Guide · updated September 2026
What does a tenant improvement cost per square foot in Metro Vancouver?
Tenant improvement construction in Metro Vancouver generally runs between $60 and $450 per square foot in hard construction cost, depending almost entirely on space type. Office fit-out is the most commonly quoted benchmark: Cushman & Wakefield put the Vancouver average at $199.12 per square foot for 2026, up from $180.20 in 2025. Restaurant and clinical work sit well above that; warehouse-side industrial work sits well below it.
Costs by space type
The figures below are hard construction cost only — the contractor's work. They exclude furniture, IT and audio-visual, professional fees, permit fees and GST. Ranges are wide because the variables inside each category are wide.
| Space type | Hard cost / sq ft | What drives the range |
|---|---|---|
| Office — Class B or refresh | $120 – $190 | Extent of demising, ceiling and mechanical rework |
| Office — Class A or full build-out | $180 – $300 | Finish level, glazed offices, feature ceilings, AV |
| Retail & showroom | $110 – $250 | Storefront glazing, fixture millwork, landlord criteria |
| Medical & dental | $200 – $350 | Plumbing density, cabinetry, shielding, specialist mechanical |
| Restaurant & café | $220 – $450 | Kitchen exhaust, make-up air, grease interception, electrical service |
| Fitness & studio | $130 – $250 | Change rooms and showers, ventilation, floor loading |
| Industrial — warehouse side | $60 – $120 | Lighting, coatings, minor demising, dock work |
| Industrial — office within | $130 – $200 | Prices close to standalone office, not to warehouse |
Hard cost is not the number you will spend
Every authoritative cost guide quotes hard construction cost only. The number you actually fund is meaningfully higher. Cushman & Wakefield's own worked example adds soft costs at 10 percent of hard cost, IT at 4 percent, audio-visual at 12 percent, furniture at 22 percent and miscellaneous at 2 percent — taking a $202 per square foot hard cost to $307 per square foot all-in.
As a planning rule, assume all-in cost is roughly 1.5 times the hard construction cost quoted to you. If a budget was set from a per-square-foot figure without that adjustment, it is short before the project starts.
Why industrial cannot be quoted as one rate
Industrial is the category where blended rates do the most damage. Improvements on the warehouse side — lighting, floor coatings, minor demising, dock equipment — are among the least expensive commercial work in the region. The office built inside the same envelope carries the same mechanical, electrical, ceiling and finish scope as any standalone office, and prices accordingly.
A 20,000 square foot industrial unit with 3,000 square feet of office is two projects in one lease. Budget it as two.
What moves a number within its range
Three items account for most of the variance we see, and none of them appear on a floor plan.
Mechanical distribution beyond the base building provision. If the landlord delivers a main trunk and you need full distribution, that is a significant addition that a per-square-foot benchmark will not capture.
Electrical service capacity. Restaurants, clinics with imaging, and fitness uses regularly need more service than the shell provides. An upgrade can involve the utility, and both cost and schedule become less predictable.
A change in occupancy classification. Converting a use under the BC Building Code can trigger sprinklers, exiting changes, washroom counts and accessibility upgrades. This is the single most common source of a budget doubling after an offer is accepted.
Sources
Related guides
- What is a tenant improvement allowance, and what is typical in Metro Vancouver?
- Reading a commercial work letter: who pays for what
- Do you need a licensed contractor for commercial work in BC?
Last reviewed September 2026. Construction costs and allowances move; check the sources before relying on a figure in a lease negotiation.
Common questions
Is $200 per square foot realistic for an office fit-out in Vancouver?
Yes — Cushman & Wakefield put the Vancouver 2026 office fit-out average at $199.12 per square foot in hard construction cost. Class B work and refreshes come in below it; Class A build-outs with elevated finishes run to $300.
Does that include furniture and IT?
No. Published per-square-foot figures are hard construction cost only. Furniture, IT, audio-visual, professional fees, permit fees and GST are additional, and together they typically add around 50 percent.
Why is restaurant construction so much more expensive?
The cost is in the back of house, not the dining room. Kitchen exhaust and make-up air, grease interception, and the electrical service required to run commercial kitchen equipment account for most of the difference over general office work.
How much does a dental or medical fit-out cost in Metro Vancouver?
Typically $200 to $350 per square foot in hard construction cost. Plumbing density at each operatory, specialist cabinetry, mechanical requirements and shielding where imaging is involved put clinical work well above general office rates.