You have signed the lease, the rent clock is ticking, and the space is a bare concrete shell. What happens next — and how fast — decides whether your build-out is a smooth on-ramp or an expensive stall. Here is the timeline we walk every Las Vegas tenant through.
Phase 1: Space planning (1–3 weeks)
Before anything is priced, the space has to work. Where do walls go, how does the floor plan serve your operation, what does the lease’s work letter actually cover? Because Baker’s space planning is done in-house, this phase produces real drawings — not sketches that a separate architect will redraw later at your expense.
Phase 2: Permit drawings and plan check (3–6 weeks)
The permit set — architectural, mechanical, electrical, plumbing — goes to Clark County or city plan check. This is where most TI schedules die: revisions bounce between architect and contractor for weeks. With drawings and builder under one roof, corrections turn around in days. It is the single biggest schedule advantage we offer.
Phase 3: The build (8–14 weeks for most suites)
Demolition if needed, framing, mechanical-electrical-plumbing rough-in, inspections, drywall, ceilings, finishes, and the final inspection sequence. A disciplined contractor runs these trades in overlapping sequence, keeps the inspector relationship warm, and publishes a schedule you can hold them to — in writing, in the bid.
Phase 4: Punch and handoff (1–2 weeks)
The certificate of occupancy, the punch walk, and the handoff of keys, warranties, and as-builts. Your fixtures, equipment, and furniture roll in — and the rent you are paying finally buys an open door.
The honest total
From signed lease to open doors, a typical Las Vegas tenant improvement runs four to six months — and the difference between four and six is almost always the front half. Ask your contractor who owns the design and permit schedule. If the answer is “our architect will get to it,” the clock is already running against you.
