6 Questions to Ask Before Choosing an Office Warehouse for Rent

Before you start looking for an office warehouse for rent, there are some questions you need to consider.

If your business is going to be as successful as possible, then you need to have the right space to call home. With a countless warehouse, industrial, and office spaces available in the Austin area, you need to be able to separate great candidates from not-so-great ones. 

The best way to do that is by asking yourself a few questions. In this post, we’re going to tell you what those important questions are and let you decide for yourself which office-warehouse space you should rent. 

Choosing a new home for your business can feel like a daunting task, but keep reading and you’ll be able to narrow it down to a few of the best candidates.

1. How Much Space Do I Need Now?

One of the most important things you’ll need to think about is space. How much space do you need to hold all of your employees, equipment, stock, and other machinery?

Do you have an office area and a warehouse? The space should be laid out in a way that makes sense for your business to move in and start operating. If renovations are necessary, the building’s landlord may give you a tenant improvement allowance for renovations if you sign a long enough lease.

Really consider how your business will use the space. Learning that your space is  just not big enough is tough in the first year or two of your lease. You have to think about how much space you need now and in the future.

2. What Does the Future Hold?

When looking to find the best office space for rent, you need to consider your growth plans for the upcoming years. When companies start to take off, it can be difficult to predict how things will shape up far into the future. The problem is, you’re going to sign a lease for 3-5 years, so you need to look far ahead.

Choosing a space based on what you may need in a year or two years isn’t good enough. You may end up outgrowing this office space and having to move again before the lease is up. Always err on the side of larger, if you can afford it, or negotiate a right of first refusal on an adjoining space to hedge your bets on your growing company.

3. Can I Afford the Rent?

How much space you need to house your business will determine the type of building you’ll look for – but so will your budget. Spend some time coming up with a feasible monthly rental budget that makes sense for the type of building you want.

Once you have a number in mind, you can bring it to your tenant broker and have them seek out office warehouses in that range. Having a tenant broker is an indispensable tool in finding the best office properties for rent in your area. 

At Austin Office Space, we complete a custom search to find all of the options that fit within your criteria. We’ll help you go through the best options and give you professional advice on how to choose an office warehouse for rent.

4. Does the Location Work?

Location matters for several reasons, the most important being with regards to your employees. If you end up renting a warehouse space far away from your previous location, then you could be dealing with disgruntled workers.

Some employees could threaten to quit if they have to commute much farther. It can be helpful to survey employees to get an understanding of their willingness to commute to a different location. Regardless, you should give them lots of notice when you decide on a rental property, so they can plan accordingly.

Depending on what kind of business you run, the location might be important for business reasons. If you need to capitalize on foot traffic for your clothing shop and warehouse, then you’ll want to be in a trendier area. Companies that frequently entertain clients may need to be close to hotels and restaurants.

This is another reason to work with a tenant broker. They understand where the best properties are, as well as the pros and cons of each location.

5. Are There Hidden Costs?

Hidden costs can come in many forms and stand to mess with your monthly budget. One of the important things to consider when you’re touring potential rental warehouses is whether or not the place can currently handle your IT needs. 

Some companies require a server room and the infrastructure to support hundreds of computers working at once. If the building isn’t wired the right way,  you’ll be in for a huge up-front payment that you may not have considered.

To avoid this, have your office mapped out before you look at new buildings. Then, you can compare your outline with what each building has in place and let that guide your decision.

Budget for things like moving expenses, property insurance, and monthly utilities as well. These things can sneak up on you to create a potentially unsustainable situation.

6. What are the Landlord’s Expectations?

Find out as much as you can about the landlord you’re getting involved with. What are they going to bring to the table once you’re all moved in?

By reading the lease, you can find out what’s actually included in the rental agreement. Utilities, for instance, is a great place to start. Are you covering all of the utilities every month or are some of them included in the monthly rent?

Who will handle the repairs? The HVAC? Janitorial? 

Your tenant representative will likely have insight into the various landlords and their property management companies. If your broker doesn’t have first-hand knowledge, see if you can get in touch with the previous tenants of the building, you may be able to glean some of this information. You might also be able to get more info about the quality of the landlord in general. Going into business with a bad landlord can create a lot of problems for small businesses.

Who Can Help You Find the Best Office Warehouse for Rent in Austin?

If you’re looking for an office warehouse for rent in the Austin area, then working with us at Austin Office Space will provide you with every opportunity to vet these questions and more with an experienced broker. As a broker that exclusively represents tenants, we’ve got the relationships and the experience to find you an office warehouse that your business can call home for years to come.

Visit our site to learn more about what we do and contact us to begin your search for your new office warehouse building.