Just because you start a business in a garage doesn’t mean you should remain there forever.
Many great businesses had humble beginnings. It’s said that Jeff Bezos dreamed up Amazon in the garage of a home he rented in 1994. And in 1998, Larry Page and Sergey Brin rented out a garage from homeowners in Menlo Park, California. Page and Brin, who were doctoral students at Stanford University at the time, went on to build the Google juggernaut. And who can forget Bill Gates and Paul Allen, who started Microsoft in a garage? That’s just the tip of the iceberg.
While these and other companies started in garages, they eventually moved to offices.
When your business grows to the point where a garage won’t do, what factors should you consider before moving? Keep reading to learn about things to be mindful of — like location, office size, and moving costs — before packing up and heading to a rented office.
Location is Everything
One of the first things you’ll want to carefully consider is where you need to set up shop. If you’re on a tight budget, you might be more limited in where you can rent an office. But you’ll still have options. Ensure that you conduct some research. And ask yourself questions such as:
- Is there a part of town that would make the best home for your company?
- Where are your customers based?
- Where are your suppliers located?
- Is the office space easily accessible to employees, customers, and clients?
After answering these questions, you’ll be able to narrow down your list of possible locations.
Talk to the owners when you find some rental spaces that interest you. Ask to see lease terms, and ensure you also consider taxes, utilities, and other costs related to renting or leasing.
Office Size
According to one source, the average two-car garage is approximately 20 feet x 18 feet, which works out to 360 square feet. That’s not a lot of space — especially if it’s also got at least one car, some tools, gardening equipment, a couple of bicycles, and other things.
If you’re relocating from a garage to an office, how do you find an office that’s the right size?
Before choosing an office space, visit different buildings in the area to get a feel for what’s available. Don’t only consider how much space you need now — consider your space requirements as your company grows over time. Having more space than you need will give you scaling options if you need to ramp up your hirings. Also, consider the need for meeting space, parking, and multiple work areas for various departments.
Moving Costs
While considering the location and the office space, don’t forget about the moving costs. Your first order of business when preparing to move from a garage to an office space is finding a reputable commercial moving company. If you want everything to go right on moving day, you’ll want a mover to handle the heavy lifting and the logistics. A reputable moving company will come to your space to see what needs to be moved prior to giving you a quote.
Ensure you find a moving company that handles commercial moves. A company that only does residential moving isn’t what you want. Commercial movers know the ins and outs of office moving and can minimize downtime for your business. Typical services they can provide, include furniture assembly and installation, fine art and sculpture moving, computer and IT equipment moving, and more. It also makes sense to find a mover that offers storage solutions, should you want a safe and accessible place to store things.
These are just a few of the things you’ll need to consider if you are planning to move from a garage to a rented office space. Don’t underestimate the importance of hiring the right mover. You’ve undoubtedly heard nightmare scenarios about people who hired disreputable movers and soon regretted it.
With the right moving company behind you, moving to a new office will be a breeze.