Office or corner of front room

[lgylsen]

I have the opportunity to rent extremley cheaply an office with a joint PA. At the moment, my office is in the corner of my front room, but I would like to feel more professional.

What do you think? Is it better to rent an office or save money and blend business with personal in the corner of my flat?

Happy new Year!

Lorna

[clairemackaness]

You would get more work done if you had an office and could tuck yourself away. It would also improve your work/life balance and stop you from working when you should be relaxing.

[crus]

Sounds good,

I have an office, but similar to you, its a dedicated room in my house which I and others can work from if necessary. At the end of the day it depends on your needs.

To date I have been able to keep costs low by utelising virtual office solutions such as call forwarding etc, etc. Thsi has been sufficient as my worload does not require endless client contact, however when needed I do use corporate facilities at a local business complex.

Think about why you might need the office environment, and if it stckas up go for it, the PA might be worth the cash alone, but keep your eyes peeled for hidden costs.

D

[fastfences]

The office is an added expense, BUT, having it may well inspire you to be that bit more productive which would more than pay for it. You'll have the benefit of a 'better address' (already covered in a previous thread) and more receptive to client visits.

I would do it, and if you share the same egotistical belief as I, you will proceed right away :wink: .
Cheers, Nigel

[Cornish Steve]

Someone once wrote (I forget who - Rockefeller maybe?) that the first thing you should do in business is to rent an office, because then you have something you must pay for.

I don't know that I agree, though. If it's all about "feeling professional", I'd work from home in a suit.

[bizguy]

Having an office does give you a psychological benefit. As the other posters have said, it will compel you to work more while also achieving a better work-life balance, which incidentally is the biggest problem of people who work from home (I myself have to deal with this problem). But, alternatively, getting an office also means additional business expenses, something that should be avoided if possible, especially if you are a start-up.

If you think that getting an office is going to give you that much-needed edge that will result in success in your business then by all means go for it. But weigh all of the factors first before making any final decisions.

Good luck!

[c4l]

Bear in mind commuting to an office though.

I had a contract in Manchester last year and it used to take me 1 hr 30 mins to travel 18 miles every morning - roads were chaos!! This seriously used to put me off going to work in a morning.

I now have a contract in Preston which is 23 miles away and i can easily get there in 25 mins. Much better in a morning.

If you were renting an office that was either a long drive or long train journey away, would you end up with less 'working time' in a day to actually do your job or otherwise a 'longer day' from leaving home to getting back in at night? Also, if this is the case, there is always that thought at the back of your mind throughout a working day that at 5pm/5.30pm/whatever, you have to get back to the 18 mile grind again for another 1 hr 30 mins!! That's what i found - good day or not!!

Something to bear in mind anyway.

[lgylsen]

Thanks for the feedback guys, I think that I will stay at home and use the extra money elsewhere in my business.

[DuaneJackson]

Sorry, I'm a little late to this one and it looks like you've made up your mind already.

If the office is extremely cheap, as you say, then I think you should be going for it. I had that opportunity a couple of years ago and I am so glad I went for i.

Good luck