Are you looking to find the perfect office space to set up your new business?

Or has your business recently grown out of your current space? It might be time to expand because you aren’t getting what you need from where your company is currently based.

The first step is to the take time to understand exactly what you’re looking for in a new office space, and what things you are willing to live without.

We’ve put together a short list of our top tips to find the perfect office space that is perfect for you!

Prices

Office prices across the UK differ greatly, with London prices are almost double for a new building according to the Total office Cost Survey of 2017* compared to the North West of England where you can get beautiful, ideally located office space for reasonable prices.

As with any new office space, you just need to know what to look for and where to go. Manchester averages £73 per square foot for a new building, whereas Liverpool and Warrington average £55 per square foot*.

The right building for you might be more expensive, but if you weigh the other pros and cons detailed here, it might be well worth it to invest in a higher-priced building.

Locations

Deciding on where to locate your business or place your new company can be a daunting task. By keeping these key factors in mind can help make the task more manageable:

• BREEAM rating
• Access to market
• Access to customers and suppliers
• Connectivity, not only to the building and employees but to similar companies for collaboration
• Availability of skills

Additionally, when you’re visiting new office spaces, make sure to ask where the nearest bus and train stations are as car parking isn’t always the most important option for commuters today.

In 2016/17 80% of passenger journeys were by public transport using buses and National Rail**! Also, look into any deals that the office building might hold for commuters.

Amenities

If you’re an advanced engineering or digital business and don’t need meeting rooms on-site but high-speed internet is critical to the success of your business, then a new building might be more ideal.

Additionally, when viewing your potential new office space, make sure there is space for your employees to have a healthy amount of desk space, possible hot desking or a breakout and lunch area.

It might be a great idea to write down must-have’s and ‘wish-list’ amenities and take the list with you so you don’t forget what is most important to you and your employees.

Flexibility & Collaboration

One of the best compliments we get at The Base is the wide range of companies on-site who are available to collaborate with.

Ensure that wherever you choose, you are surrounded by cutting-edge, innovative, and ground-breaking companies, like yourself. This allows you to expand and grow your network as you build your business.

* Total Office Cost Survey 2017

** Department of Transport 2016/17 Report