Free Resource for Katy & West Houston Owners
Real per-square-foot planning ranges for shopping center, tenant improvement, and ground-up commercial work, plus residential remodel and addition costs — with worked examples and the factors that move the number. No fluff, no sign-up wall.
Tanglewood Construction· Katy, TX · Every figure is a planning range, not a quote.
In the Katy and west Houston market, commercial tenant improvements generally plan at $65–$180 per square foot, shopping center and retail buildouts at $85–$250 per square foot, and ground-up commercial at $175–$425 per square foot. Residential remodels and additions plan at $15,000–$250,000 per project. These are planning ranges to help you budget — not quotes. The MEP scope, existing conditions, finish level, and permitting are what move a project from the low end to the high end.
Below, we break down each range, walk through worked examples for the most common Katy-area projects, and explain exactly what drives cost. Because we coordinate plumbing, electrical, and HVAC in-house and expedite City of Katy and Harris/Fort Bend permits ourselves, our budgets carry the whole scope up front instead of hiding it in change orders later.
Seasonal construction tips, Katy permitting updates, and a buildout budgeting worksheet to help you scope your project before you talk to anyone.
Typical per-square-foot planning ranges for commercial work in Katy and the west Houston metro. The notes explain what pushes a project toward the low or high end of each range.
$85–$250
per sq ft
In-line shop space and white-box landlord work sit at the low end. Restaurant and food-service pads — with hoods, grease interceptors, gas, and health-department coordination — push toward the top.
$65–$180
per sq ft
A light office refresh runs low. Medical, dental, and lab fit-outs with specialized plumbing, dedicated HVAC zoning, and heavy electrical land at the high end.
$175–$425
per sq ft
A basic shell on a clean site is the floor. Site work, deep foundations, complex envelope, and finished medical or restaurant space drive the ceiling.
Planning ranges for the Katy / west Houston market as of 2026. Land, design fees, impact fees, FF&E, and landlord work-letter scope are separate from these construction numbers.
How the per-sq-ft ranges translate into real Katy-area projects. These are illustrative planning estimates, not quotes.
Restaurant buildouts carry the heaviest MEP load of any retail work — hood and make-up air, grease interceptor, gas service, walk-in refrigeration power, and grease-rated plumbing. A food-service pad almost always lands in the upper half of the shopping center range. Budget separately for the landlord work letter, your equipment package, and FF&E, which are not part of the construction number.
Medical and dental fit-outs run above a standard office TI because of dedicated HVAC zoning, medical-gas or specialized plumbing, lead-lined or shielded rooms, and heavier electrical for imaging and equipment. A general professional office in the same shell could land near the low end of the tenant-improvement range instead.
Ground-up cost depends heavily on what's in the dirt. The figure above assumes a buildable site with reasonable soils; adding extensive site work, detention, deep foundations, or a finished restaurant interior moves it toward the top of the range. Land, civil design, and impact fees are separate from the construction cost.
The same crew and in-house MEP coordination that runs our commercial work handles residential remodels across Katy, Cinco Ranch, and the west Houston metro.
A single bathroom remodel sits near the bottom. A full-home remodel or a large room addition with structural and MEP work reaches the top of the range.
$15,000–$250,000
per project
Most full kitchen remodels land here once you account for new cabinetry, stone counters, updated electrical and plumbing, flooring, and appliances. Moving walls, relocating plumbing, or going high-end on materials pushes the number up.
A straightforward refresh sits at the low end; a gut remodel with a relocated layout, custom tiled shower, and double vanity climbs toward the top.
Additions carry the full cost stack — new foundation, structure, roof tie-in, and extended MEP — so they run higher per square foot than an interior remodel. Tying into existing systems cleanly is where a coordinated GC earns the budget back.
We also offer permits, MEP coordination, design-build, and owner's rep work as standalone services. Typical planning ranges below.
$1,500–$12,000
per project
$8,000–$85,000
per project
$12,000–$150,000
per project
$4,500–$60,000
per project
Why two projects of the same square footage can land at very different numbers.
Mechanical, electrical, and plumbing are the single biggest swing in any buildout budget. A space that needs dedicated HVAC zoning, heavy power, or specialized plumbing (restaurant, medical, lab) costs far more than an open office with a light fit-out.
Starting from a finished white-box with utilities stubbed in is cheaper than gutting an old space or building out a cold dark shell. Demolition, abatement, and unknowns behind the walls add cost and schedule.
City of Katy and Harris/Fort Bend plan review and inspections add time, and time is money on a leased space. Clean submittals move faster — which is why we expedite permits in-house rather than subbing them out.
Brutal summer heat pushes site and concrete work toward spring and fall windows, and hurricane season (June–November) shifts demand toward indoor buildouts. Schedule timing affects sub availability and pricing.
The same square footage can swing widely between builder-grade and high-end finishes. Material selection, lead times, and brand specifications all move the per-sq-ft number.
Direct answers to the questions Katy-area owners ask before they budget a project.
Commercial buildouts in the Katy and west Houston market generally run $65–$180 per square foot for tenant improvements and $85–$250 per square foot for shopping center and retail work, as a planning range rather than a quote. A light office fit-out sits near the bottom; restaurant, medical, and lab spaces with heavy MEP land at the top. The only way to get a real number is a walk-through and a scope.
Ground-up commercial construction typically plans at $175–$425 per square foot, depending on use, site conditions, and finish level. A basic shell on a clean site is the floor; complex foundations, extensive site work, and finished medical or restaurant interiors push the ceiling. Land, civil design, and impact fees are separate from the construction cost.
Residential remodels and additions in the Katy area plan between $15,000–$250,000 for the whole project. A single bathroom sits near the bottom; a full-home remodel or a large room addition with structural and MEP work reaches the top. Layout changes, relocating plumbing, and high-end finishes are the main things that move the number up.
Two bids on the same square footage can differ widely because of what each one includes. Some carry the MEP, permits, and allowances honestly; others quote a low base and recover it through change orders. Ask exactly what's in the number, what allowances are assumed, and how change orders are handled before you compare prices.
No. Every figure on this page is a planning range to help you budget, not a quote. Real pricing depends on your specific scope, site conditions, finish level, and schedule. We provide a detailed proposal after a walk-through so you're comparing a real number, not a placeholder.
Per-sq-ft construction costs usually exclude land, civil and architectural design fees, impact and tap fees, furniture/fixtures/equipment (FF&E), your specialty equipment package, and the landlord's work-letter scope. We break these out separately so nothing hides in the construction line.
Want a real number for your project? Every figure here is a planning range. After a walk-through and a scope, we deliver a detailed proposal that carries the full MEP, permits, and allowances up front — so you're comparing a real budget, not a placeholder.
Call or text — talk to the team that handles design, build, permits, and MEP under one roof.
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