If you are leasing or leasing-out a commercial space in DFW, the delivery condition decides who spends what. "Vanilla shell," "white box," and "gray shell" all describe how finished the space is when the keys change hands, and the terms are not standardized. One landlord's vanilla shell includes finished restrooms and an HVAC unit per 2,000 square feet; another's just means primed drywall and a single toilet. Getting that definition wrong is one of the most common, and most expensive, mistakes in a commercial lease.
The Delivery Conditions, Defined
| Condition | What's typically included | Cost to finish (per SF) |
|---|---|---|
| Cold / gray shell | Structure, utilities to the space, no distribution | $30 to $100+ |
| Vanilla shell / white box | Taped walls, lighting, HVAC, basic restroom, floor | $5 to $20 |
| Second-generation | Prior tenant's layout, restrooms, some finishes | Varies, often least |
| Turnkey | Landlord delivers fully finished to agreed plans | $0 to tenant |
What a Vanilla Shell (White Box) Usually Includes
- Perimeter walls drywalled and fire-taped, ready to paint
- Electrical panel, outlets, and a finished ceiling with lighting
- HVAC unit with ductwork and controls distributed to the space
- Sealed concrete or a basic finished floor
- At least one finished, ADA-compliant restroom (if no common-area restroom)
- Fire sprinkler system where required by code
What It Does NOT Include
- Interior partitions (the space is left open for the tenant to lay out)
- Paint, upgraded flooring, and tenant-specific finishes
- Plumbing beyond the basic restroom (no break room, kitchen, or station rough-ins)
- Upgraded electrical, data, low-voltage, and security wiring
- Any change to the HVAC layout for your specific floor plan
Why You Must Define It in the Work Letter
Because "vanilla box" means different things to different people, a vague lease leads to a fight after move-in, and sometimes to litigation. The work letter or tenant-improvement exhibit should spell out the condition of the slab, the exact scope and current condition of the HVAC, electrical, and plumbing, who handles demolition of anything existing, and who carries permits and inspections. We will walk a space with you before you sign and translate the listing's shell language into a real scope, so you know exactly what you are inheriting.
Written Scope
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For Landlords: White-Boxing to Lease Faster
Delivering a vanilla shell instead of a cold shell widens your tenant pool, almost any business can picture moving in and customizing without redoing the infrastructure. It also shortens the tenant's build-out by 30 to 50 percent, which gets them to rent commencement faster. We white-box DFW spaces for owners and brokers on a defined scope: demo to clean, perimeter drywall, code-compliant restroom, lighting, HVAC distribution, and a sealed floor, the finish that makes a unit show and lease.
For Tenants: What to Verify Before You Sign
- Get the shell condition in writing, do not rely on the word "vanilla" alone
- Confirm HVAC tonnage and whether it is distributed or just sitting on the roof
- Check that any delivered restroom actually meets current ADA code
- Confirm slab condition and whether trenching for your plumbing is included
- Pin down who pulls permits and who owns the certificate of occupancy
Not Sure What Your Shell Includes?
Send us the listing or the work letter and we will walk the space, confirm the real delivery condition, and tell you what it takes to finish, before you sign. Call (469) 721-0146. Response within 1 business day.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about this topic from DFW tenants, landlords, and business owners.
What is a vanilla shell in a commercial lease?
A vanilla shell (also called a white box or warm shell) is a space delivered with basic systems (taped walls ready to paint, lighting, distributed HVAC, a basic ADA restroom, and a finished floor) but no interior partitions or tenant finishes. It typically costs $5 to $20 per square foot to finish.
What is the difference between a gray shell and a vanilla shell?
A gray or cold shell is unfinished, structure and utilities brought to the space but not distributed inside, often no ceiling, lighting, or finished restroom. It can cost $30 to $100+ per square foot to finish. A vanilla shell is further along and far cheaper to complete.
Why is it risky not to define the shell condition in the lease?
"Vanilla box" is not a standardized term, so two parties can mean very different things. A vague lease leads to disputes, and sometimes litigation, over restrooms, HVAC, and the slab. The work letter should define each system's scope and condition before you sign.
Should a landlord deliver a vanilla shell or a cold shell?
Delivering a vanilla shell widens the tenant pool and shortens build-out by 30 to 50 percent, getting tenants to rent commencement sooner. For most DFW second-generation and multi-tenant spaces, white-boxing a vacant unit makes it show and lease faster.
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