Traditional Office Lease
A traditional office lease provides the tenant with a sense of ownership, exclusive use of the premises, and more control over the design, layout, and ambiance. This option projects the image of an established business and can be attractive to clients and employees. It is especially suitable for larger firms that can commit to the space for the long term.
It can take several months, however, to find and negotiate a lease for office space, and a few more months to set it up, depending on the existing condition of the space and desired build-out specifications. Moreover, determining the right office size can be challenging for a growing firm, which has to balance the cost of unutilized space (subleasing is an option but not without its hassles) with the capacity to accommodate new employees. Retaining a qualified real estate attorney to review the lease is also highly advisable, because specialized knowledge is required and tenants need as much protection as possible (since commercial leases tend to favor the landlord). Landlords usually provide some tenant improvement allowance, but tenants can expect to put a large, upfront investment into the build out, furniture, fixtures, and office equipment. In addition, traditional office space tenants are responsible for ongoing costs like rent, insurance, and support staff payroll.
Check out our previous introduction, home office, virtual office, coworking space, executive suite, and subleasing blogs, and stay tuned for an overview on costs and a conclusion on this blog series.
