So, you need to move into a new office space? Congratulations!
One of the first questions you’ll ask yourself is:
“When should I start my office space search?”
This question means the difference between a stress-free move and a move full of unwanted headaches. You’ll need to understand the process, factors and ultimate timeline in order to accurately estimate when you should start looking for that perfect space.
Understand the Process
When you understand the overall process, you can properly estimate your office space search. Ignoring any aspect of this journey will bring unwanted disruptions and stress.
Find the Space. Locating the best space for your company is the most difficult part of this journey. You should have a good grasp of your primary needs, and assemble a team to assist in this undertaking.
Negotiate & Sign. Once you find the perfect space, you enter the negotiation stage. Here you will discuss the terms and conditions of your lease. You’ll want to take your time in this phase to ensure your lease works in a customary and fair way.
Build-out & Decorate. After you signed the lease, it’s time to move! Most of the time, you will need to do some level of construction or decorating. This makes the space unique to your company and creates the atmosphere you want.
Each step in this process takes time and energy. It is necessary to account for every phase when estimating the time it will take to move into your office space.
Factors to Consider
Several factors will impact your overall office space search timeline. You should understand them and keep them top-of-mind while planning your search.
The consideration factors include:
- Market Conditions
- Availability
- Size of the Space
- Negotiation Time
- Lease Documentation
- Space Planning
- Build-out Time
- Permits Required
Depending on the space, these considerations could work in or against your favor. For example: If you find the perfect place but it involves a lot of tenant improvements, you may need to add extra time. On the other hand, if it requires no alterations at all, you might save some time.
Time to Allow
From the beginning, a realistic move-in date requires the consideration of the process, and all possible factors. Generally, you should estimate the following timeline:
- 4-6 months for less than 10,000sf
- 6-12 months for more than 10,000sf
So, if you estimate that it will take 6 months to find, lease and prepare the right space, then you know that you should start your search 6 months prior to your goal move-in date.
It’s that simple.
Start Before It’s Too Late
Ultimately, an office search requires a great deal of dedication from your entire staff. Everyone won’t get directly involved in the process, but each person in your company will feel its effects.
You want to start your search before it’s too late to achieve your goal move-in date. Having to push back dates can cause unneeded stress and disruptions to your company.
If you need help with your search for office space, our world-class team would gladly assist you in this endeavor. At Keyser, we love selflessly working with your best interest at heart.
