Category:   Industrial

Date:   13 December 2019

Last Update:   21 May 2024

Find The Perfect Warehouse to Lease With Tips From Commercial Property Experts

If you’re thinking about a new warehouse to lease in Perth, or anywhere, it can be an overwhelming task and unless you’re a commercial property expert, it’s easy to feel that you’re under-informed. All of this can lead you to make a poor decision on the warehouse you rent and it having a significant impact on how your business runs for the length of the lease.

Fear not! We’ve gathered some Perth commercial property experts to put together a list of easy to understand tips that will help you be better informed when looking at Perth warehouses to lease and put you in a better position to negotiate the price of your rent.

What To Do Before You Start Looking at a Warehouse to Rent

Plan Ahead…Far Ahead

Looking for a warehouse to rent just before you need one puts you under pressure to find one to lease and it puts you in a weaker negotiating position. The longer lead-in time you give yourself before you need to lease a warehouse, the better your negotiating position will be. You’ll be more informed of what properties are available and how the warehouses you’re considering compare to others that have been in the market.

Planning at least 6 months in advance will also give you enough time to better understand the requirements you have for your next warehouse rental. In this time, you’ll be able to speak to your managers to learn what they think the features of your next warehouse should be. For example, you may need extra loading bays, larger office space or more advanced safety requirements.

Keep an Eye on the Commercial Property Market

By monitoring the commercial real estate market in Perth, in particular warehouses to lease, you’ll give yourself the opportunity to jump on a deal if the market dips. This could end up saving you thousands of dollars in rent each year.

If you’re watching the warehouse lease listings of local commercial real estate agents, you’ll also be able to see which have been sitting on the market for the longest time. This could mean that the owners are eager to get the warehouse leased, giving you an opportunity to negotiate better terms.

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Know Your Limit

Before you even consider looking for a new warehouse to lease, you need to have a comprehensive understanding of what rent you can afford to pay. Once we see something we like, we all tend to push beyond our budget to get it. By setting a strict budget for what you can afford, you’ll reduce the risk of putting yourself in a risky financial position by overcommitting.

What to Look for in a Warehouse to Lease

Now that you’ve done your research and are prepared to start looking at warehouses to lease in Perth, here are a few tips from commercial property experts on what to look for.

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Think More than Square Metres

When looking at a warehouse to lease, you not only need to think about square metres, you need to think about cubic metres. The cubic meterage of the warehouse will allow you to calculate how much storage space you have.

When considering a warehouse to rent, it’s important to look at the height of the building and whether your storage racks, equipment and machinery will fit. Make sure to measure the height of the access doors as well when looking at the height of the warehouse, you need to be able to get your equipment inside the warehouse.

If you’re not storing stock in the warehouse or have tall equipment, you may not need to lease a warehouse with a high ceiling and can focus on finding a renting a warehouse with lower ceilings.

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Will You Need Office Space?

Most warehouses for lease come with a small office for a manager to oversee the staff, but if you’re looking to run your entire business from one location, you’ll need an office warehouse to rent. Once you decide you need extra office space in your next warehouse, there are a number of additional factors to consider.

How Much Office Space Will You Need?

You can roughly calculate the square metres you’ll need for your office, by adding up the number of employees you’ll have in the office as either a:

• Standard desk/cubicle
• Standard Office
• Supervisor/Manager work area
• Supervisor/Manager Office

You can download the exact calculations in our guide How to Choose an Office Space to Lease in Perth.

What Office Features Will You Need?

Here is a couple to consider:

• Male and female toilets
• Lunchroom
• Server room
• Boardroom or meeting space.
• Printer and stationary storage.
• Kitchen

Ask About Everything

You should know a warehouse, inside and out, before you even start negotiations. There are a number of things that you could assume are up to scratch only to find out later that it’s not! Here are a few warehouse features you should ask about with every property you view.

• Air conditioning and heating: This needs to be able to deal with your staff and any machinery that might be generating heat. If you have stock that needs to be stored at a certain temperature, you need a climate control system you can rely on. Enquire about the age of the warehouse’s systems and when they were last serviced.
• Safety and security: Your entire stock and machinery inventory could be stored in your warehouse, not to mention your staff. You need a security and safety system that will protect everything in your warehouse from fire and burglary.  

What Are Your Distribution Needs?

The distribution of your products and intake of supplies is a major aspect of your business and you need to know that the warehouse you lease will be able to streamline your receiving and distribution as much as possible. Here’s what our expert suggest you keep in mind when looking for a new warehouse to rent:

• Loading docks: If you need loading docks, make sure they will suit the types of trucks you’ll be using and the area around the loading dock is large enough for them to maneuverer.
• Access to freeways: How far will your vehicles have to travel to access the major freeways that can take them both around Perth and interstate?

Speak to a Commercial Property Expert

If after reading this article, you’re still not sure of what your warehouse requirements are or where to find the perfect warehouse to lease, speak to the local commercial real estate experts at Ross Scarfone Real Estate. We specialise in commercial and industrial buildings for lease in Perth’s south-east corridor of Belmont, Welshpool, Kewdale and surrounds. You can view our entire list of warehouses and office warehouses to lease and request a tour of the available warehouse properties in the area.

Contact us today for all your warehouse real estate needs