Commercial
Renovation Guide
An overview of what's involved in commercial renovation in Washington, DC — restaurant buildouts, office tenant fit-outs, code requirements, and scheduling realities that come with a hard opening or move-in date.
Lease, landlord, and work letter
Most commercial projects start with a lease or sublease. The work letter — the section of the lease that defines what landlord versus tenant is responsible for — sets the construction scope. Reviewing the work letter before construction starts is critical: it determines what infrastructure is already in place, what allowances reimburse you, and what after-hours or freight rules apply during construction. We review the work letter as part of every commercial estimate.
Permits, health, and ADA
Commercial renovation typically requires a DOB building permit, often coordinated with mechanical, plumbing, and electrical sub-permits. Restaurants add DC Department of Health filings for the kitchen, hood system, grease interceptor, and food-prep surfaces. ADA compliance applies to restrooms, doorways, and accessible paths — we design these in from the start, not bolted on at the end.
Schedule discipline
Commercial projects have real deadlines. A restaurant has investors and a marketing schedule tied to opening. An office tenant has a lease commencement and a moving truck on the calendar. We build commercial schedules with these dates as the anchor — early permit filing, parallel-tracked trades, and weekly check-ins so any slippage shows up before it threatens the date.
See our restaurant renovation and office renovation services for the specifics, or reach out with details on your space and timeline.