What it means
Tenant improvement covers the interior work done inside leased space: new walls, ceilings, flooring, lighting, power, data, HVAC adjustments, doors, millwork and finishes. The landlord provides the shell, and the tenant, or the tenant with a landlord allowance, pays for the fit-out.
The term is also used for renovations of space the tenant already occupies, where work often happens around people who are still working.
Why it matters
A TI project sits between two sets of rules: the lease and the building. The lease sets who pays, who approves drawings and what must be returned at the end of the term. The building sets what the existing mechanical, electrical and fire systems can handle. Missing either one is how budgets and schedules slip.
Timing matters too. Rent usually starts on a fixed date, so every week of delay has a real cost.
How HSM handles it
HSM gets involved before the lease is signed, so construction cost and schedule are known while terms can still be negotiated. We then design and engineer the space with our in-house engineering team and build it ourselves.
Our own electrical crew, led by a Master Electrician, and our own mechanical crew handle the power, lighting, HVAC and plumbing changes. Interior systems, carpentry, painting and doors and hardware are also ours. One team and one schedule means fewer handoffs on a job where the clock is already running.
TI projects up to $50,000,000 are within our range, from small suites to large office floors.