in Chicago
framing crew
warranty
Commercial spaces built to open on time
Bofran Builders is a Chicago commercial general contractor for office and tenant improvement build-outs, medical and dental offices, retail spaces, restaurants and small mixed-use buildings. We build the schedule backward from your opening date — and tell you the truth about whether it's achievable before you commit.
A commercial contractor who treats your opening date like a contract
Every day a commercial space sits unfinished costs you rent, payroll and revenue. That's why commercial clients don't ask us what we charge first — they ask if we can hit their date. We plan every build-out around the answer.
As a licensed Chicago general contractor, building since 1999, we manage the full scope of your commercial project: drawings, Chicago Department of Buildings permits, demolition, framing, mechanical rough-ins, finishes and inspections. Our owner walks every job, our own crew frames every structure, and you get one accountable builder from site walk to certificate of occupancy. Working with a tenant improvement allowance? We produce the itemized documentation your landlord's reimbursement process requires.
- Schedules built backward from your lease deadline or opening date
- Chicago commercial permits, drawings and inspections handled for you
- In-house framing crew — the structure is never subbed out
- Transparent, itemized pricing that holds up to landlord TI review
- Phased work and evening/weekend scheduling around operating businesses
- Comfortable working with your architect, designer or tenant-rep broker
Commercial projects we're built for
We focus on the small-to-mid commercial work where a hands-on crew and a present owner change the outcome. Tap through the project types to compare typical cost, timeline and whether your business can stay open during the work.
Office Build-Outs & Tenant Improvements
Spec suites, professional offices and full-floor tenant improvements — walls, ceilings, lighting, HVAC distribution, glass fronts and finishes. We work to your lease's TI terms and produce the documentation your landlord's reimbursement requires, on schedules measured in weeks, not quarters.
- Second-generation refreshes and full shell build-outs
- Landlord and property-manager coordination built in
- Itemized scope that stands up to TI allowance review
Medical & Dental Offices
Exam rooms, operatories, labs and reception areas demand exact mechanical, plumbing and electrical work — med-gas lines, chair connections, lead-lined walls, ADA clearances. We build practices that pass inspection the first time, and we phase expansions so your existing practice keeps seeing patients.
- Operatory and exam-room plumbing, electrical & gas precision
- ADA compliance and health-code fluency
- Phased construction around a working practice
Retail Stores & Salons
Boutiques, salons, service retail and showrooms — spaces where the finish quality is the brand. We coordinate closely with your designer, sequence the loud and dusty work for off-hours, and get you selling as quickly as the permit process allows.
- Storefronts, fitting rooms, wash stations & display walls
- Evening and weekend work around operating stores
- Designer and brand-standard coordination
Restaurant Build-Outs
Restaurants are the most demanding build-outs in commercial work: hood and grease-duct runs, make-up air, floor drains, grease traps, health inspections. We build for operators who have opened before and know every closed day has a price — and we sequence equipment, inspections and finishes so opening night doesn't slip.
- Commercial kitchen ventilation, plumbing & equipment coordination
- Health department and ventilation inspection scheduling
- Dining rooms and bars finished to the designer's drawings
Small Mixed-Use & Multi-Unit Buildings
Storefront-plus-apartments buildings, 2–6 unit renovations, common areas, porches, decks and structural repairs. If you own a few buildings, you need a contractor who answers the phone, prices honestly and does it right the first time — because you'll be calling again for the next one.
- Unit turns, gut renovations & common-area upgrades
- Structural repairs, porches, decks & staircases
- A repeatable process for owners with multiple properties
Commercial Framing & Structural Work
Framing is where Bofran started, and it's still done by our own crew — wood and structural framing for commercial interiors, mezzanines, demising walls, structural repairs and load-path corrections. Other general contractors sub this out and hope; we self-perform it and stand behind it for five years.
- Wood & structural framing by our in-house crew
- Demising walls, mezzanines & structural corrections
- Available as a standalone trade for other GCs and owners
Commercial build-out cost calculator
Get an instant, Chicago-specific ballpark for your commercial project. Pick your space type, the condition it's in today, and your square footage — the estimated range and typical timeline update in real time.
Estimates are planning ranges based on 2025–2026 Chicago-area commercial pricing and your inputs — actual cost depends on drawings, mechanical scope, landlord requirements, permits and finish selections. Restaurant figures include typical kitchen ventilation and plumbing but not loose equipment. For a firm, itemized number, request a free site walk.
What commercial build-outs actually cost in Chicago
Commercial cost lives and dies on two things: what kind of space you're building and what shape it's in when you get the keys. Here's how Chicago build-outs tend to land — and what moves the number.
Cost per square foot by space type
| Space type | Cost / sq ft |
|---|---|
| Office / tenant improvement | $60–$150 |
| Retail store or salon | $75–$175 |
| Mixed-use / multi-unit reno | $80–$200 |
| Medical or dental office | $150–$300 |
| Restaurant build-out | $200–$450 |
What moves the number
| Factor | Impact |
|---|---|
| Second-gen space vs. shell | Save 10–25% |
| Full gut before build-out | Add 15–25% |
| Kitchen ventilation (hoods, ducts) | $50K–$150K |
| Premium finishes | Add ~20% |
Typical timelines
| Project | Weeks |
|---|---|
| Office / retail build-out | 4–10 |
| Medical / dental office | 8–16 |
| Restaurant build-out | 10–20 |
| Drawings & permits (add up front) | 3–8 |
One more number that matters: your lease's rent-commencement date. Free-rent build-out periods are usually 60–120 days — if construction runs past them, you're paying rent on a space that isn't earning. That's why we build the schedule backward from the date, not forward from the start.
The projects we're right for — and the ones we're not
No contractor is the right fit for every commercial job, and pretending otherwise wastes your time. Here's where we do our best work, and where we'll point you somewhere else — before you spend a dollar finding out.
Bring us
- Office, medical, dental, retail and salon build-outs from roughly $100K to $800K
- Restaurant build-outs for operators who have opened before
- Tenant improvements with a lease deadline attached
- Small mixed-use and 2–6 unit building renovations
- Commercial framing and structural work — ours or as a trade on your job
- Landlords and owners who want one contractor for the whole portfolio
Why: these are jobs where an owner who walks the site, a crew that self-performs the structure, and a schedule that holds actually change the outcome.
We'll be honest — not us
- Ground-up high-rise and large new-construction developments
- Projects that require major bonding capacity or national-chain rollout programs
- Institutional work — schools, hospitals, government buildings
- Jobs picked purely on the lowest bid — we won't win those, and we don't try to
Why: this work needs a scale of firm we're deliberately not. If that's your project, we'll say so on the first call and, when we can, point you toward the right kind of contractor.
Is your project a fit? Check in 10 seconds
Three questions, an honest answer — no contact info required.
This is exactly the kind of project we build. Send the form below with your target date and we'll schedule a site walk this week.
Start the conversationThe commercial build-out glossary
Leases and landlord work letters are full of terms that quietly decide who pays for what. Tap any term — two minutes here can save you real money at the negotiating table.
Money your landlord contributes toward building out your space, quoted per square foot (say, $40/sq ft). Usually paid as a reimbursement after the work is done and documented — which means you front the cost and your contractor's paperwork determines how smoothly you get paid back.
A space delivered as a clean open box — basic walls, concrete floor, utilities stubbed in, maybe a bathroom. Everything that makes it YOUR business (rooms, finishes, lighting, millwork) is the build-out. Cheaper rent, bigger construction budget.
A space previously built out for a similar use — a former restaurant for your restaurant, a former salon for your salon. Reusing the existing ventilation, plumbing and walls can cut build-out cost 10–25%. One of the best money-saving decisions happens at site selection, not construction.
A space finished to a basic rentable level — drywall painted white, ceiling grid, lighting, HVAC distributed. You're customizing rather than starting from scratch. Confirm exactly what the landlord's "white box" includes in writing; definitions vary more than you'd think.
The lease exhibit that spells out who builds what, who pays for what, and when the TI allowance is paid. Have your contractor read it before you sign — we regularly catch scope the landlord's version quietly assigns to the tenant.
The date rent starts — often 60–120 days after you get the keys, meant to cover your build-out. If construction runs past it, you pay rent on a space that isn't open. This date is why we schedule backward from the deadline instead of forward from the start.
The city's sign-off that the space is code-compliant and legal to occupy for your use. Issued after final inspections pass. No CO, no opening day — which is why inspection scheduling belongs on the construction schedule from week one, not as an afterthought.
The final list of touch-ups and corrections before the job is truly done — doors that stick, paint touch-ups, a missing cover plate. Good contractors keep it short and close it fast; it's also where our 30-day check-in and 5-year structural warranty pick up.
Four steps from site walk to opening day
Commercial projects fail in the gaps between people — landlord, architect, city, contractor. Our job is closing those gaps, on a schedule you can plan a business around.
Walk the space
We walk the space with you, read the lease's work letter, and give you an honest scope, budget range and schedule read — including whether your target date is realistic. Free, no obligation.
Drawings & permits
We coordinate the architectural drawings (your architect or ours), submit to the Chicago Department of Buildings, and manage landlord approvals — running long-lead material orders in parallel so nothing waits twice.
Build-out
Demo, framing by our own crew, mechanical rough-ins, inspections, finishes. You get one named contact, weekly updates and a schedule tracked against your opening date — not vague reassurances.
Punch list & turnover
Final inspections, certificate of occupancy, a tight punch list closed fast — then keys, a 30-day check-in and a 5-year structural warranty in writing. Then you open.
A commercial contractor who shows up in person
We're a family-owned Chicago general contractor, building since 1999. Here's what that means on a commercial job.
In-house framing crew
The structure of your build-out — demising walls, framing, structural corrections — is built by our own crew, not the cheapest sub available that week. Rare among Chicago GCs, and it shows in the schedule.
The owner walks your job
He trained as an architect before he started building, and he's on site — reading the drawings, catching problems while they're still cheap, and answering directly when you call.
Chicago permit fluency
Commercial permits, inspections and the Department of Buildings are a system we've worked in for 27 years. The paperwork moves in parallel with the build, so it never becomes the critical path.
Deadline-built schedules
We schedule backward from your lease deadline or opening date, order long-lead items early, and track the plan weekly — because in commercial work, late is the most expensive thing a contractor can be.
Architect & broker friendly
Architects, designers and tenant-rep brokers send us their clients because we respect the drawings, communicate like professionals and make them look good. Ask us for references from both sides.
Pricing that survives review
Itemized, transparent numbers that hold up when your landlord, lender or partner reads them line by line. No allowance games, no surprise change orders — the estimate is the deal.
Commercial construction across Chicago & the suburbs
From West Loop offices to neighborhood storefronts and suburban medical suites, Bofran Builders works across Chicago's commercial corridors and nearby suburbs. We know the local permit process, the building stock and the landlords — and it shows in how fast projects move.
Don't see your area? Get in touch — we likely serve it too.
Chicago Neighborhoods
- West Loop
- Fulton Market
- River North
- Lincoln Park
- Lakeview
- Wicker Park
- Logan Square
- And more
Nearby Suburbs
- Evanston
- Glenview
- Oak Park
- Park Ridge
- Northbrook
- Skokie
- And more
Built to last — and backed in writing
- 5-year structural warranty on our commercial work, in writing
- 30-day post-project check-in after you open
- Priority response if something ever needs attention — your space earns money, so we move fast
- Maintenance guidance to protect the investment
What our clients say
"The deck and staircase construction on a residential building was completed fast, under budget and with high quality. Even the city inspector was impressed with the workmanship."
"Our architect recommended Bofran Builders and we couldn't be happier. Frank and his team worked with us throughout building our new home, making excellent suggestions. Built on schedule despite permit obstacles — and more affordable than other contractors. The craftsmanship is phenomenal."
"They did a great job replacing both support beams on our rooftop pergola — a tricky job with heavy materials in a tight space. I appreciated the attention to detail matching the existing accents and the timeliness to finish."
Commercial construction FAQs
Most Chicago commercial build-outs run $60 to $300 per square foot depending on the space type. Office and retail build-outs typically land between $60–$175/sq ft, medical and dental offices $150–$300/sq ft, and restaurants $200–$450/sq ft because of kitchen equipment, ventilation and plumbing. Starting from a vanilla shell costs more than refreshing a second-generation space. Try our build-out cost calculator for a number tailored to your project — every project gets a firm, itemized number after a site walk.
Typical Chicago build-out timelines: office and retail 4–10 weeks, medical and dental 8–16 weeks, restaurants 10–20 weeks, and small mixed-use renovations 8–20 weeks — plus 3–8 weeks up front for drawings and permits. If you have a lease deadline or target opening date, we build the schedule backward from that date and tell you honestly whether it is achievable before you sign anything.
Yes. Commercial work in Chicago runs through the Department of Buildings and usually requires architectural drawings, permit applications and multiple inspections — and restaurants add health department and ventilation requirements. We coordinate the drawings with your architect (or bring one in), manage the permit process and schedule every inspection, so the paperwork never becomes the reason your opening slips.
Often, yes. For retail refreshes, office reconfigurations and phased renovations we can sequence the work in stages, contain dust and noise, and schedule the loudest work for evenings or weekends. Full gut renovations and restaurant kitchen work usually require closing the affected area. We map this out with you during the site walk so you know exactly what staying open will look like.
A TI allowance is money your landlord contributes toward building out your leased space, usually quoted per square foot. The landlord typically reimburses you after work is complete and documented, so you need a contractor whose scope, schedule and paperwork hold up. We have worked both sides of TI deals — for tenants and for landlords — and produce the itemized documentation reimbursement requires. See the build-out glossary for more lease terms worth knowing.
Our commercial focus is interior build-outs, tenant improvements, renovations and small mixed-use buildings — the projects where a hands-on crew and an owner who shows up make the biggest difference. We take on small ground-up commercial structures case by case. Large ground-up developments and high-rise work need bonding capacity and scale that belong with a different kind of firm, and we will tell you that directly rather than take on the wrong job.
Yes, and we prefer it. Our owner trained as an architect before he started building, so drawings get read carefully and design intent gets respected instead of value-engineered away without asking. If you do not have an architect yet, we can bring in one we have worked with for years. Either way you get one accountable builder coordinating the drawings, the permits and the trades.
Call (773) 969-9097, email bofranbuilders@gmail.com, or send the project form on this page with your target opening date. We will walk the space with you, talk through scope and budget honestly, and give you a detailed, itemized estimate — no obligation.
Have a space and a date to hit?
Tell us about your commercial project and your target opening date. We'll reach out within one business day to schedule a site walk — and give you an honest read on scope, budget and schedule.
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