A tour is your best chance to find out whether an office will actually work, and most people spend it looking at the paint. Here’s how to get more out of those twenty or thirty minutes.
Before you go
Measure your furniture. Write down the size of your desk, chair, filing cabinet, bookshelf, and anything else you plan to bring. A tape measure in your pocket turns “I think it’ll fit” into a real answer.
Write your questions down. Start with our list of what to ask before leasing, and cross off anything that doesn’t apply to you.
Tour at your real hour. If you’ll arrive at 8 a.m., try to see the office in the morning. The light, the parking, and the drive are all different at noon on a Saturday.
Drive it like a client. Use the address, not the directions from the landlord, and notice where the turns are confusing. If it’s hard for you to find, it’ll be hard for your clients.
Outside
- Parking. Where would you park every day? Where would clients park? Is there room for the vehicle you actually drive, whether that’s a pickup, a van, or something with a trailer?
- Winter. Look at where snow would go when the lot is plowed, and ask who plows and how early.
- Lighting. If you’ll leave after dark in winter, is the walk to your car lit?
- The entrance. Is it easy to spot from the parking lot? Is there a step, a ramp, or a long walk? Would a client with a walker or a stroller manage it?
Inside the building
- Shared spaces. Look at the hallway, the entrance, and any waiting area. This is what your clients will see first.
- Restrooms. Where are they, are they shared, and who keeps them clean and stocked?
- Neighbors. What kind of businesses are nearby in the building? A quiet accounting office and a busy workshop make very different neighbors.
- Mail and deliveries. Where does mail go, and where would a package be left if you’re out?
Inside the office
Size. Measure the room, and check the door width if you have large furniture. Picture your desk in place, then your chair pushed back, then a guest sitting down.
Outlets and data. Count the outlets and note where they are. A room with one outlet on the wrong wall means extension cords across the floor.
Light. Is there a window? Which way does it face? Is the overhead light pleasant to work under for eight hours?
Heating and cooling. Can you control the temperature in your office, or is it set for the whole building? Is there a heating vent or radiator in the room?
Sound. Close the door and have a normal conversation, or ask the person showing you the office to talk in the hallway while you listen. If you’ll be on calls or meeting clients privately, this is the test that matters most.
Your phone and internet
- Make a phone call from the room with the door closed. One bar in the parking lot is no use if you have none at your desk.
- Check internet options. Ask whether internet is provided, and if so, run a speed test on your phone. If you’ll arrange your own, ask which providers serve the building.
- If you live on video calls, pay attention to upload speed, not just download. That’s what makes you look and sound clear to the other person.
Questions to ask on the spot
Some answers are easier to get face to face:
- What’s included in the rent?
- How long is the lease, and how much notice does either side give?
- What can I change in the room: paint, shelves, a TV?
- What hours can I use the office, and how do I get in after hours?
- When could I move in?
Write the answers down, or ask for them by email afterward.
After the tour
Take photos (with permission) of the room, the entrance, and the parking so you can compare offices later.
Sleep on it. Nobody should sign an office lease in the parking lot.
Ask for the lease and read it at home. Compare what’s in it with what you heard on the tour.
Add up the real cost using our small office cost worksheet.
If you’re ready to see an office in Howard City, request a tour and tell us the day and time you’d like to come by.