If you are an owner getting ready to spend real money, an architect trying to protect the design intent, or a GC trying to keep a job clean—clarity is oxygen. And in Oregon, “clarity” is not just nice communication. It is a shared process everyone can trust when permitting, long-lead items, and field conditions start doing what they always do.

This guide breaks down the commercial construction process in Oregon in plain language, and it shows how the flow changes between tenant improvements and ground up commercial construction.

Tenant improvements vs. ground-up: the real difference in how projects run

TI and ground-up projects can look similar on paper because both have plans, permits, inspections, and closeout. But the day-to-day reality is different, and that reality shapes your schedule, your risk, and your budget control.

If you understand that difference early, you can set expectations that prevent most of the “Why is this taking so long?” frustration later.

Tenant improvements (TI): building inside an existing box

Tenant improvements are usually about speed, coordination, and constraints. You are working in a building that already exists, often with neighbors, operating businesses, landlord requirements, and limited access windows.

Positioning note: The best TI teams are not just good builders. They are good neighbors and good planners, because logistics are half the job.

Ground-up commercial construction: you own the whole site and the whole timeline

Ground-up projects are about site control, sequencing, and systems. You are creating the building shell, the utilities, and the site from scratch, which means bigger early phases and more risk tied to weather, soils, and lead times.

Ground-up projects reward disciplined preconstruction, because the cost of “figuring it out later” gets expensive fast.

The commercial construction process, start to finish

Most commercial projects in Oregon follow the same high-level phases. The difference is how much time and complexity lives inside each phase depending on whether the job is TI or ground-up.

Think of this as the map everyone should be looking at together, even if you break it into different contract packages.

Phase 1: Feasibility and early budgeting

This is where smart projects are won. You are validating the building strategy before you spend heavily on design and permitting.

Typical outputs:

• High-level scope definition (what is in and what is out)
• Order-of-magnitude budget and schedule range
• Site and building constraints review
• Risk register (the real one, not the optimistic one)

A professional team does not pretend certainty here. They surface the unknowns early and assign them owners.

How it differs: TI vs. ground-up

• TI: existing conditions, MEP capacity, landlord standards, and occupancy constraints drive feasibility.
• Ground-up: zoning, site access, utilities, geotech, and early civil strategy drive feasibility.

Preconstruction: where accountability becomes visible

Preconstruction is not “meetings and paperwork.” It is where you reduce surprises by turning assumptions into decisions, and decisions into documents.

If you want to know whether a team is professional, watch what happens in preconstruction.

Phase 2: Design development and constructability

Design is not finished when drawings are pretty. It is finished when it is buildable, coordinated, and aligned with the budget.

What a strong precon process includes:

• Constructability reviews (sequencing, details, accessibility, code)
• Coordination with structural, mechanical, electrical, and plumbing
• Clarified alternates (so value decisions are clean, not chaotic)
• Updated estimate at defined milestones

This phase is where good teams protect the architect and the owner at the same time—by catching conflicts before they become change orders.

TI vs. ground-up

• TI: existing MEP tie-ins and unknown conditions are the big risk. You want early exploratory work planned.
• Ground-up: envelope, structural, and systems coordination are the big risk. Early long-lead decisions matter more.

Phase 3: Permitting and jurisdiction coordination (Oregon reality)

Permitting is a schedule driver in Oregon, and it is not something you “set and forget.” The best teams treat permitting as its own workstream, with active tracking and contingency planning.

Key tasks:

• Permit strategy (who submits what, when, and in what packages)
• Early conversations with AHJ when the project is complex
• Tracking plan review comments and response deadlines
• Planning for phased permits when appropriate

You do not need a team that complains about permitting. You need a team that manages it.

TI vs. ground-up

• TI: revisions can move fast if existing building documentation is solid, but surprises in existing conditions can slow approvals.
• Ground-up: land use, civil, and utility coordination can add duration, so early agency alignment is crucial.

Phase 4: Procurement and long-lead planning

This is where schedules are saved or lost. You can have a beautiful Gantt chart, but if the gear shows up late, the chart does not matter.

Common long-lead items:

• Switchgear and electrical distribution equipment
• Rooftop units and custom mechanical equipment
• Elevators (ground-up, sometimes TI)
• Curtain wall and specialty glazing
• Custom storefront systems and specialty doors

A “good” schedule is really a procurement plan with dates that are treated like commitments, not guesses.

Construction phase: how work actually flows on site

Construction is where the plan meets weather, field conditions, and humans. The best teams do not try to eliminate every problem. They run a system that makes problems small and solvable.

Below is a clean look at how the commercial construction process typically runs in the field.

Phase 5: Mobilization and site setup

This is when the job becomes real. Safety plans, logistics, site access, laydown, temporary utilities, and communication routines should all be established before production ramps up.

Typical outputs:

• Site logistics plan (deliveries, staging, access paths)
• Safety orientation and site rules
• Communication cadence (OAC meetings, daily logs, RFIs)

When mobilization is rushed, the whole job feels rushed. A calm setup usually leads to a calmer build.

TI vs. ground-up

• TI: protecting existing finishes and controlling noise, dust, and access is critical.
• Ground-up: erosion control, site security, and weather planning matter immediately.

Phase 6: Rough-in and core construction sequencing

This is where coordination either shines or bleeds money. The sequence depends on the building type, but the principle is the same: get the structure and systems in cleanly, then protect the work.

Typical sequences:

• TI: demo and selective abatement (if needed) → framing → rough MEP → inspections → drywall and finishes.
• Ground-up: earthwork and utilities → foundations → structure → envelope → rough MEP → interiors.

The project does not stay on schedule because everyone works faster. It stays on schedule because the sequence is protected and re-planned weekly.

Phase 7: Finishes, commissioning, and punch work

Finishes are where owners start caring deeply, because they can finally see the space. This is also where schedule pressure often spikes, so quality control has to be proactive.

Key activities:

• Finish installations (flooring, paint, millwork, fixtures)
• Start-up and commissioning (especially HVAC and controls)
• Punch list creation and closeout documentation starts early

A professional team starts closeout before the last coat of paint, not after the move-in date is already threatened.

Schedule: what actually drives timelines in Oregon

Schedules slip for predictable reasons. If a team is honest, they can name the drivers and show you how they manage them.

Here are the usual culprits, and how mature teams respond.

Driver 1: Existing conditions (mostly TI)

Older buildings are full of surprises: undocumented MEP routes, hidden structural conditions, and past remodels that did not make it onto drawings.

Good practice looks like:

• Early exploratory openings planned and documented
• Clear allowance and contingency strategy for unknowns
• Fast decision-making path when discoveries happen

Surprises do not ruin TI projects. Slow response to surprises ruins TI projects.

Driver 2: Long-lead equipment (TI and ground-up)

This is the big one in many commercial sectors. The timeline is often tied to “the gear,” and the gear follows manufacturing calendars, not wishful thinking.

Good practice looks like:

• Early release packages
• Submittal tracking with deadlines
• Approved alternates ready when lead times shift

If no one is tracking procurement weekly, your schedule is not controlled. It is hoped for.

Driver 3: Permitting and inspections (both, but different flavors)

Permitting delays hurt ground-up more upfront, while inspection pacing can hurt both during construction.

Good practice looks like:

• Inspection requests planned ahead
• Reinspection risk reduced through pre-walks
• Closeout inspection strategy built into the schedule

Inspection success is not luck. It is preparation, documentation, and clean work.

Closeout in Oregon: where projects either finish strong or limp across the line

Closeout is not just paperwork. It is the handoff from “we built it” to “you can operate it,” and it is where professionalism becomes obvious.

A clean closeout protects owners, helps facilities teams, and reduces post-move-in pain.

Phase 8: Substantial completion and turnover planning

This is the point where the space is usable, but the job is not truly “done” yet. Turnover should be planned like a mini-project.

Typical tasks:

• Owner training (systems, controls, shutoffs)
• Final cleaning and readiness checks
• Certificate of occupancy process support

The best teams do not toss you keys. They hand you a building you can run.

Phase 9: Closeout documents and warranty

You want the documents that matter, organized in a way that a real facilities person can use.

Typical closeout deliverables:

• O and M manuals
• As-builts and record drawings
• Warranty list and contact map
• Commissioning reports (when applicable)

The building will outlive the project team. Good closeout is how the building stays manageable long after everyone moves on.

A simple way to tell if a team can serve owners, architects, and GCs

If you are choosing a builder or trying to align a team, look for three habits. These are the habits that keep commercial projects sane.

Habit 1: Regular budget and schedule reviews with real documentation

You should be able to point to a current budget and a current schedule at any time, and both should have notes that explain changes.

When the truth is visible, trust grows. When the truth is buried, stress grows.

Habit 2: Clear decision deadlines (and help meeting them)

Good teams do not just ask for decisions. They provide context, options, and deadlines so decisions happen without panic.

Deadlines are not pressure tactics. They are how you protect the critical path.

Habit 3: Clean RFIs, submittals, and meeting notes

Documentation is not bureaucracy. It is memory, and memory prevents rework.

If someone says, “We talked about that,” the next sentence should be, “Here is where it is documented.”

Bottom line: TI and ground-up both reward process, not heroics

Whether you are doing a tenant improvement or ground up commercial construction, the goal is the same: predictable cost, predictable schedule, and a closeout that feels like a professional handoff.

If you want, I can also adapt this into a one-page “process overview” that Brother Builders can use on the website for owners and architects—something that makes the team instantly legible before the first meeting.

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