COMMERCIAL GENERAL CONTRACTORS IN ST. PETERSBURG

We focus on small to mid-sized commercial projects—small new builds (2,000-5,000 sqft), tenant buildouts, remodels, storefronts, specialty installations like polished concrete floors or custom stainless-steel bar tops. Our sweet spot is the $1 to $5 million range where relationship and customization matter. We're not competing for eight-figure jobs that require heavier bonding and critical path management we're not familiar with. We typically run a 4-6 person crew per commercial project with a dedicated project manager on-site daily. We take on projects where trust and craftsmanship make the difference.

Commercial projects often move faster than residential work because business owners are more decisive and there's less emotional attachment to finishes. A small tenant buildout might take 2-3 months from permit to completion—about 2-3 weeks for demolition, 3-4 weeks for MEP rough-in, and 4-6 weeks for finishes and inspections. Larger remodels with significant ADA or NFPA 13 fire suppression work can stretch to 4-6 months. Timeline depends heavily on scope, City of St. Petersburg plan review (typically 3-6 weeks for commercial), and whether you need to stay open during construction.

ADA 2010 Standards compliance is a major factor—accessible restrooms with 17-19 inch toilet height and 34-inch max counter height, slope-compliant ramps, 36-inch minimum doorways. NFPA 13-compliant fire suppression systems—wet-pipe sprinklers for general occupancy, UL 300-rated Ansul R-102 kitchen hood suppression for restaurants—add significant cost. IBC egress requirements can force door widening or additional exits based on occupancy classification. Commercial HVAC for restaurants—Type I vent hoods, Ansul systems, walk-in coolers—adds up quickly. Any project filed at the City of St. Petersburg Municipal Services Center at One 4th Street North will need to meet current ADA Title III standards, so factor that into your budget from day one.

Depends on the scope. We can work after hours, section off parts of your space with 6-mil poly barriers and HEPA-filtered negative air machines, or help you make temporary arrangements for customers. If you're serving food, we're mindful of fumes, dust, and containment—no oil-based Sherwin-Williams Pro Industrial coatings while you're open, only low-VOC water-based finishes during business hours. It's about protection of open spaces and whatever level of separation your business needs. We'll work with you to minimize disruption and keep revenue flowing.

Realistic budgets vary widely based on use and finishes. A raw space buildout for a storefront—polished concrete or luxury vinyl plank flooring, USG Sheetrock on metal studs, Sherwin-Williams Pro Industrial paint—might start at $100-150 per square foot. Restaurant buildouts with commercial kitchens can run $200-300+ per square foot due to Type I hood systems, NFPA 13 wet-pipe sprinklers, three-compartment sinks, and specialized equipment. Tenant improvements where infrastructure exists are less expensive than building from scratch. We'll work through your budget during pre-construction estimating and find ways to deliver what you need.

Yes. Commercial clients appreciate transparency, and T&M allows the budget to be locked in for most line items while still accommodating unknowns—especially in older St. Pete buildings where knob-and-tube wiring, galvanized plumbing, or undersized electrical panels can surprise you. We figure out almost all costs during pre-construction, so even on T&M, your budget is solid. You get flexibility without the guesswork, and our weekly open-book budget reports show every material invoice and labor hour.

Standard building permits filed through the City of St. Petersburg Municipal Services Center at One 4th Street North—or Pinellas County for unincorporated areas. But commercial work gets extra scrutiny based on IBC occupancy classification. ADA Title III compliance, NFPA fire safety, egress—these all get reviewed closely. Restaurant projects need Pinellas County Health Department approval. Some uses require zoning variances through the Development Review Commission. The fire marshal's office is its own entity within permitting and conducts separate plan review plus on-site inspections—framing, above-ceiling, and final. We handle the applications, coordinate all inspections (structural, mechanical, electrical, plumbing, fire), and meet the building official so you don't have to navigate that maze.

We're dual-licensed—CRC1331628 for residential, BC005541 for commercial. Our 20+ W-2 carpenters on Revolution's payroll bring residential-level craftsmanship and communication to commercial projects. Most commercial builders focus on volume and low bids; we focus on relationships and custom work. You'll get the same Revolution crew, open-book budgeting with weekly line-item reports, and a dedicated project manager we bring to high-end residential clients. If your project is in that $1-5M range and you value trust over the lowest bid, we're your contractor.

No. We don't bid RFPs—that's typically more commercial work routed through formal public-sector or large-corporate procurement processes that reward the lowest qualified bid. Our model is negotiated work, Time & Materials with weekly open-book budget reports, and direct owner-to-GC relationship. If your project is going through an RFP process, we're probably not the right fit. If you're picking your contractor based on relationship, scope-fit, and craftsmanship, we are.