Design Process - Burke Special Projects

Do You Need an Architect for a Tenant Improvement in Las Vegas?

Do You Need an Architect for a Tenant Improvement in Las Vegas?

If you are planning a tenant improvement (TI) in Las Vegas, this question usually comes up early:

“Do I need an architect?”

Here is the simple truth: many commercial tenant improvements do not require an architect—but many do. One of the biggest triggers is moving or adding walls. Wall changes can affect exit paths (egress), fire ratings, ADA compliance, and occupancy calculations. When those elements change, building departments typically require architect-led, code-compliant plans.

Let’s break it down in a straightforward way.

What Counts as a Tenant Improvement?

A tenant improvement is any interior modification made to adapt a commercial space to your business. Common examples include:

Office build-outs or reconfigurations
Retail renovations
Restaurant or café updates
Medical or professional office improvements
Interior upgrades such as flooring, ceilings, lighting, and finishes

Some tenant improvements qualify as simple permit paperwork. Others trigger a full plan review. The difference comes down to scope.

The Quick Rule in Las Vegas

If your tenant improvement is limited to paint, flooring, and fixture updates, you may not need an architect.

If your scope includes walls, exits, restrooms, kitchens, or anything related to life safety, you should expect to need one.

When You Usually Need an Architect (Most Common Triggers)

1) You Are Changing Walls (Even If They Are “Not Structural”)

This is where many projects take an unexpected turn.

Moving, adding, or removing walls can impact:

Emergency exit routes (egress)
Corridor widths
Travel distance to exits
Door swings and hardware requirements
Fire-rated walls and smoke separations

Even when a wall is not load-bearing, it can still affect life safety. That is typically when architect-led plans become necessary.

2) You Are Changing Exits, Egress, or Occupant Load

You are usually in “architect plans” territory if your project affects:

Exit paths or emergency egress
The number or location of exits
Occupancy type (for example, office to medical or retail to assembly)
Occupant load (how many people the space is designed to hold)

These elements are closely reviewed by building and fire departments.

3) Your Use Is More Regulated

Certain types of tenant improvements almost always require architect-led drawings, including:

Restaurants and commercial kitchens
Medical, dental, or clinical offices
Gyms, classrooms, and assembly-style spaces
Projects with specialized equipment or higher occupancy

4) Your Landlord or the City Requires Stamped Plans

Sometimes the requirement is straightforward. A landlord may require stamped drawings, or the jurisdiction may request a higher level of documentation for review. In those cases, an architect is required regardless of project complexity.

When You Probably Do NOT Need an Architect

You may be able to move forward without an architect if your tenant improvement is limited to:

Cosmetic upgrades such as paint, flooring, or finishes
Like-for-like replacements where the layout remains unchanged
Minor non-life-safety updates that do not involve walls
Basic repairs and maintenance work

Even in these situations, a permit may still be required—but not necessarily an architect.

How Permitting in Las Vegas Really Works

Local building departments are not focused on who drew the plans. They care about whether the plans clearly address:

Life safety and egress compliance
Fire-rated construction
ADA accessibility requirements
Clear, code-compliant documentation

If your scope touches any of these areas, architect-level drawings are usually expected. You can review general local requirements through Clark County Building & Fire Prevention.

How Burke Special Projects Can Help

At Burke Special Projects, we specialize in tenant improvements throughout the Las Vegas area. Our team helps business owners:

Determine whether an architect is actually required
Avoid unnecessary design costs
Coordinate the right design professionals when needed
Navigate landlord and permitting requirements
Develop permit-ready plans and build efficiently

Our goal is simple: help you get open faster, with fewer surprises. If you are planning a tenant improvement and want clarity before committing to design fees, start the conversation with our team.

Design-Build Services That Deliver Cost Certainty & Speed

Design-Build Services That Deliver Cost Certainty & Speed

In today’s fast-paced commercial environment, projects demand more than great design. They require efficiency, transparency, and certainty. Owners and decision-makers are under increasing pressure to deliver spaces that perform well, stay on budget, and meet aggressive timelines. That is where the design-build approach at Burke Special Projects provides real value.

By integrating design and construction into a single, collaborative process, design-build reduces risk, improves coordination, and creates a clearer path from concept to completion.

Collaboration from Day One

With design-build, designers and contractors work together from the very start of the project. This approach ensures that every decision is based on actual costs, realistic schedules, and proven feasibility—not assumptions that may need to be corrected later. Instead of operating in separate phases, our teams move forward together with shared goals and clear expectations.

Early collaboration allows constructability, sequencing, and budget considerations to be addressed during design, rather than after documents are complete. Potential challenges are identified sooner, reducing RFIs, minimizing change orders, and keeping momentum strong throughout the project.

Design-Build Services Expertise

Whether a project requires refined, elevated aesthetics or a more streamlined solution, our in-house design team knows how to create spaces that are both visually appealing and highly functional. Because our designers collaborate closely with construction professionals from day one, creativity is always grounded in real-world practicality.

This integrated approach ensures that design intent translates smoothly from drawings into the built environment, without unnecessary revisions or compromises during construction.

The experience of our design team comes from hospitality-focused environments, where guest experience, functionality, and execution must all work together seamlessly. That background helps our team balance high-end design with the realities of construction, delivering spaces that perform well long after completion.

Cost Certainty at Every Stage

One of the most valuable benefits of design-build is cost transparency. Our estimators create itemized budgets at every stage of design development, using real historical cost data and current market pricing. This proactive approach to preconstruction planning helps avoid late-stage surprises and reduces the need for redesigns or rushed changes.

Clients gain visibility into how design decisions affect cost in real time, allowing priorities to be adjusted early and investments to be made with confidence. Instead of reacting to pricing issues at the end of design, decisions are informed and intentional throughout the process.

Faster Timelines, Seamless Delivery

The close collaboration between design and construction teams allows projects to move forward more efficiently. By addressing challenges early, making decisions quickly, and optimizing schedules, design-build supports tighter timelines without sacrificing quality.

Early procurement planning, overlapping design and construction phases, and proactive coordination all contribute to a smoother process and timely delivery—getting clients into their spaces sooner and reducing overall disruption.

Who Design-Build Is Best For

Design-build is especially well suited for commercial clients who value clarity, accountability, and efficiency. Office tenants, property owners, developers, and asset managers benefit from having one integrated team responsible for both design and construction.

Projects with tight schedules, active or occupied spaces, or a strong need for cost control are particularly good candidates for design-build delivery.

One Team, One Vision

Design-build with Burke Special Projects means fewer handoffs, clearer communication, and a unified team focused on delivering results. From concept to completion, creativity, cost control, and practicality are aligned under one contract and one shared vision.

By bringing together design and construction in a single, collaborative process, we deliver spaces that work well, look good, and are completed on time and within budget. To explore examples of our work, visit our project portfolio or start the conversation with our team.

Our Design Process at Burke Special Projects: From Vision to Reality

Our Design Process at Burke Special Projects: From Vision to Reality

At Burke Special Projects (BSP), a leading commercial design and tenant improvement contractor in Las Vegas, great design doesn’t happen by accident. It is the result of a thoughtful, collaborative design process that keeps your business goals, brand identity, and budget front and center.

Whether you are planning an office renovation, launching a new workplace, or re-imagining how your space supports growth and productivity, our integrated design approach is built to be clear, efficient, and client-focused from day one.

What to Expect When You Partner
With Burke Special Projects

1) Pre-Design for Commercial Tenant Improvements

Every successful commercial project starts with listening. During the Pre-Design phase, our BSP Studio design team focuses on understanding your business operations, long-term goals, and how your space needs to perform both now and in the future.

We begin with a collaborative kickoff meeting to align on objectives, followed by a site visit to verify existing conditions. This early due diligence allows us to confirm program requirements and establish a strong foundation for the entire project.

Why it matters: Pre-Design ensures your tenant improvement reflects how your team actually works, not just how a space looks on paper.

2) Schematic Design for Office Renovation Projects

During Schematic Design, concepts take shape. Through a series of working sessions, we develop preliminary layouts that explore circulation, spatial flow, and overall aesthetic direction.

You will review floor plans, furniture layouts, ceiling concepts, elevations, and renderings that help visualize how the finished space will function and feel. We also introduce initial finish palettes, lighting concepts, major systems, and millwork locations, always with constructability and coordination in mind.

To see how this phase comes to life, explore our Playstudios project or the Newmark office renovation.

Why it matters: Schematic Design provides clarity early, allowing informed decisions before moving into detailed documentation.

3) Design Development & Construction Documentation Services

Once the overall direction is approved, we move into Design Development. This phase transforms concepts into coordinated, build-ready solutions. Plans and elevations become fully dimensioned, materials and finishes are finalized, and lighting selections are carefully coordinated.

We also collaborate with engineering and specialty consultants to ensure all building systems integrate seamlessly. This coordination aligns with industry best practices outlined by the American Institute of Architects.

Why it matters: Design Development replaces uncertainty with precision, reducing risk and minimizing surprises during construction.

4) Construction Documents for Accurate Pricing & Execution

During this phase, the design is translated into a comprehensive set of construction documents. These drawings and specifications provide the technical detail required for accurate contractor pricing and successful execution in the field.

Clear documentation protects your investment and supports efficient project delivery.

Why it matters: Well-developed construction documents help keep your tenant improvement project on schedule and on budget.

5) Building Permit Coordination in Las Vegas

We manage the permitting process on your behalf, including document submission, plan review tracking, and agency coordination. For eligible projects, BSP is authorized to self-certify plans, significantly expediting approval timelines.

For additional context on local permitting requirements, see the Clark County Building Permit process.

Why it matters: Permitting can be complex and time-consuming. We handle the details so your project keeps moving forward.

6) Construction Administration & Design-Build Oversight

Our involvement continues throughout construction. During Construction Administration, we remain engaged to ensure the design intent is carried through to the finished space.

We review shop drawings, respond to RFIs, process change orders, and address field questions, acting as your advocate from start to finish.

Why it matters: Active oversight helps maintain quality, manage changes effectively, and protect your original vision.

A Commercial Design Process
Built Around Your Business

At Burke Special Projects, our commercial design and tenant improvement process is structured yet flexible. It is built to support smart decision-making, reduce risk, and deliver high-performing spaces that work as hard as you do.

From the first conversation to final walkthrough, we are committed to a clear, collaborative, and results-driven experience.

If you are ready to begin your next office renovation or tenant improvement project, contact Burke Special Projects to start the conversation.