Cost per square foot
Commercial cost per square foot is just the tip.
A single rate hides demolition, utilities, structure and phasing. Run the arithmetic below, then see what a plan-based estimate shows that a rate cannot.
$ / SF
What everyone sees
- Demolition & prep
- Utility capacity
- Structural changes
- Hazmat & abatement
- Occupied-space phasing
Below the line
Cost per square foot calculator
Do the math both ways
Find the rate from a known total, or work out a starting budget from a target rate. It is simple division and multiplication, which is exactly why it is only a starting point.
Plain arithmetic: no market data is used or implied.
Your cost per square foot
$180.00
Total cost divided by area. It tells you nothing about what is inside that total.
Want the number behind the number?
Korus reads your drawings and breaks the total into trades.
Estimate from my plansWhy rates vary
What pushes cost per square foot up or down
Set the dials for a project and watch the pressure change. It shows direction only, because real numbers come from real scope.
Directional only
Moderate pressure
Several drivers are active. Expect a wider spread around any average.
A conceptual dial, not a price. It shows why two projects of the same size can cost very different amounts per square foot.
By project type
Each use type brings its own cost drivers
Two buildings with the same area can carry very different scope. These are the areas that tend to shape each one.
Office
Ceilings, lighting, data cabling and partition density.
Retail
Storefront, lighting, fixtures and brand-specific finishes.
Restaurant
Kitchen exhaust, grease handling, plumbing and equipment.
Medical
Plumbing, medical gas, infection control and code upgrades.
Dental
Operatory plumbing, compressed air, vacuum and cabinetry.
Warehouse
Slab, racking, dock work, lighting and fire protection.
Industrial
Power capacity, process utilities and heavy floor loads.
Mixed use
Separations, shared systems and phasing between occupancies.
Rate vs. plan
From one number to a scope you can review
Korus works from your floor plan or full plan set, so the result shows how the price is built.
A rate
Korus from plans
Total divided by area
Scope broken out by trade
Hides demolition and prep
Shows demolition as its own line
Assumes a finish level
Reads your finish schedule when provided
No sign of what was guessed
Tags lines as documented, assumed or allowance
Questions
Cost per square foot questions
Straight answers on what a rate can and cannot tell you.
01How do you calculate commercial construction cost per square foot?
Divide the total project cost by the building area. If a project costs $1,200,000 and covers 4,000 square feet, the cost per square foot is $300. The calculator on this page does that arithmetic for you in both directions.
02Why does commercial cost per square foot vary so much?
Because the number is an output, not an input. Use and occupancy, finish level, existing conditions, MEP scope, location, phasing and schedule all change it, so two projects of the same size can land far apart.
03Is cost per square foot reliable for budgeting?
It is useful for orientation in the earliest conversations, but it is not a plan-based estimate. Once you have drawings, a scoped estimate that reflects what is actually being built is a better basis for a budget.
04What costs does a cost per square foot figure usually miss?
Demolition, utility capacity upgrades, structural work, hazardous materials and construction in an occupied building can dominate a renovation budget and are often invisible in a single per-square-foot figure.
05How can I get a more useful number than a square foot benchmark?
Upload the plans you have to the Korus estimator. It builds a preliminary scope by trade from your drawings and flags what is assumed, so the range reflects your project rather than an average.
Free · 3 plan packages
Go beyond the rate. Estimate from your drawings.
Upload a floor plan or plan set and see preliminary scope by trade, with assumptions clearly tagged.