For anyone who is looking for leasing warehouse space for the first time, it can be intimidating if you don’t know what to look for – or don’t want to find – in a space that is suitable for your company’s needs. Generally speaking, a warehouse is typically a large single-story building and its primary use is for warehousing and distributing the goods of a business.
Our five tips below will help you choose the perfect warehouse space in Tampa Bay for your business.
1. Determine the operating costs – As you work with a commercial real estate team like Office Space Brokers to search for your new warehouse space, make sure to consider what the actual costs of operating such a space will be – which of those the Landlord will cover and which of those will you be responsible for.
2. Predefine capital repairs – Before a lease is on the table, make sure you and the Landlord have established who is responsible for the different aspects of the warehouse upkeep – including but not limited to structural damage and roof repairs.
3. Pay for only usable square footage – Don’t let a cushioned number that includes non-usable square footage to get in the way of getting all the space you need to operate. Confirm with your commercial agent how much of the warehouse space contains usable square footage, and that it matches the number you need.
4. Ensure the HVAC is working – Because you won’t be able to determine the extent to which the previous tenants kept up with – or did not keep up with – the care of the HVAC system, we advise you have the system inspected to ensure it’s working properly. Also negotiate for the Landlord to cover the costs should the HVAC go kaput during your lease.
5. Check electrical capacity – Discovering you don’t have the proper voltage after you sign a lease will not make for a good surprise. Instead of leaving the capacity unknown, we recommend hiring an electrical engineer to check out the warehouse and determine it has adequate capacity for your service needs.
Some warehouses will have a little office space attached and most will contain a large surface parking lot, loading docks and truck doors. Warehouses can also range in size from 50,000 to 250,000 and greater square feet with extremely tall ceilings.