When you purchase or lease a newly constructed property for office use, it generally comes finished as a gray box or a white box.

A gray box (or gray shell) consists of a commercial space that is completely unfinished. Gray boxes will have concrete slabs, unfinished floors, bare stud walls, no plumbing or electrical, and if it has an HVAC unit, it may be without controls or ductwork. The sprinkler system will be included as it is generally required by code, but it will not be dropped to the finished ceiling height.

A white box will have a few more finishings. The perimeter will have drywall that’s painted white, flooring, ceilings (in some instances) and a few additional amenities, but on the whole, it will be a blank palette for you to fill in.

The Advantages of Working Within a Gray Box

Both gray and white boxes mean there is still a lot of work to do, but the advantage of leasing units in these unfinished states is that the property can be completely customized to your business needs.

Here are some other advantages to working within a gray box:

• It can result in a more efficient and less wasteful build process as you are not removing or throwing out any existing property or building materials.

• You have flexibility with every aspect of the design – it’s a wide-open shell for you to customize down to the last square foot of space.

• You can achieve cost savings by partnering with a design-build construction firm that can help you achieve your design goals while still remaining within your budget.

While starting with a blank canvas might sound overwhelming, in the end, it’s one of the best ways to get the office suite you want and one that achieves all your goals.

When you partner with a team like us at Seacoast Construction, you can be assured that you’ll receive a superior build at a price and timeline that’s right for you. Contact us today to schedule a free consultation to discuss your office project.