Before you can move into a new commercial property, you’ll need to nail down the location or building that will host your commercial space. Where you decide to buy or rent a commercial area will depend largely on what type of business you run. If you own and operate a salon, you’ll need a different type of layout than a warehouse would, for example. Some businesses may have multiple types of commercial property, such as corporate offices and storefronts, while other companies may need similar kinds of commercial property to house all of their operations.
To get some inspiration for what commercial properties might be right for your business, you can see what similar companies have and look at commercial property marketplaces for ideas. You can also contact a commercial real estate agent or company to help you find a place that’s right for your purposes. Sometimes, working with a commercial real estate agent can also help you ensure that you don’t make mistakes when it comes to the paperwork that transfers ownership of a commercial property from another company to your commercial enterprise.
When you’re looking for a commercial property, you should have a physical list of characteristics and traits that you want for your future property in mind. If you don’t want to write down everything you want in a future property, you can also create a visual vision board with images that represent everything that your commercial property should include or put together a video of clips of offices that speak to you. This will let you know when the property is for you.
Measure the New Space
A common mistake that business owners make when they move into a new property is failing to measure the place before they start bringing items into it. If you have large equipment like attachments for forklifts or specific pieces of office furniture you want to use, you should know if they’ll fit in your new space before you bring them there. Otherwise, you may end up feeling frustrated as you try to fit them into a place where they don’t belong.
Before you purchase a commercial property, you should have a range of square footage that you require to conduct business operations in that space. Some commercial properties may be used as a small office, so in these cases, you wouldn’t want to pay for a huge office that eats up your utilities budget. You also wouldn’t want to purchase a place that is super affordable because it is far too small for you to accomplish any of your tasks in the space.
Host a Garage Sale
While you might be used to having a big yard sale when you move from personal property to another place to live, garage sales can be a great way to offload some of the equipment you won’t use or need in your new commercial space while creating connections with other businesses and community members in your area. When you host a garage sale, you can make some extra cash to cover the expenses of moving and recoup some of the money you’ve lost in purchasing a property for your business. While garage sales might seem like a simplistic way to get rid of things you don’t need, they’re effective and better for the environment than dumping a bunch of office furniture or supplies into a landfill.
When you sell items you don’t need, you’ll make the moving process easier as you transition from one commercial property to another. The fewer things you need to move, the less expensive it could be to pay movers to haul it from your old place to the new one. Additionally, you can get the word out about your business by advertising the garage sale and trying to network with other business owners who may attend the sale in search of similar items to what your industry uses.
Garage sales can also provide you with the perfect opportunity to tell loyal customers and clients where your new location will be while bringing your community together. Even if you’re not interested in hosting a garage sale, you could sell some of your supplies and furniture that you won’t need in your new commercial space on online marketplaces or post them to social media groups that are designed to help business owners offload old supplies. Some places like colleges and apartment complexes may also be interested in taking the furniture or other items off your hands for a cost.
Take Stock of Inventory
As you’re moving, you’ll probably naturally categorize similar supplies and items together. Whether you’re moving your store to another location or you’re switching to a new office building as an administrator, you can anticipate that it’s easy to lose items in the shuffle of relocation. To avoid wondering whether you’ve got all of your items or asking yourself how many of something you used to have, you can kill two birds with one stone by conducting inventory as you pack things up.
To keep track of inventory, you can create a spreadsheet that lists every item in your shop or workspace. You can also use a pen and paper, though this method may become tedious if you accidentally make a mistake or need to change something. Once you have your spreadsheet or paper, you can list how many of each item you have for future reference.
Once you’re done moving to a new place, you can count your items as you unpack them. If you’re using a moving company, taking inventory before you ship your items to a new place can make it easier to tell if something is missing or if a supply has been diminished. Valuable items especially are important to document in terms of quantity before you make a major move.
Pick a Convenient Date
When you’re moving to a new commercial property a few months down the line, you might just pick a random day to move and trust that you’ll figure it out. If you’re hiring movers, the last thing you want to do is realize a few days before moving that you have a major work event coinciding with the moving date. Choosing a date that is low-pressure with nothing planned can give you the time you need and deserve to devote the proper level of attention to moving.
Even if you have other people completing a move for you, you’ll still want to be available during the move for them to ask any questions or notify you of any snags. Since moving can be a process that causes emotions to run high, business managers and operators should be there for their staff to provide de-escalation if people get frustrated and general support if the moving process doesn’t go as planned. When you’re renting a moving truck, you might also need to return the truck by a certain time so you won’t want to race against the clock to make a meeting and return the moving truck with a full tank of gas afterward.
Open Up Your Schedule
If you want to move during a season when movers are busy, you may need to have multiple dates in mind to relocate. After all, moving can take a lot of time and movers might not be available to do so at the drop of a hat. If you have a whole week that you could move, you may also be able to get a cheaper rate since you’ll be available to fit your move into multiple contractors’ schedules.
Take Pictures Before Moving In
Although you might be ready to start bringing your stuff into a commercial space, you should snap pictures of it before you put anything in it to document its original condition. For those who are renting a property, it’s especially important to take pictures of everything from the ceilings to commercial glass on the outside of the property to avoid losing your security deposit. If you notice any issues, you can bring them to the attention of the owner of the building and ask that they fix them before you move your things into the space.
Besides holding a landlord accountable, having pictures of the original space can make redesigning the layout easier in the future. If you eventually want to sell the place or rent it out, you’ll also be able to use these pictures to demonstrate what it looked like without any furniture or supplies in it. What’s more, you can compare the original condition to any renovations you make for posterity to show how far your business has come.
Save Money When Possible
Instead of shelling out cash for cleaning services, you can shave off expenses in your move by doing that kind of work yourself. As a business owner, you can also have your current employees do this kind of work if they are qualified for it. Unless you’re moving into a place that requires commercial cleaning, you may be able to do it yourself.
On top of cleaning everything on your own, you can also pack the boxes for the move and rent a moving truck to avoid hefty moving fees. Unless you feel underqualified to do something, you should consider taking the time to learn a new skill so you can save money on it. Spending money on something you can do yourself will hurt your bottom line in the long run, so pay with your time when possible even if it feels limited as a business owner and operator.
Use Proper Packing Techniques
A common issue that businesses face when moving is improperly packing boxes. If you put heavy stuff on top of light stuff, it could cause the boxes to dent. Additionally, when fragile items aren’t properly wrapped, they may break or suffer damage during the trip. If you’re not sure how to pack items, ask a professional.
Hire Professional Movers
While it might be more expensive than moving things on your own, hiring local movers can give you peace of mind. If you don’t have time to haul items back and forth, movers can take care of it for you. Before you settle on a moving company, call several places to see if you can get a better deal. You can also try to negotiate using information from other quotes.
Maintain the Space
Before you move in, make sure the place is ready for you to occupy it. Call HVAC repair services to inspect the HVAC system. Additionally, you should add a fresh coat of paint as needed and have the place inspected before moving into it.
Add Some Style
Even if it’s a sterile corporate office, you can add some personality to the place. Use commercial wallcoverings or window clings to create a new look. You can also add pictures that reflect your company’s values.
Keep Valuables Safe
When you’re moving, don’t leave valuable items exposed. Store them in a depository safe during the move. Once you’ve moved, you can find a safe, discreet place to put them permanently.
Perfect the Parking Lot
Since employees and clients will need a place to park, ensure that your new location has parking. If it doesn’t, you can consult with local paving companies to add pavement. If you already have a parking lot there, you can still ask parking lot paving services to touch up any potholes and address issues before you move.
Maintain the Landscape
The landscape surrounding your office makes an impression on clients. As a result, you should stay on top of landscape maintenance. You can either hire a landscaping company or do it on your own to save money.
Operating a business can sometimes involve moving from one commercial space to another. As your business expands, you may need to expand the square footage of your commercial facilities to keep up with the demand for your services and overall growth. While moving can be stressful, it can also be an exciting opportunity to explore the possibilities in a new space. Whether you’re opening up a second location for your business or you’re transferring your office from one place to another, the moving tips below for relocating to a new commercial property will help you navigate this process with ease.