Commercial Construction Services in Columbus, Ohio
Licensed General Contractor | Full-Scope Commercial Contractor | Bonded & Fully Insured
Permit to Punch List
Commercial projects move fast. Every day a trade is behind schedule costs money. As a licensed general contractor, we keep the core trades in-house. Framing, drywall, ACT ceilings, painting, flooring, and tile all run through one schedule with one point of contact. That means fewer delays, faster completions, and a space that’s ready when your tenant needs it.
We handle tenant buildouts, office renovations, retail fit-outs, restaurant refreshes, multifamily painting for apartment communities and condos, and full commercial remodels across Columbus and Central Ohio. Projects range from 500 square foot office suites to 330,000 square foot industrial facilities. New construction, tenant improvements, and repaints. We’ve been doing this since 2016, and the majority of our commercial work comes from repeat clients and referrals. Every project is fully insured with COIs available on request.
Scale Proven
We've completed commercial work for Core Molding Technologies, Target, Kroger, and Primrose Schools. Projects range from small office suites to full industrial facilities. The experience shows in how we phase work, sequence trades, and handle the unexpected. Property managers and GCs call us back because the first job went right.
Business as Usual
We schedule around your operations, not the other way around. Nights, weekends, phased work, occupied spaces. If your restaurant needs paint between Friday close and Monday open, we make it happen. If your medical office needs drywall work one suite at a time, we phase it so you don't lose time or revenue. Your tenants and customers come first. We build around you.
Commercial Services
We handle painting, drywall, metal stud framing, flooring, tile, and ceiling systems for commercial spaces across Columbus. Whether you need a single trade or a full buildout, we run it the same way. Clean work, clear communication, and crews with in-depth knowledge of their trades and jobsite safety.
Across Every Industry
Retail and Restaurants
Storefronts, dining rooms, kitchens, and back-of-house spaces. We handle buildouts for new tenants and refreshes for existing ones. Tight timelines are standard in retail and food service, and we staff accordingly. If you need a space open by a lease date, we work backward from that date and hold to it.
Medical and Office
Waiting rooms, exam rooms, private offices, and shared workspaces. Medical and office buildouts require clean work in occupied buildings with zero tolerance for dust, noise, and disruption during business hours. We phase the work, contain the mess, and coordinate around your patient or staff schedules.
Warehouses and Industrial
Manufacturing floors, distribution centers, loading docks, and industrial facilities. High ceilings, concrete substrates, and coatings that hold up to forklifts, chemicals, and heavy use. We've completed projects up to 330,000 square feet including full interior repaints, line striping, and wall systems for active facilities.
Property Management and Multi-Tenant
Common areas, building exteriors, lobbies, hallways, and shared spaces. We work with property managers who need consistent quality across multiple units or buildings without disrupting tenants. Scheduled maintenance, seasonal refreshes, and tenant turnover prep for commercial painting, drywall, and flooring across your portfolio.
Commercial Grade
We Solve It on Site
Rotted framing behind drywall. Concrete that's not level. Electrical in the wrong spot. These are things you find once demo starts, and they stop most jobs cold. As a licensed general contractor, we have the trades on hand to fix what we uncover and keep the project moving. No rebidding, no waiting on another contractor, no schedule blowup.
Communication That Keeps Up
You get one point of contact from bid to final walkthrough. Schedule updates, scope changes, and questions all go through one person who actually knows the job. No chasing down a framing crew for an answer about paint, no relaying messages between trades. You call one number and get a real answer the same day.
Built to Code
We pull permits, schedule inspections, and handle code compliance so you don't have to deal with the city. When the scope requires it, we coordinate fire-rated assemblies, ADA compliance, and egress requirements. The inspector shows up, signs off, and your space moves toward certificate of occupancy without delays or failed inspections holding up the timeline.
We Own the Outcome
Every commercial project includes a 2-year workmanship warranty. If something we installed isn't right, we come back and fix it. We answer the phone after the job the same way we answer it before the bid. That accountability is why property managers and business owners keep our number for the next project.
Our Commercial Process
Every commercial project follows the same framework regardless of size. We evaluate the space, scope the work, build to spec, and walk the finished job before final payment. No skipped steps, no loose ends. Here is how it works from first call to final sign-off.
Site Walkthrough and Bid
We visit the site, review plans or specs if available, and walk every space included in the scope. Existing conditions, access points, tenant schedules, and any work that needs coordinated with other trades. You get a detailed written bid broken out by phase or trade with no hidden costs before any work starts.
Scheduling and Mobilization
We lock the start date, confirm the phase sequence, and coordinate access with property management or building ownership. If the job requires permits, we pull them before mobilization. Materials get ordered and staged so crews show up ready to build on day one, not day three.
Build Phase
Trades execute in sequence. Framing, drywall, ceilings, paint, flooring, tile. Each phase completes before the next one starts. You get regular updates from one point of contact. Scope changes get handled in real time without rebidding or schedule delays. Job sites stay clean, contained, and compliant.
Final Walkthrough and Punch List
We walk the finished space with you before final payment. Every item on the scope gets checked against the original bid. If anything needs adjusting, we handle it before we leave. The job is done when you say it's done, not when we decide to move on.
What Our Clients Say
We've built our commercial business on referrals and repeat clients. Property managers, business owners, and GCs who've worked with us talk. Our reviews reflect how we treat people, how we run job sites, and how we finish projects.
Commercial Services FAQs
How much does a commercial buildout cost per square foot?
Commercial buildout costs in Columbus typically range from $8 to $69 per square foot depending on space type and scope of work. These are 2026 averages based on real project bids we have completed across Columbus and Central Ohio. All figures are per floor square foot and exclude MEP (mechanical, electrical, plumbing), which is typically bid separately.
| Space Type | Avg. Cost Per Sq Ft | Typical Scope |
|---|---|---|
| Warehouse / Industrial | $8 – $20 | Paint, basic drywall, minimal partitions |
| Retail | $30 – $45 | Framing, drywall, paint, flooring, ACT |
| Office | $38 – $50 | Full buildout: framing, drywall, ACT, paint, carpet/LVP |
| Medical Office | $47 – $68 | More partitions, ADA compliance, specialty finishes |
| Restaurant | $52 – $69 | Tile, specialty finishes, complex layouts, heavy-wear materials |
These ranges assume a second-generation space with some existing infrastructure. Shell space with no walls, no ceiling grid, and bare concrete will cost more. More partition walls, Level 5 drywall, tile instead of LVP, and ADA requirements push toward the higher end. *Warehouse pricing becomes less predictable on smaller spaces where mobilization and material minimums carry more weight per square foot. Schedule a site walkthrough for a detailed bid broken out by trade and phase.
How long does a commercial buildout or renovation take?
Most commercial buildouts in Columbus take 2 to 12 weeks. A single-trade repaint on a 3,000 square foot office can be done in under a week. A full buildout with framing, drywall, ACT, paint, and flooring typically runs 4 to 6 weeks. Spaces over 10,000 square feet or multi-phase projects can take 8 to 12 weeks. The biggest timeline factors are permit approval speed, number of trades, and whether work needs to be phased around an operating business. If you have a lease date or opening deadline, contact us early so we can work backward from your target date.
What permits are required for a commercial renovation in Columbus Ohio?
Most commercial renovations in Columbus require a building permit from the City of Columbus Department of Building and Zoning Services. New wall construction, structural changes, fire-rated assemblies, ADA modifications, and changes to egress all trigger permits. Electrical, plumbing, and mechanical permits are pulled separately by those licensed trades. Requirements vary by municipality across Franklin County, and some jurisdictions require plan review that can add 1 to 3 weeks. As a licensed general contractor, we handle permits, inspections, and code compliance on every project.
How do you estimate and budget for a commercial renovation?
Start with a site walkthrough. Square footage alone does not tell you what a project costs. Existing conditions, ceiling height, number of partition walls, substrate condition, and whether the space is shell or second-generation all affect pricing. A reliable estimate breaks the project into individual trades: framing, drywall, paint, and flooring. Budget 5 to 10 percent contingency for concealed conditions like water damage, outdated framing, or unlevel concrete. Schedule a walkthrough and we will provide a written bid broken out by trade and phase.
How do you plan construction in an occupied building?
We build a phasing plan around your business hours, tenant schedules, and restricted access times before work starts. Some projects run nights and weekends. Others are phased suite by suite or floor by floor so the building stays operational with dust containment, noise control, and clean job sites throughout. One point of contact manages the schedule and communicates with property management so there are no surprises. Schedule a walkthrough and we will build a phasing plan around your operations.
Do you need a licensed contractor for commercial work in Ohio?
Yes. Ohio requires a licensed contractor for most commercial construction, renovation, and tenant improvement work. The Ohio Construction Industry Licensing Board (OCILB) issues licenses under Ohio Revised Code Chapter 4740. Many Central Ohio municipalities also require local registration before starting work. Property managers should verify any contractor carries an active Ohio license, commercial general liability, and workers comp before signing a contract. PaintWerks is a licensed general contractor, BBB A+ rated, fully insured, with COIs available on every project.
What is a tenant improvement allowance and how does it work?
A tenant improvement allowance (TIA) is money a landlord provides to cover part or all of the cost of building out a leased commercial space. It is negotiated into the lease and typically expressed as a dollar amount per square foot. For example, $30/sqft on a 2,000 square foot space gives you $60,000 toward construction. TIA usually covers hard costs like framing, drywall, flooring, and paint. Getting competitive bids before signing the lease helps you negotiate a TIA that actually covers your scope. Contact us for a bid you can bring to the table.
What is the difference between shell space and finished space?
Shell space has no interior buildout. Exterior walls, roof, concrete slab, and basic utility connections only. Everything inside gets built from scratch. Finished space (second-generation) was built out for a previous tenant and already has walls, ceilings, flooring, and mechanical systems in place. Shell costs more per square foot because every trade starts from the slab up. Second-generation space may only need new paint, flooring, and wall modifications to be move-in ready. Start with a site walkthrough so you know what you are working with before committing to a lease or a budget.