Timeline
How long a commercial build-out takes in South Florida
From signed lease to open doors, a mid-size Broward or Palm Beach interior build-out runs four to eight months. Here is where the weeks actually go - and where they get lost.
The realistic sequence
| Phase | Typical duration | What happens |
|---|---|---|
| Design & construction documents | 3-8 weeks | Architect/designer produces permit-ready drawings; engineering as needed |
| Plan review & permitting | 4-10 weeks | Building department review, comments, resubmittal; fire review in parallel or sequence depending on city |
| Long-lead procurement | overlaps | HVAC equipment, storefront, specialty items ordered at permit submission, not after approval |
| Construction | 8-20 weeks | Demo, MEP rough, inspections, finishes; office lands short, restaurant/medical lands long |
| Finals & CO | 1-3 weeks | Final inspections, punch list, certificate of occupancy, health or agency sign-offs where applicable |
Where projects actually lose time
- Incomplete permit submissions. The review clock effectively restarts on each round of comments. A GC with a real permitting process submits clean the first time.
- Long-lead equipment. Rooftop HVAC units and electrical gear can carry 8-16 week lead times. Order at permit submission.
- Change-of-use discovery mid-design. The worst timeline surprise. Rule it out first.
- Landlord approvals. In towers and managed centers, landlord plan review happens before the city's - budget it.
- Fire review sequencing. Some departments run fire in parallel, some in series. It changes the calendar by weeks.
Working backward from an opening date
Take your target opening and subtract: 2 weeks for finals and CO, the construction duration for your space type, 6-10 weeks for permitting, and the design phase. What remains is your latest lease-signing date - and it is almost always earlier than tenants expect. Our Broward checklist (PDF) lays this out as a fill-in worksheet. Or send the space details and get a schedule range with your 48-hour budget range.
Featured build-out partner
Shiff Construction & Development
Shiff Construction & Development, Inc. is a Fort Lauderdale commercial general contractor that has delivered office, retail, restaurant, medical, bank-branch, and municipal build-outs across South Florida since 1989. We feature Shiff because their project record in Broward and Palm Beach counties is long and verifiable, and because they answer the phone.
Send plans or a space brochure and get a realistic budget range back in 48 hours - before you sign a lease, not after. Call (954) 555-0132 or use the form below.
Get a build-out budget range in 48 hours
Tell us about the space and the move. You will also get the Broward County permit and timeline checklist (PDF) - the same one we hand to partners planning an opening.
Prefer to talk? (954) 555-0132. Already have the checklist? Download the Broward County permit & timeline checklist (PDF).