sign, when you know what the space will cost to build. QUAY can walk the unit with you, review the landlord's and tenant's work schedules from a construction point of view, and give you a budget to compare against the allowance on offer. Lease terms themselves should be reviewed by your lawyer or leasing advisor. Landlords can also see our landlord and property manager services.
Learn more about tenant improvement allowances and landlord's work vs tenant's work.
How QUAY prices a
commercial renovation
From planning range to a fixed price you can build a business plan around.
Site visit
We walk the space, review the lease work schedules and building rules, and look at what's already there.
Scope and drawings
We work from your drawings or brief, or coordinate design through our design-build process.
Fixed-price proposal
Scope, inclusions, exclusions and allowances, agreed before construction begins.
One point of contact
One project manager from approval to handover, backed by our 365-day workmanship warranty.
We can work while your business stays open, scheduling noisy work after hours and on weekends and setting up the site so staff and customers can keep using the space safely. If your budget and the proposal don't line up, we'll show you which scope and finish decisions bring them together. Learn more about our process, or browse the other renovation cost guides.
Commercial renovation cost
questions, answered.
Learn more about commercial build-outs, leasehold improvements, permits, landlords, timelines and construction planning.
01 How much does a commercial renovation cost per square foot in Vancouver? ↓
In 2026, construction for most commercial renovations in Vancouver runs about $90 to $400+ per square foot. Office refreshes sit at the low end ($90 to $150), retail stores at $100 to $220, medical clinics at $180 to $300, and dental clinics and full-service restaurants at the high end ($220 to $400 and $250 to $400+). These ranges exclude design fees, permits, furniture, IT, signage, equipment and GST.
02 How much does it cost to renovate a restaurant or café in Vancouver? ↓
As a 2026 planning guide, a café or quick-service restaurant typically costs about $180 to $260 per square foot for construction, and a full-service restaurant about $250 to $400+ per square foot. Kitchen exhaust, grease management, plumbing and equipment connections are the main reasons food service costs more than other commercial uses. See restaurant renovations.
03 How much does a medical or dental clinic renovation cost? ↓
As a 2026 planning guide, a medical clinic typically costs about $180 to $300 per square foot for construction and a dental clinic about $220 to $400 per square foot. Treatment-room plumbing, clinical millwork and equipment coordination drive the cost. Equipment itself is usually budgeted separately.
04 How much does a retail store renovation cost? ↓
As a 2026 planning guide, a retail store renovation typically costs about $100 to $220 per square foot for construction, depending on the storefront, lighting, display millwork, fitting rooms and back-of-house work. See our store renovation cost guide.
05 What is not included in commercial renovation cost ranges? ↓
The ranges cover construction only. Plan separately for design and engineering fees, permit fees, furniture and fixtures, IT and AV equipment, signage, specialty equipment such as kitchen appliances or dental chairs, landlord deposits and GST.
06 Who pays for a commercial renovation in a leased space? ↓
It depends on the lease. The landlord may complete some work before handover and may offer a tenant improvement allowance toward the tenant's work, or the tenant may pay for the work directly. Lease terms should be reviewed with your lawyer or leasing advisor. Learn more about tenant improvement allowances.
07 How long does a commercial renovation take? ↓
Typical construction time is 4 to 6 weeks for a small office, 4 to 8 weeks for a medical or dental clinic, and 8 to 12 weeks for a retail store or restaurant. Design and permitting are scheduled separately and happen before construction.
08 Can QUAY renovate while my business stays open? ↓
Yes. QUAY regularly builds while businesses stay open. We can schedule noisy work after hours and on weekends, phase the space so parts of it stay in use, and set up the site so staff and customers can keep using the business safely.
Get a fixed price for
your commercial renovation.
Tell us about the space, the business you are opening, your drawings or brief, your possession date and your budget. We will walk the unit and give you a detailed fixed-price proposal.