By having the right space planner on your side you can lease commercial property in less time, and close more deals.
A beautiful, commercial piece of property is useless if it doesn’t attract the right tenants – and the best way to both attract and keep an ideal occupant is to have property that fits their total business needs. Investing in commercial property and attracting the right tenants at the right time can happen from day one if you involve a professional space planner from the start.
According to The Space Place, an architect firm, “At the onset of a search for office space a real estate broker will invariably want to know right away how much space will be needed by the prospective tenant. If you have been through this, estimating the right amount of space required for a new facility can be tricky. Leasing too much space and cash flow can be hobbled by an excessive rent payment and under-utilised space, too little space and staffing growth will be limited. This may result in the need to relocate, prior to your lease expiration—potentially a very expensive exercise.”
It’s for this precise reason that it’s really important to work together with a space planner to help determine your total space needs. We’ve put together some tips and advice for you.
Why space pairing is important
As we’ve said before, space pairing™ is a unique service we offer where we work with you to find the ideal office space that matches your client’s unique needs.
The space calculation is based on the clients brief to determine if the fit as well as a report on whether the facilities and style of the space are suitable, is always necessary. A quick test-fit layout will also help you prove the fit of the space.
Our CEO, Jill Munger, believes, “An initial, quick space plan is a good idea to confirm that the space is suitable for the tenant’s needs. This is a very quick process, based on a high-level brief from the tenant or purchaser.”
Read: What is space pairing and why do you need it?
Why is space planning important when leasing a property?
Space planning is the discipline of planning an interior office space for optimal use. It’s important because it ensures the space suits the functionality of a business and its teams by working with ergonomic best practices, and it also makes sure that the client is committing to a space that works for them in the long term! We know from experience that it’s all too easy to commit to a space that won’t grow with your client, or doesn’t match all of their needs.
According to WDM Architects, “Space planning organises the space, furniture and functions to work together and most effectively accommodates the needs of the employees and visitors. When creative planning techniques are used in organising a space, studies show employee engagement, client retention and innovation are boosted.
Here are some considerations when space planning:
- Organisational needs: Communication lines, paper flow and departmental interaction.
- Privacy vs interaction: Areas required for meetings, private work and communication as well as open plan and collaborative work areas.
- Specialised needs: Industry type specific requirements to be catered for.
- Acoustics: Control of noise levels for prevention of work disruption.
- Lighting: Appropriate lighting levels for different tasks in various task areas.
- Health and wellbeing: Breakaway spaces, fresh air, natural light, plants and artwork all contribute to the wellbeing of staff and visitors.
- Eco-consideration: Maximised use of natural resources and optimal specification in order to reduce the use of costly resources e.g: natural light vs electricity.
What space planner should you choose to help you lease your commercial property?
Your space planner should preferably have the following skills and characteristics:
- Interior architecture, interior design and space planning qualifications;
- Sufficient working experience in the corporate or commercial interior design sector;
- A sound knowledge in ergonomics and space planning standards;
- A sound knowledge in fire safety and health bylaws for public spaces;
- Good product knowledge in terms of materials and finishes as well as office furniture solutions;
- Strong problem solving skills and people skills (as a broker, you want the designer to assist you in ‘selling’ or leasing the space).
Read: Where does the cost estimate and quote fit into our design process?
How can your space planner or office interior designer assist you in closing your deals?
An experienced office interior designer will have the ability to advise your client, very quickly, if the space is unsuitable for their requirements. You really do want the space planner to be completely honest, or there could be disastrous comebacks, like unnecessary costs, a lack of engagement from staff members and not enough space for everyone, if the tenant doesn’t fit on move-in day.
It’s also very important to walk through the space with your client and ‘paint the picture’ of possibilities within a suitable space… this is a hugely valuable service as the client feels that they are getting the opinion of a trained professional.
If you’d like to involve a space planner to help you with leasing a commercial property, use our space calculator to determine your space requirements:
