Start with the team’s actual working pattern. Count the people who need to be in the office at the same time, then map focused work, meetings, visitors, storage, and any specialized rooms. A headcount alone will not tell you whether a floor plan works.
Test the layout with your furniture
Ask for a dimensioned plan and draw in workstations, meeting tables, circulation, and equipment. Look at where daylight reaches, where conversations carry, and where private calls can happen. Tour an occupied floor if possible to understand the building’s noise and traffic.
Request the rentable and usable area and the measurement basis. A quote on rentable square feet can include an allocation for common areas. Compare the monthly bill and the space your team can actually use, rather than assuming equal quoted areas offer equal capacity.
Put building services in writing
- Standard HVAC hours, after-hours charges, and who controls temperature.
- Parking allocation, guest parking, and monthly parking charges.
- Internet providers and the process for installing additional service.
- Building access, elevator scheduling, security, and cleaning.
- Landlord work, furniture included, and move-in requirements.
Compare the lease structure
Ask what a full-service or modified-gross quote includes and what can increase. Review operating expense provisions, the base year or expense stop, annual increases, and separate charges. Lease labels are shorthand; the written expense provisions determine the obligation.
Work backward from the first working day
Allow for layout approval, any permits, construction, data installation, furniture, and a coordinated move. Ask when possession, rent commencement, and the opening date occur; they may be different dates. If renewal options or future expansion matter, raise them before the lease is drafted.
Prepare your requirements in the space brief, then share the download with a local office broker. The referral submission on this site is limited to Southern California retail.