Commercial Fit-Out Estimate Template
Sent by contractors who build out leased shops, clinics and offices, where the landlord's rules shape the price as much as the drawings do. List partitions, ceilings and floor finishes by area, and keep the work the building reserves for its own approved contractors (fire alarm, sprinklers, base HVAC) on separate lines.
No sign-up. Totals, tax and deposit are worked out for you; print it or save it as a PDF.
Free download (no sign-up): Excel / Word
This estimate as a file you can fill in and send: the line items below, with amounts, tax and the total worked out by formulas.
How to use this file
- Download it and open it in Excel, Google Sheets, Numbers, Word or Google Docs.
- Put in your business details and the client, then replace the example lines and prices with your own. In Excel, amounts, tax and the total update as you type.
- Check the payment terms, then save it as a PDF and send it to the client.
Example line items
| Item | Unit | Qty | Example price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Metal stud partition, drywall both sides | sq ft | 600 | 9–16 / sq ft |
| Suspended acoustic ceiling, 2×2 grid | sq ft | 1,800 | 4–8 / sq ft |
| Carpet tile or LVT flooring, installed | sq ft | 1,800 | 4–9 / sq ft |
| Doors, frames and hardware | each | 6 | 900–2,200 each |
| Lighting and power changes (licensed electrician) | lot | 1 | 6,000–20,000 |
| After-hours work premium | night | 5 | 400–1,200 / night |
Amounts are examples before tax, not price advice. Add sales tax or VAT where it applies.
What to put on the quote
- Floor area and the drawing revision the price is based on, so a later revision is visibly a change.
- Which work the building requires its own contractors for, and whether you coordinate it or the tenant pays them directly.
- Working hours the building allows, freight elevator booking, debris route and protection of common areas.
- Finish schedule: ceiling tile, flooring, paint and door hardware, with brands or "or equal".
- Permits and inspections: who applies, and whether fees are included or passed through at cost.
Common mistakes
- Pricing day work in a building that only allows noisy work after the stores close.
- Leaving out the landlord's insurance certificate, contractor deposit or elevator fees, then paying them yourself.
- Not tying the price to a drawing revision, so three layout changes look like part of the original job.
- Assuming the existing ceiling grid and sprinkler heads can stay where they are.
Deposit, balance and validity
A 20% deposit on signing secures long-lead items such as doors and glazing; progress billing follows at framing, ceilings and finishes, with 5–10% retained until the punch list is closed. Changes are priced in writing and signed before the work. Estimate valid for 30 days.
Questions people ask
Who pays for work the building insists its own contractor does?
Usually the tenant, either directly or through you with a coordination fee. Show it as its own line or as an exclusion so it is never assumed to be in your price.
Can the job run while the store next door is open?
Often only quiet work is allowed in trading hours. The noisy parts (demolition, core drilling, cutting) are priced as after-hours work.
What does "or equal" mean on the finish schedule?
You may use a product of the same grade if the named one is unavailable, and the client approves the substitute before it is ordered.
Is the landlord's fit-out deposit in this estimate?
Only if it says so. Most estimates list it as paid by the tenant and returned by the building after its inspection.