The Office-Hunter’s Hurdles—What to Avoid When Looking for a Workspace

Your hunt for appropriate office has been one rife with frustrations, big and small. You are so exhausted at this point that you are ready to give up and sign the next lease that offers you an affordable rate. Before you leap into a commitment that might last at least a year, you want to make sure your investment will be worth the effort.

Finding suitable office space, even for the novice professional, is possible but can be tricky. Sage advice states location should be the motivating factor behind your choice of space, but your budget argues otherwise. This, on top of other factors, can make looking for office space extremely difficult.

To know what to avoid when looking for workspace, keep reading below.

Not Planning for Space

Looking for an office space can be made much easier if you go in knowing exactly how much room you will need going into your search. To find how much space you need, first, find the square footage of the space and then find the amount of floor space by measuring all of the space that does not contain furniture or equipment. Subtract the floor space from the total square footage and divide this number by 36. This formula will generate maximum occupancy.

Not planning for Growth

Right now, your business might be in its infancy. You have enough space to meet your clients’ needs. In a few years, business picks up and you find that your office space is a little too cosy for comfort. With your clients sitting on top of each other as they wait for you, you really consider finding another spot, except you entered into a lease that at the time was a bargain but today if you broke it would be costly.

One way to avoid the above scenario is to seek out an office solutions company that can provide you with all of the amenities related to office space at a much lower cost. Some of the more popular plans are the traditional executive office suite, the virtual office and co-working spaces. All three plans are scalable, so as your business grows you do not have to spend exorbitant amounts of money relocating, as the leases are easily modified. More importantly, the leasing terms tend to be more flexible, requiring a commitment for as little as a month.

Ignoring the Fine Print

A big mistake that could cost you several thousand dollars, later on, is related to understanding all of the details related to your lease. When signing an office lease, make sure you understand details related to what is and is not included in your rental.

For example, certain repairs are picked up by the management company and others the renters are responsible for. Another detail that sometimes is skipped over is related to costs for fitting out the place after the lease is over. Also, very important is understanding what penalties are assessed for late fees and for breaking the lease.

Letting Cost be a Deterrent

While your budget is a major factor in determining how much you can spend, penny-pinching to the point you sacrifice placing yourself in a prime position to save money is also another unwise move. Location is important, especially in a larger city where proximity to the business district, transportation hubs, and other sources of foot traffic can make or break your business’s ability to generate income.

Exchanging location for price might hinder your efforts to make money by not placing you in the right spot. Again, there are alternative, flexible office solutions that can meet your business needs without being overly expensive.

Finding a Workspace Utopia

When looking for workspace, finding your utopian ideal is not some far-off ideal. Most of the frustration that is involved with finding space can be alleviated by going into the hunt knowing how much space you need and knowing the A to Zs of the lease you sign. Using those keen business skills that have helped you this far, you might find the search for affordable office space is one walk-through away.