Retail buildouts, office fit-outs, medical and dental space prep, restaurant kitchens, and change-of-use conversions across HC. Coordinated with landlords, property managers, GCs, and tenant equipment vendors.
Tenant improvement (TI) work is the electrical scope for preparing a commercial space for a new or changing tenant. The building shell exists. The service, meter, and main panel are usually in place. What changes is everything inside the walls: lighting, dedicated circuits for tenant equipment, network cabling, HVAC-tied electrical, life safety systems, and often a whole new use classification.
This work sits at the intersection of three parties with different priorities. Landlord wants a leasable, code-compliant space delivered on time so rent starts. Tenant wants a space built to their operational needs on schedule for their opening. General contractor (when one is involved) manages the trade sequence so drywall doesn't get closed before rough-in is done.
Coordination is the differentiator in TI work. We come out of the residential and small-commercial world where we're used to being a small team with clear communication. Same posture on TI projects: single point of contact, honest schedule commitments, on-site coordination with the GC's other trades, and clean rough-in that inspectors can approve without callbacks.
Every TI is a permit job under NJ UCC N.J.A.C. 5:23, filed with the appropriate township. Change-of-use scenarios (converting an office to a medical practice, retail to restaurant) trigger additional review and often bring HVAC, plumbing, and structural requirements alongside electrical.
Every commercial lease negotiates a tenant improvement allowance. This is the dollar amount the landlord contributes toward the buildout, typically expressed as an amount per square foot of leased space. It's a huge line item in commercial real estate and it shapes what electrical scope goes where.
Alongside the allowance, most leases include a work letter, a document listing exactly what the landlord will deliver as part of the base building and what the tenant is responsible for adding. Reading the work letter carefully saves surprises. Electrical is almost always split: base building service and panels typically landlord-side, tenant-specific circuits and finishes typically tenant-side.
What matters for planning: understanding which side of the split each electrical item lives on. We help clients on both sides read work letters against actual scope during the TI planning process so nothing falls through the gap.
Different starting points call for different scope. Here's the common pattern.
Landlord delivers a bare box (finished walls, basic lighting, empty electrical panel) to a new tenant who then customizes for their operation.
Existing tenant reconfiguring their space. New office layout, added equipment, expanded workstation count. Same use, updated interior.
Office becoming medical practice, retail becoming restaurant, warehouse becoming light manufacturing. Use classification changes trigger significant additional scope.
Existing tenant taking over the suite next door. Combined electrical scope: connect the two spaces electrically, add circuits, reconfigure lighting and low-voltage.
Space that was previously fit out for a similar tenant. Some existing infrastructure reusable (lighting, base receptacles), some needs to change for the new tenant.
Landlord readying a vacant space to be more attractive to prospective tenants. Fresh paint, refreshed lighting, updated common electrical, ready-to-occupy vanilla box.
Three quick inputs and we'll classify your TI project (fast track, standard, extended), estimate permit complexity, suggest a coordination approach, and flag the specific considerations to plan for.
The output is a planning tool. For an actual on-site walkthrough and written itemized quote, call (908) 751-4227.
Every TI project follows the same broad phases. Understanding the sequence helps everyone plan around it and avoid schedule friction with parallel trades.
Load calc, drawings, coordination with GC/architect, permit filing under N.J.A.C. 5:23.
2-8 weeks typicalExisting wiring removal where required, panel prep, coordination with GC framing schedule.
1 week typicalCircuit runs before drywall, box installation, low-voltage rough, rough inspection.
1-3 weeks typicalDevices, fixtures, panel connections, low-voltage terminations, equipment tie-in.
1-2 weeks typicalFinal electrical inspection, coordination for Certificate of Occupancy, walkthrough.
1-2 weeks typicalNot every TI touches every element, but this is the common menu.
Layout, fixture selection, dimming, occupancy sensors, daylight harvesting.
Coordination with HVAC diffusers, sprinklers, and other ceiling elements.
Placement per floor plan, dedicated circuits per NEC 210 requirements.
Tenant-specific equipment (kitchen, medical, workshop, IT) each on their own circuit.
Dedicated cooling load, dedicated circuits, cable management, grounding.
Cat6/6A structured cabling, telecom, AV runs.
Door strike wiring, badge reader circuits, security integration.
Battery-backup emergency lights, exit signs per NEC 700 and NFPA 101.
Interior and exterior sign power, dedicated circuits for illuminated signs.
Circuit additions, breaker swaps, load balancing, subpanel install when needed.
Circuits for new rooftop or split units, disconnects at unit, controls wiring.
Coordinate with fire alarm contractor on TI-side devices, notification appliance circuits.
The setting shapes what's typical.
Downtown Flemington, Lambertville, Town of Clinton, Frenchtown. Older service equipment, party walls with adjacent tenants, plaster complications, tight staging areas.
Larger commercial and strip mall. Standalone or multi-tenant buildings, adequate service capacity, easier staging, straightforward permit coordination.
Raritan Township medical offices. High-end fit-outs, dedicated equipment circuits, backup power considerations, X-ray circuit specifics.
Distribution and light industrial. Three-phase often present, larger service capacity, longer runs, coordination with racking and equipment vendors.
Real HC TI projects with real coordination challenges.
Retail Boutique
New tenant taking over a 1,400 sq ft second-generation retail space on Main St. Previous tenant was a similar boutique so existing infrastructure was largely reusable. Scope: refresh existing track lighting layout for new merchandising, add 4 dedicated POS station circuits, illuminated sign circuit for storefront signage, dressing room lighting and switching, and low-voltage runs for security cameras and network. Coordinated with GC on 3-week schedule around framing and paint.
Office Suite
Law firm expanding from a smaller suite into a 3,200 sq ft space in a professional building. Coordinated with GC on a 6-week schedule. Scope: full lighting redesign with 3 zones and occupancy sensors, 12 dedicated 20A office circuits, dedicated printer/copier circuits, small server closet with dedicated cooling load, Cat6A structured cabling for 22 workstations, secured door access rough-in, and code-required emergency lighting and exit signs. Rough-in inspection passed first try.
Change of Use
Change of use TI: a 2,600 sq ft general office space becoming a 4-operatory dental practice. Full permit review under N.J.A.C. 5:23 with occupancy classification change. Scope: 4 operatory dedicated circuits with 12V control wiring, X-ray dedicated circuit with lead-shielded room considerations, dedicated sterilization equipment circuits, compressor and vacuum pump circuits in mechanical room, waiting room lighting redesign with warm dimming, new emergency lighting, and low-voltage runs for practice management network. 12-week TI including permit lead time.
TI costs vary widely based on space size, use type, and finish level. A 1,000 sq ft second-generation refit is a fraction of a 3,000 sq ft change-of-use with new equipment. What matters is that every TI quote is written and itemized so you can see where the money goes and negotiate the allowance conversation with your landlord.
We provide itemized quotes that map to typical work letter categories so you can identify what likely counts against your TI allowance versus what's above-standard tenant direct.
Change of use is where costs stack. Occupancy classification changes trigger HVAC, plumbing, ADA, and life safety scope that would not apply to a same-use refit. Plan for a longer timeline and higher total cost on change of use projects.
Depends on size and change type. A small same-use refit can be 3-4 weeks total including permit. A medium office buildout typically runs 4-8 weeks. A change of use with major HVAC, plumbing, or structural involvement can run 10-16 weeks including the longer permit lead time. We advise on realistic timing during the walkthrough.
For most TIs beyond a small refit: yes. The GC coordinates framing, drywall, ceiling, paint, and flooring with the electrical rough-in and trim. Small same-use refits (add a few circuits, no framing changes) can sometimes go direct without a GC. We work both directly with tenants and as an electrical sub for GCs.
Yes. Most commercial leases require landlord approval on TI scope, drawings, and contractor selection. Some landlords require their own preferred vendors on base building items. Coordinating landlord approvals is part of the standard TI process. We can join calls with landlord property management if it helps clarify electrical scope.
Common on change-of-use projects. Options: subpanel dedicated to the TI space (often the cleanest), main panel replacement, or full service upgrade for larger jumps. Load calc per NEC Article 220 tells us which path fits. We handle the calc during the walkthrough so the quote reflects the actual scope needed.
Yes. Electrical permit filed with the appropriate township building department under NJ UCC N.J.A.C. 5:23. On GC-led projects we coordinate with the GC's overall permit package. On direct-to-tenant projects we file the electrical permit as the sub. Permit lead times vary by township but typically 2-4 weeks for standard TI, longer for change of use.
Common in mixed-tenant buildings. Noisy work scheduled off-hours (nights or weekends) when adjacent tenants aren't operating. Dust and debris controlled with proper barriers. Common area lighting and life safety kept functional throughout. Coordinated with landlord and adjacent tenants for any temporary power interruptions.
Yes. Share the work letter during the walkthrough and we'll help identify which electrical items are landlord-side (base building) vs tenant-side (TI allowance eligible) vs above-standard (tenant direct). This is one of the highest-leverage things we can do to help you plan the project.
Yes, either as a coordination partner or as a single-source provider. We handle Cat6/6A structured cabling, telecom, and AV low-voltage in-house on most TIs. If you prefer a dedicated IT/AV vendor for the network side, we coordinate rough-in pathways so your vendor can pull their cabling cleanly after our rough is complete.
A real person picks up. On-site walkthrough with work letter review, written itemized quote, and clear coordination with your GC, landlord, or PM.
(908) 751-4227