As a commercial business tenant there are plenty of details to iron out, even before you move into your new office space. Once you have narrowed down the choices to a particular office space and walked through the building to make sure that everything is to your liking, the next step prior to signing the lease is to see what, if any, tenant improvements you will be making to the premises once you get in there. Before you sign the lease, you must negotiate a tenant improvement allowance with the landlord. You will often find that the landlord will not freely agree to any amount you want for tenant improvements and you will most likely have to negotiate. The following will show you how to do so with the greatest rate of success.
Identify and Properly Document Requested Tenant Improvements
When you go through the commercial office space prior to signing the lease, write down what tenant improvements you will be making and what you would like the landlord to cover as a tenant improvement allowance. In addition, take pictures of the items to show the landlord as this will help to support your case that such tenant improvements are needed. Make sure you have the photos and written notes on the items when you meet with your landlord.
Prepare Price Quotes for Each Tenant Improvement
Before meeting with your landlord about these tenant improvements, go online or to home improvement stores to figure out what each item would cost. If the tenant improvements are more voluminous in nature, you can contact contractors to see what they would charge for the requested improvements. As with the photos/written notes on the tenant improvements, you should also make sure you have these figures with you when meeting with the landlord to discuss your requests.
Consult With Your Tenant Representative throughout the Process
You should also have a tenant representative by your side when leasing office space. This individual will come in extremely handy during this type of office space lease negotiation process. The tenant representative will know the best ways to help you get what you want out of the tenant improvement allowance.
Be Prepared To Compromise If You Really Want the Office Space
In the end, if you want this particular office space and the landlord is not willing to yield on all of your tenant improvement allowance requests, try to be willing to compromise. This will get you a few of the requested tenant improvements and still allow you to lease your desired office space as well.
Not every office space for lease will be in tip-top shape the moment you lease it. There may be a need for improvements in order to ensure that it is exactly how you want it to be. Many office space tenants are willing to lease a less than perfect office but acquire tenant improvement allowances from the landlord so that the finished product is what they envisioned in the first place. Again, not every landlord will be willing to accommodate completely but by following the tips listed above, you will be more than likely to get the results you want from your prospective landlord.