Business Owners: Get Professional Interior Design Advice WHILE Searching for Properties
Are you a small business owner looking to launch in an office space or relocate? As commercial interior designers and business owners ourselves, we know how daunting this process can be. It is ripe with decisions that play on our emotions, wants, needs, worries about the future, and finances…the perfect storm of stress. Here is the good news: you don’t need to wait to have a signed lease before hiring professional help to guide you through selecting a space.
Yes, professional design input is available while you are assessing different property locations! We’ll help you get comfy in the space between “before” and “after” that can sometimes feel chaotic. You can hire a professional interior designer or architect to accompany you on property showings to help you quickly assess the potential of various properties. This pro will generate a “fit plan” to show how your business could fit into the existing space. A fit plan isn’t a 100% polished final floor plan, but more like a schematic layout to prove that your business fits and how it fits. (Bonus tip: ask the landlord to pay for the fit plan, they may agree as it will help them sell the space to you.) Oftentimes, this small investment in professional fees can save you a lot of headache on the back end (like ending up in a property that simply doesn’t work for you).
Example of Fit Plan for Salon Space – Three Layout Options
And that’s not all… some general contractors will also offer a feasibility assessment. Usually when Slate Interiors Studio is hired for fit plan services, we connect you with a handful of recommended contractors that are best suited for your project type and scale. These contractors may offer a feasibility assessment, which is a walk through of the potential space and high level budget estimates. The contractor may let you know if a new roof is needed, how much plumbing needs replacing, and other general impressions of the property.
Between a fit plan from the interior designer and a feasibility assessment from the general contractor, you as the potential leasee or purchaser are empowered with real data and numbers to allow you to commit to (or walk away from) a space. That perfect storm of stress we mentioned? Poof, gone.
Whether or not you have a professional by your side, here are some questions to consider when debating between property locations:
- Does the site fit my needs for location, parking, neighborhood, etc.? Those are variables that you cannot change.
- Does the size of the space fit my current and future needs?
- What is the natural light like? If you’re really serious about a space, we recommend viewing it at different times of day.
- How much existing plumbing is in place? (For example, if the existing building is a retail store and you’re planning on converting to a salon, plan on lots of budget dollars going into adding more plumbing.)
Slate Interiors Studio offers a service we call “Design Consultation” which is tailored to touring spaces and generating fit plans for those business owners early in their hunt for a new space.
Reach out to get our professional services in assessing potential business locations >
