Choosing a premises for your business is an important decision. It needs to meet the practical needs of you, your employees and your clients, whilst not costing too much to run. Here are some key things to consider when choosing the right premises.
Consider The Location
There are lots of factors to consider when choosing the right location. If you’re a hospitality or retail business, a central location may be key as you’ll be more likely lure people in off the street. If clients visit your premises on an appointment basis or you happen to have a niche business that people are prepared to travel to, it could be worth finding somewhere on the outskirts as the location will likely be cheaper.
That said you don’t want somewhere to remote that clients and employers find difficult to travel to. If people are likely to drive to your premises, make sure that there’s parking space. You may also want to consider factors such as the local crime rate – a property in an area with a high burglary rate could be worth giving a miss.
Find The Right Interior Layout
The interior has to be big enough to support what you’re doing and set up with facilities for your needs. You may be able to convert a building for your desired purpose such as turning an old residential property into a shop or a barn into an office, but you’ll have to budget in the cost of conversion.
Consider health and safety features where needed – there needs to be a suitable fire escape and you may want to hire a surveyor to check for hazards such as lead and asbestos. You may want to get the help of a interior design expert to check that all practicalities are covered.
Can’t Find The Perfect Property?
There’s always the option to build your own property or create an extension or an existing building. You’ll find construction companies that specialize in commercial property such as warehouse construction. You will have to buy land and will have to get planning permission but it could be the only option for certain trades with specific needs.
Are You On A Tight Budget?
For budget businesses, you may have to get creative when it comes to premises. Those looking for office space could consider a shared office. You’ll be working alongside other companies that could be unrelated to your business, but at least it will give you a base for you and your staff.
In some cases of course you may not even need a premises. The internet has made it possible to run a large business from home, hiring employees remotely and using video-communication to talk. When it comes to retail, there’s always the option of an online store or alternatively a market stall for those that want to sell physically. For those wanting to start a coffee bar or small eatery, you may even be able to operate out of a food truck.