Takeoff Software for
Retail & Shell Construction

Retail cost context

The commercial construction midpoint sits near $560/SF across building types, but retail shells come in well below that number. The shell itself — slab, structure, roof, and basic envelope — is only part of the equation. Once you layer in tenant fit-out finishes, the cost climbs sharply: quick-service restaurant builds, for instance, run $535–$850+/SF in 2025 dollars because of the kitchen infrastructure, specialty MEP, and durable finishes those concepts demand.

Understanding where your scope lands on that spectrum matters before you start any takeoff. A developer-delivered shell carries different trades than a white-box delivery, which in turn differs from a full fit-out. Shell scope typically stops at structure, roof, exterior skin, and utility stubs to the tenant space boundary. White-box adds taped and primed interior walls, a finished restroom core, basic lighting, and distributed HVAC. Full fit-out includes every finish, fixture, and specialty item the tenant needs to open. Confirm the scope definition with the developer or GC before you open the drawings — the difference can be half the budget.

• Commercial midpoint: ~$560/SF; retail shells typically run below this
• QSR and food-service fit-outs: $535–$850+/SF (2025)
• Shell vs. white-box vs. full fit-out determines which trades are in your scope

Storefront and glazing

Storefront glazing is one of the first things developers ask about on retail shells — it defines the tenant-facing elevation and drives a large portion of the envelope budget. Installed storefront systems run approximately $25–$60/SF of system area in 2025; curtain wall, which carries higher structural demands and larger spans, runs $25–$75/SF for low-rise applications. Glass itself is typically 40–60% of the total glazing package material cost, with the remainder in framing, anchors, sealants, and hardware.

The most common estimating mistake is combining storefront and curtain wall into a single line item. They price differently, they install differently, and their lead times differ. In the takeoff, measure each system area separately: run a net SF calculation for each elevation plane, identify which segments are storefront-framed and which are structurally glazed curtain wall, and carry separate unit costs for each. Entry systems — automatic sliding doors, pivot entries, and vestibule assemblies — should come out as discrete allowances rather than being buried in the per-SF rate.

• Storefront: ~$25–$60/SF installed (2025); curtain wall $25–$75/SF low-rise
• Glass is roughly 40–60% of total glazing package material cost
• Separate storefront from curtain wall in the takeoff — they price and install differently

Drywall, demising, and finishes

Demising walls are the backbone of any multi-tenant retail shell. They divide individual tenant bays, carry fire-rating requirements (typically 1-hour or 2-hour depending on occupancy separation), and often run full-height to the deck rather than stopping at a dropped ceiling. The standard sheet quantity formula is net SF of wall area divided by 32 (for 4×8 boards), with approximately 10% waste added for cuts around doors, utilities, and framing inconsistencies. For larger demising runs — say, a 400-foot big-box divider — get that waste factor right; it shifts your material cost meaningfully.

White-box scope in most developer lease agreements includes demising walls taped and primed (not painted to a finish color), a code-compliant restroom core built out and finished, and basic corridor or circulation drywall where the base building calls for it. What is almost never in white-box scope: specialty finishes, storefront interiors, flooring, and ceiling tile. Flooring in particular is nearly always a tenant allowance item. Confirm this explicitly before the bid — a flooring scope added late is an easy way to lose margin on a project you priced correctly otherwise.

• Sheet quantity: net SF ÷ 32 for 4×8 panels, plus ~10% waste
• White-box typically includes taped/primed walls and a finished restroom core
• Flooring is usually by tenant — confirm scope before including it

MEP rough-in for shells

Mechanical, electrical, and plumbing rough-in for a retail shell is a stub-and-cap exercise — the goal is to get utilities to the tenant space boundary in a condition ready for the tenant’s contractor to extend. Electrical scope covers service entry, the main distribution panel, shell-level lighting circuits, and branch circuit stubs to predetermined tenant stub-up locations. Commercial electrical installation runs $5–$15/SF for shell-level work depending on service size and panel configuration; a larger anchor tenant with a 400A service will sit at the high end of that range.

Plumbing rough-in covers the restroom core and stub-outs to each tenant bay. Budget pipe quantities on a per-fixture basis — count fixtures from the plumbing plans, run linear footage per line, and carry fittings and waste at standard multipliers before adding waste for field routing. HVAC for a retail shell is predominantly rooftop units and primary duct. RTUs range from roughly $7,500 for a small 3-ton unit to $35,000+ installed for large-tonnage commercial equipment; the mechanical drawings should show equipment schedules with tonnage so you can carry accurate allowances per unit rather than guessing from floor area alone.

Per-trade pricing for fast retail bids

Retail developers run tight bid schedules. A regional developer releasing a five-bay strip center for pricing may give GCs and subs two weeks from drawing issue to submission. That timeline doesn’t leave room for a week-long manual takeoff on each trade. The estimating workflow needs to be fast enough that you can turn around glazing, drywall, and MEP on overlapping projects without burning out your estimators or declining bids for lack of time.

PILARS is priced at $100 per trade per plan with no per-seat fees. For a retail shell takeoff covering three trades — glazing, drywall, and MEP rough-in — that’s $300 to have the quantity extraction done. You review, you apply your unit costs and labor rates, and you bid. The no-per-seat structure matters on retail projects particularly because a developer-paced shell often involves a GC estimator, a sub, and a project manager all working against the same deadline from different desks. Everyone can log in without the tool cost scaling with your team size.

• PILARS: $100 per trade per plan, no per-seat fees
• Bid only the trades that are actually in your shell or white-box scope
• No per-seat fees means the whole team works the developer’s schedule without cost pressure

Questions estimators actually ask