Compare total cost, not just rent
A commercial real estate tenant improvement decision involves more than the rent line. Model the landlord's improvement allowance, furniture and equipment, IT and AV, moving costs, any overlap or holdover rent, and the productivity cost of disruption. A relocation that looks cheaper on rent can lose that advantage once the full build-out is priced.
Get a test fit and a rough budget before you sign
Bringing a design partner in during lease evaluation costs little relative to the lease itself. A schematic test fit and an order-of-magnitude construction budget show whether a space will accommodate your program and what it will really cost to occupy.
Work the timeline backward from lease expiry
Design, permitting, procurement, and construction all take time, and holdover penalties are expensive. Starting from your lease end date and counting backward shows how early decisions have to be made, and which long-lead items need to be ordered first.
Factor in hybrid work
Many organizations now need a smaller or differently organized footprint than before. A renewal negotiation that includes a right-sized, redesigned space can be a stronger outcome than simply extending the old layout.