Space Planning. How Much Space Do I Really Need?

When it comes time to rent office space, there is a logical calculation to determine how much space you really need. You might use this method if you did not have a professional space planner and architect analyzing the efficiency of office space on your behalf.

You have Offices, Work Stations, Clerical, Secretarial, Meeting Room, Facilities, Service Areas, Etc.  Each item above has a particular size range. You tally up how many of each item you need, then multiply the quantity with each size, add the Circualtion Factor (the amount of space used for circulation paths within your space), approximately 20%, then add the Load Factor (your percentage of shared common area space in the entire building) approximately 12%-25% and you have your Rentable Square Footage.

Rentable square foot is the Usable square foot plus Load Factor. Also to note, Rentable Square Footage is the amount of space you are charged for on a per square foot basis.

Generally speaking, higher density offices will be approximately 175 square feet per employee while lower density offices will be approximately 325 square feet per employee after all said and done.

Make sure you plan for 3-5 years of growth in advance and allow for some flexibility in your space for the future.

To use the space calculator, click on link below.

Office Space Calculator

Operating Expenses Pass Through – What extra costs am I responsible for?

Office buildings traditionally use a lease type called a Full Service Gross (FSG) lease.  This lease means your rent already includes taxes, insurance, utilities, repairs and maintenance, etc. except for your phone and internet.  It might seem that other than your fixed annual increase, this is the extent to your rent costs. However that is not always the case.  Pass through costs represent the share of a buildings operating expenses (Taxes, Insurance, utilities, repairs and maintenance, etc.) that the landlord passes on to the tenant each year.  A tenant will have the responsibility to pay their share of any increases in Operational Costs over their “base year”.  The Base Year is referred as the buildings Operating Costs of the 1^st year of the lease and is typically calculated to a “gross up” 95% occupancy level.  The ability to pass through Operating Expenses enables the Landlord to protect themselves against increases in cost due to inflation and other similar forces.  Most common leases favor the landlord and provides them with the ability to pass through these increases.

The landlord typically provides the tenant with their estimated share of Operating Expenses for the projected year based upon previous yearly Operating Expenses.  The tenant will pay 1/12 of their estimated Operating Expenses each month. At the end of each year, the landlord may provide to the tenant a final statement of the actual expenses for the prior year and either the landlord to refund the overpayment or tenant to pay the outstanding difference in balance.  

Putting a cap on annual “controllable expenses” (Building Service Contracts, Personal Salaries, Management Expenses, Capital Expenditures) is a way tenants can protect themselves from excessive pass through costs.   Also requiring the landlord to deliver to a tenant at the end of each year a detailed statement of the actual operating expenses for the prior year will affirm the pass though amount is correct.  On your lease be sure that the specific calculation to your percentage of space is stated and be aware of specific lease language on operating expenses that allows for additional expenses to be backed in.    

What Type of Commerical Lease Are They Asking?

There are a variety of lease types in Commercial Real Estate.  Having a basic understanding of the most commonly used lease types will help you make a better decision when looking for a space to rent.  For example, you are interested in comparing 3 commercial spaces and all identical sizes.  Space 1 is offering $2.35 (FSG) Full Service Gross per sq. ft.  Space 2 is offering $2.25 (MG) Modified Gross per sq. ft.  And Space 3 is offering $1.55 (NNN) Net Net Net per sq. ft.  From the surface the $1.55 NNN sure looks attractive, but beware, that’s not always the case.  Also, lease terms may have slightly different meanings depending on who you ask.

Full Service Gross (FSG): Monthly rent included utilities, janitorial services, taxes, insurance and common area maintenance. In simple terms, the rent includes everything except for you phone and internet.  Also, parking might have an additional cost depending on location. This type of lease is very typical for office buildings. The Landlord is however able to pass on your pro rata share of any annual increases in operating expenses for the following year.  Office buildings also have typical office hours of operation. This means that your Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning (HVAC) will be limited to only those hours.  Most buildings charge for after hour usage should you request access to the HVAC during those times.

Gross Lease: Monthly rent includes maintenance, taxes and insurance. You are responsible for the cost of your own utilities, janitorial, phone and internet.  This is commonly used in multi-tenant commercial buildings.  This type of lease when referred to an Industrial building is sometimes known as an Industrial Gross lease.  If your work hours are early morning, late nights and weekends, this type of lease might be better for you.

Modified Gross Lease (MG): Monthly rent includes a separate charge (e.g. common area maintenance (CAM), janitorial, proportionate share of water) TBD by Landlord. This is typically a hybrid of a Gross Lease.  In this case, you would need to find out from the Ownership exactly what additionally you would be responsible for.  This type of lease is commonly used in multi-tenant commercial buildings. 

Triple Net Lease (NNN): In addition to monthly rent, the tenant is responsible for paying their estimated pro rata share of taxes, insurance, utilities, janitorial service and all common area maintenance.  Any expense to the property can be passed on to the Tenant. This is typically billed to the tenant on a monthly basis in addition to their monthly base rent.  At the end of the year, semi-yearly or quarterly year, if the actual total NNN’s are different, either the Landlord or Tenant will be responsible for the difference in credit or payment.  NNN charges on average can be as low as $.15 per sq. ft. to as large as $1.20 per sq. ft. or higher.  Now depending on the person you ask, the roof and structure of a building may or may not be the Tenants responsibility.  On a lease called an Absolute NNN Lease, the Tenant is responsible for Roof and Structure, however on a NN Lease the Tenant is not responsible.   The monthly base rent might be look appealing, however be careful and know what the NNN charges are so you can budget accordingly. This type of lease is typical on Retail Storefront, Shopping Centers, and Single Tenant Commercial Buildings and favors the Landlord.

Leasing Space? What you need to know! BOMA, Rentable vs. Usable

Buildings are typically measured using a standing method called “building owners and managers association” or BOMA measurement standards. 1915 BOMA first published an accepted and approved methodology of floor measurement for office buildings by the American National Standards institute.  As design standards have changed throughout the years, so has the way BOMA measurement standards are used.

Area calculations from field measurements will most likely never be exactly the same, but considered accurate when results are within 2% or less.

Building measurements are given in terms of Rentable Square Foot (RSF) and Useable Square Foot (USF).  The RSF is the USF plus the Common Areas.  Common areas are considered to be restrooms, elevator lobby, hallways, stairwells, mechanical rooms, etc. These areas are not exclusive to any one tenant, but are shared by all tenants.  Let’s say for example the total RSF of an office building is 10,000 sq. ft. and the Common Area is 1,500 sq. ft .  10,000 sq. ft. - 1,500 sq. ft. = 8,500 sq. ft. of USF.

 A Load Factor is a multiplier to a tenant's USF that accounts for the tenant's proportionate share of the common area.  A load factor can typically range from 15% to as high as 30% for a multi-tenant floor.  In the above example the load factor is 1,500/10,000=15%

For example, leasing a 2,000 sq. ft. office space with a Load Factor of 15% would give you (2,000 sq. ft. – 15% = 1,700 sq. ft.) of Useable space.

Higher load factors may not always mean less, as often times other amenities such as atriums and spacious lobbies are appealing to clients and guests.  Also to note, Tenants occupying an entire floor will not have shared hallways or shared bathrooms and can be charged a lower load factor than a tenant on a multi-tenant floor as their common area will be less.  Knowing your load factor can really save you a lot of money.

San Fernando Valley 3rd Quarter Office and Industrial Market Report

All-around improvements show stability, but growht still elusive

Office - Full Report

Market sees little change as leasing remains constant

Industrial - Full Report

Shamrock Plaza Professional Office - Agoura Hills & Calabasas Chamber Event

Woodcourt - Woodland Hills Professional Office, Medical and Retail Space for Lease

Woodcourt, located in Woodland Hills, centrally located and just south of the 101 freeway, between De Soto Ave. and Winnetka Ave. at 20251-20315 Ventura Blvd.  The area is within close proximity to plenty of services, restaurants and all major transportation corridors with public transportation at its doorstep. 

Woodcourt offers a creative mix of Professional Office, Medical, and Retail space with Ventura Blvd frontage and monumental signage available.

Here at Woodcourt, there is a variety of efficient spaces and layouts and with the ability to create your ideal space whether it be an affordable, or flexible space for a growing start-up company, a professional office setting with abundant window line or a doctor’s office built to suite with all the high end touches.

Woodcourt’s lush landscaping and calming water features are unique elements that gives Woodcourt the sophisticated elegance yet casual environment that fuses professional office space with it’s open and flowing design.

Woodcourt offers newly built-out and ready to move in office spaces.  Generous Tenant Improvement Allowances are available for creating those one-off designs for your company or business specific needs.  In addition, some of the suites also feature a conference room, open bullpen area, kitchen, server & telephone room, private restrooms and reception area.  

Abundant surface and covered parking is available. Free Visitor Parking makes way for convenience and ease of access for guests. 

The lush and tranquil like setting is a unique feature to the professional offices and prominent Ventura Blvd address only found here at Woodcourt. 

Los Angeles Class A Office Vacancy Recovery! Are We There Yet?

Optimism is echoed as compared to the previous quarters by many office investors and business owners. A recent leasing survey by local real estate professionals show lease transactions consummating but at a steady and slow pace. Renewals by Tenants are keeping the vacancy factor constant as long as Tenants are not leaving. We are not seeing many new businesses located in the local area making sideways moves. Many Landlord Leasing Representatives are targeting quality tenants located just outside the local market in hope of brining them in. Businesses that have weathered the storm by now, are able to take a slight breath as the overall sluggish economic moves in a positive direction but at snails pace.  Construction has yet to be seen, however there is buzz out there that projects are going to begin. 

Los Angeles Business Journal Article

Woodland Hills Class A Office For Lease - Warner Premier Tour

 Warner Premier is a Class A professional office building is centrally located in the Warner Center and the city of Woodland Hills. This prime Warner Center location has great visibility and convenient access to the (101) Ventura Freeway.
The address is 5550 Topanga Canyon, Woodland Hills and is located on the signalized corner of Burbank Boulevard and Topanga Canyon Boulevard. This location also benefits from the State Enterprise Zone. The property features highly efficient floor plates, abundant window lines and state of the art security and HVAC system. Warner Premier is parked 3.5:1,000 and offers both reserved and covered parking.
For more information and availability of space for lease, please contact Eric Nishimoto at the Calabasas Lee & Associates 818-223-4388