The cost, permit and timeline numbers we use to scope real projects — written down so you can plan with them. Offices, retail and restaurants across Toronto & the GTA.
Refresh, standard TI and high-end build-out costs per square foot, the eight cost drivers, and why the condition of the space on day one matters more than the finishes.
Office, retail and restaurant renovation costs per square foot in 2026 — what drives the number, soft costs, contingencies, and how to budget with confidence.
What a TI allowance covers, typical GTA rates by space type, and 7 negotiation tips to get your landlord to fund more of your buildout.
From design and permits to fit-out and final inspections — a phase-by-phase commercial renovation timeline, plus the top five causes of delay.
When a commercial renovation needs a permit in Ontario, what the application takes, typical costs, and the mistakes that trigger stop-work orders.
A 10-point checklist for hiring a commercial contractor — experience, insurance, quoting, project management, and the red flags to walk away from.
Most QSR refreshes come in at $70–120/sf turnkey; full-service casual restaurants $180–300/sf. Real 2026 GTA ranges by concept and what your space already has.
Construction takes 6–8 weeks for QSR refreshes, 8–12 for full-service. A week-by-week look at what your contractor is doing, who from the city walks through, and how to keep the schedule tight.
Every approval you need to open a restaurant in Toronto and the GTA — building permit, public health, fire, gas, electrical, sign permit, liquor — with realistic 2026 timelines.
Toronto, Mississauga, Vaughan, Markham, Richmond Hill — what each city's plan reviewers are picky about, and how a clean submission keeps your project at the short end of 4–7 weeks.
What a contractor catches in a lease that a lawyer might miss — work letter scope, mechanical capacity, restoration clauses, and the hidden costs that hit your build-out budget.
Restaurant build-out scope is different from office or retail. Ten questions to ask, what a real quote should include, and red flags to spot before you sign.
Hotpot starts around $300/sf in the GTA. Gas vs induction tabletops, per-table ventilation, kitchen layout for raw-protein prep, and what plan reviewers actually check.
Custom hoods, walk-ins, and millwork decide whether you open on time. Order them at lease-signing. Standard ranges and reach-ins can wait until the building permit issues.
Grease cooking needs a Type I (grease) hood — fryers, woks, charbroilers. Steam-only equipment runs on a Type II (vapor) hood. Picking wrong is the most expensive mistake we see on build-outs.
A plain-English guide to grease hoods, vapor hoods, fresh-air supply, fire suppression, and what the city's plan reviewer signs off on for your restaurant kitchen.
Internal under-counter traps install from $2,000; in-ground tanks $25,000–60,000. Sizing in plain English, what the plumbing inspector checks, and how to size right at the proposal stage.
Door widths, clear floor space, grab bars, sink heights — what the city's plan reviewer checks for accessible washrooms in restaurant tenant improvement work.
Most bubble tea conversions in plaza units run $80–150k turnkey. Water filtration, refrigeration, brand fit-outs, plumbing, and timeline.
The kitchen layout decisions that haunt operators after opening — and how an experienced restaurant contractor catches them at the design stage.
A 12-step checklist for the full restaurant build-out journey — pre-construction planning, permits, construction, final inspections, opening.
Toronto-specific guide to building permits, public health, fire, gas, electrical, and sign approvals for restaurant build-outs in 2026.
