Comfortable and affordable office space is hard to come by, especially in busy cities. With leasing prices and property taxes often hitting exorbitant levels many business owners are seeking out non-traditional spaces for their employees and customers to call home. When considering converting a residential space into a business office space there are some unique considerations to make as well and unique challenges to anticipate. Weighing out the reasons, and how the pros and cons align with your businesses vision and needs will help you decide a plan of action for your own conversion.
Consider the Vibe
Converting a house into an office is going to present a certain aesthetic to your employees and customers and cultivating that and tailoring it to fit your corporate vision is important. While a converted residence will pave the way for a more communal feel and create a family style vibe, keeping the professionalism of the business should be considered too. Paying attention to a traditional office building features like conference rooms, private offices, and overall layout will help you to still present as a business in this style space. Researching popular home lifts is a great way to marry the home and business vibes together. By removing the stairs and incorporating a home lift into your conversion project you are making your new space more accessible for your employees and clients as well as featuring an element indicative of a traditional office space.
Location
Zoning regulations might pigeonhole you into a certain location so be sure while you are browsing real estate that you are looking at properties that legally can be converted to house your business. For companies that count on foot traffic or easy access to specific areas, this might be a great opportunity to stake a claim in a highly sought-after part of the city. Do not underestimate the role that location will play in your recruiting efforts too.
Attracting young talent is something that can prove difficult when your business is housed in a traditional high rise style setting. By planting your company right in the middle of the action you are giving prospective employees a chance to be a part of the action by proxy. Home to office conversions also can create more accessible opportunities for parking in busy cities since there is likely an opportunity for a private lot.
Invest in Research
While these conversions are quickly gaining popularity there are also many details to take note of that are specific to this type of project. Having said that, each city and neighborhood will have its own unique set of regulations. Invest the time in researching your desired location and understanding how its unique stipulations will impact your plan for your business. Walk the streets and meet some of the neighbors, take stock in the personality of the neighborhood so that you can mold your conversion into it and fit in with the existing culture of the area. Winning the affections of your potential neighbors will also help to get your company good word of mouth before you even open your doors and help you gain support from the community.
