For any of you that have a few to no employees do you rent/own office space or office from home?
I office from home and have not had the need for an office space outside of this. Customers have no need to visit my location just wondering what works for others
I’m home all the way. No store front. No product to show, or clients to entertain on site.
[COLOR=Blue] I work from home but this year I am going to build a shop beside the house that will have an office, place for equipment, and vehicles. I am in the city but I have a very large lot. I live on a private cul-de-sac but I have to keep it low key because of the neighbors.
That’s one reason that we don’t start really early in AM because of waking the neighbors by loading ladders and such. I used to have a guy working for me who drove a Trans Am with straight headers. I had to tell him to shut the car off and coast up to the house, Lol![/COLOR]
Since I office from home when it comes to hiring employees I usually initially meet individuals while I am at a job site (commercial) or at nearby restaurant. Is this similar of what some of you do?
I have been renting an office for the past 6 years. The reason for this is because of growth. My first office space was just a plain 300 sq. ft. office with a storefront (not zoned retail). It was really cheap at just under $300.00per month (on a nioce busy street). Reason for the move from home to office space was due to having two lettered work vans outside of my home and I needed an office girl to answer the phones. My wife didnt like the idea of bringing someone into our home for 8 hours a day. Best move I ever made. Everything was easy to document for write offs- rent-electric-water etc. All documented in monthly bills instead of writing off percentages.
In April 2005, I noticed a sweet building with excellent highway exposure (Major Interstate) that was up for lease. Long story short, we now rent it. 2000 square feet with two garages. The landlord said I could pretty much do whatever I wanted with the property as far as signage goes. The signage alone outside pays for all of my rent and utilities. Hands down.
Some of you guys that are established who thinking about renting a small office, I say do it. What pushed me out of the home was needing a person to answer the phones. BTW, getting someone to catch your calls/ schedule your jobs right away will pay for the office persons wage easily. I imagine that I’ve lost some serious $$$ in the past running an answering machine during business hours. Live and learn.
Steve
Office space is awesome… I got my first space 400 sqft in town about 5 years ago. I was living in my dads basement and he basically through me out. I had an office girl working there 2 desks… 2 trucks people coming in and out for interviews and to pick up paychecks.
Getting the office was a great move… Rent was only like 350 a month and I think it added some legitimacy to the business. I was there for a full year and we out grew the space. I rented another one a few miles away 3500 sq ft… we were there for 4 years. I probably could have stayed there for ever but our landlord was horrible… He would show up like 3 times a week just snooping around and being a complete pain. So this past spring I bought a place 2 miles from my house. 6000 sq ft fenced in parking lot… And if I want to paint the walls hot pink I can. ahhh no landlord best feeling ever.
Long story short I think having some type of store front is important in 2 aspects. 1 separating work from family and 2 attracting and retaing quality long term employees.
Chris, I see your point on separating work and family but how has an office helped to attract and retain employees?
I would think it projects a more “professional” image to prospective and current employees in comparison to a home-based business.
Great idea Steve! I am going to do that also.
In answering Superior’s question that is correct… In addition I think it also gives the employees a little piece of mind that they are working for a financially stable company. I’m not at all saying home based business aren’t stable, if anything they could be more stable with out the additional overhead of rent and other costs. Its just a matter of perceptions.
