Two of the focuses of my blog are Financial Literacy/Money and Business/Entrepreneurship. One of the most important aspects of your business is its location and your commercial premises. There are a couple of key details you need to know about your commercial premises. The following contributed post is entitled, 5 Questions to Ask When Building or Renovating Commercial Premises.
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If business is going well and you’re turning a regular profit, the next logical step might be to move to a better premises. Whether you’re considering building from scratch or renovating an existing building, here are five questions to ask yourself.
How big will you build it?
A bigger office will be more expensive to buy, rent or build, so it doesn’t make sense to build an enormous structure if you don’t need to. However, one thing to bear in mind is that your business might grow over the years and so more space might be needed. To get around this, you could either build it more extensive than you need, or leave space to extend upwards or outwards in a few years if you need to.
What security measures will you add?
Offices are full of high-value equipment as well as cash and customer data which can be used in crime, making them targets for burglars. Since they’re usually empty after after office hours, it gives criminals plenty of chance to strike. So when you’re building or renovating your office, think about security. Have good quality windows and doors installed, as well as shutters or lockable window grilles if needed. Have CCTV and a burglar alarm fitted, as well as floodlights which can keep burglars at bay.
How will you keep it safe?
When you’re creating a building that people are going to be spending time and working in, it’s, of course, a legal requirement for it to be safe and usable. Make sure you’re following all guidelines on construction advice, use an experienced company and ensure everything is signed off at the end. You’ll need a fire protection consultant to ensure it meets fire safety standards; this includes things like the materials used, fire doors, windows, escape hatches and more.
How will you make it accessible?
Modern buildings need to be designed with accessibility in mind, during the planning stages consider how accessible it is for those in wheelchairs or limited mobility. You’ll need to think about things like disabled parking, ramps, lifts and more.
What location should you choose?
The area that a business is placed in can be the difference between success and failure for some companies. Shops or retail companies, for example, will rely heavily on foot traffic as a way to get customers. For this reason, you will need to be in a prime location for this. If you don’t rely on footfall to generate customers for your business, then you could build your office a little further out where you’ll get more for your money. However, location is still relevant as you will need to think about how easy it will be for your staff to get to. Look into things like transport links and road access.
