A tenant improvement starts with a simple-sounding request: send the architect the drawings of the space. What arrives is usually a leasing exhibit, a decades-old permit set, or a PDF that has been photocopied through four previous tenants. The design team then spends its first two weeks finding out what is really there.
An accurate as-built set of the suite removes that problem before design begins. Here is what it should contain and when to get it.
Why the landlord's drawings are not enough
They show the building as designed, not as it stands. Every prior tenant moved walls, added outlets, rerouted ducts, and dropped ceilings. Very little of that makes it back into the building's drawing file.
Leasing plans are not design documents. A lease exhibit is drawn to show the shape and area of the suite. It is not dimensioned for construction and often leaves out columns, ceiling heights, and anything above the ceiling.
The errors show up at the worst time. A wall that is six inches off on the plan becomes millwork that does not fit, a corridor that fails clearance, or a change order during construction, when it is most expensive to fix.
What a TI as-built set should include
| Sheet | What it shows | Who needs it |
|---|---|---|
| Floor plan | Demising and interior walls, doors, windows, columns, built-in millwork, plumbing fixtures | Architect, space planner |
| Reflected ceiling plan | Ceiling types and heights, soffits, lights, diffusers, sprinkler heads | Architect, MEP engineers |
| Interior elevations | Storefronts, window sill and head heights, feature walls | Architect, millwork |
| Above-ceiling conditions | Structure, main ducts, piping, and clear height to deck where tiles were opened | MEP engineers, contractor |
| Point cloud | The full measured record of the suite | Everyone, later |
Not every project needs every sheet. A cosmetic refresh may only need a floor plan. A restaurant or medical buildout, with heavy plumbing and mechanical work, needs the ceiling and above-ceiling information far more than an office does.
The details that matter most in a TI
Column and core locations. These do not move, and every layout has to work around them. They are also the items most often missing or misplaced on a leasing plan.
Ceiling height and the clear height above it. The space between the ceiling and the structure decides what mechanical work is possible and whether a higher ceiling is achievable.
Existing restrooms, exits, and corridor widths. Your architect will check these against current code and accessibility requirements. That check is only as good as the dimensions it starts from.
Slab conditions. Floor levelness, floor boxes, trench locations, and elevation changes affect flooring, plumbing, and any equipment that needs a flat surface.
Utility entry points. Where the electrical panel, water, gas, and main supply and return air actually enter the suite.
If the rent is calculated per square foot, the measured area of the suite is worth verifying too. The same scan that produces the as-built drawings can support a BOMA area calculation, so you are not paying for two site visits.
When to order it
The best time is during lease negotiation or immediately after signing, before the architect starts test fits. As-builts ordered at that point pay for themselves in design time. As-builts ordered after the first coordination problem are damage control.
If the suite is still occupied by the outgoing tenant, it can usually still be scanned. Mobile scanning works around furniture and people, and the capture for a typical suite takes hours, not days. Our guide on preparing for a scan covers what to arrange.
Who pays
It varies by deal. Tenants often order as-builts as part of their design budget. Landlords increasingly keep a current set for every suite because it shortens the time a space sits vacant between leases. Either way, it is a small line item against the cost of a buildout, and it is worth raising while the work letter is being negotiated.
The short version
Do not design a tenant improvement from a leasing exhibit. Get a measured floor plan and reflected ceiling plan of the suite before design starts, add above-ceiling information if the project touches mechanical or plumbing, and keep the point cloud. Send us the address and suite number and we will quote the set that fits your scope within one business day.
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