A tenant improvement lives and dies by its opening date, and the approval process is usually the least understood part of the schedule. Here's the honest sequence for a Houston TI — including the statewide accessibility review many first-time tenants have never heard of.
Two review tracks, not one
A commercial buildout in Houston answers to the city's commercial permitting and inspections — plan review, trade permits, and the inspection sequence that follows.
Separately, Texas law adds a statewide accessibility track: any commercial construction project valued over $50,000 must be registered with the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR) and have its plans reviewed by a Registered Accessibility Specialist (RAS) against the Texas Accessibility Standards (TAS). That review is independent of the building permit, and it comes with its own inspection after construction.
The sequence that protects your opening date
The projects that open on time treat approvals as schedule items with owners and dates, not background noise:
- Fix the scope before design finishes — landlord requirements, brand standards, and MEP changes decided once.
- File the permit and the TDLR registration in parallel, not in series.
- Order long-lead items (storefront glass, HVAC equipment, switchgear) at contract signing.
- Book inspections ahead of need — including the accessibility inspection at the end.
What the landlord side expects
Most leases put the buildout's compliance burden on the tenant, and most landlords require proof of permits and insurance before work starts. A general contractor who handles the full approval stack — city, TDLR/RAS, and landlord requirements — removes the coordination risk from your side of the table. We price the whole scope in a free itemized proposal, with the realistic schedule attached.
Planning a project? Get a free, itemized quote — no guesswork, no pressure.
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