office space??

[G. Lasagne]

First of all i would like to say thanks to kieth (estwig) for all his advice on converting my garage in to an office.

I have now decided to just rent a ready made 1-2 man office, anyone else have a similair size office?

If so, how much does it cost a month and how much do you pay for your utilities, just after an idea really?

And do you find it better to work from an office rather than home?

Ta!

 

[estwig]

Your just scared of working with proper materials, like timber!!!

 

[G. Lasagne]

Whats timber, isn't he off the jungle book?

 

[estwig]

We gave up our rented office in July last year and are luving the garden office, obviously a lot cheaper. Me and Mrs estwig work as a team, but we is still around for the kids, because the office is at the bottom of the garden, we have separation between home and work life.

I doubt we will ever go back to renting, when we do achieve the point of requiring more admin staff, we will outsource/sub the work out.

This is very much a lifestyle choice and it works for us for 3 main reasons, it's cheap, we have the bin lids to consider and we like our house, we like being here.

 

[An Oasis]

My last offices were in Manchester and meant I had to leave home at 5AM. No more uneccessary travel for me, far too much time wasted stuck in a car or van as it is.

But if you do want to look into garden offices I can recommend Alex @ http://www.shedworking.co.uk/ & UncleWasisName @ http://www.shedblog.co.uk/

 

[vgbear]

Hi

We rent a two person office and it costsus £299.00 plus vat a month. This includes electric, cleaning, internet and things like it has a filtered hot/.cold water system. All we pay on top is 3p a minute call rates and postage if we need to send anything.

It also has a lot of parking and a path to the pub.

 

[stugster]

estwig,

Ball park kick at a price for one of those shed-like offices?

 

[estwig]

To you mate, £27k!!!

Seriously, prob around £9k all in.

 

[stugster]

Cheeky sod Thanks

 

[CKG]

I'd hold back on getting a rented office.

Been there done that - wasted a whole pile of money that I didn't really need to getting too big for my boots! (not saying you are...)

My father in law runs a pretty big plumbing company and still does everything from home - though he does own his own lock up unit for his stores.

Stay at home as long as you can is my advice!

 

[G. Lasagne]

I'd hold back on getting a rented office.

Been there done that - wasted a whole pile of money that I didn't really need to getting too big for my boots! (not saying you are...)

My father in law runs a pretty big plumbing company and still does everything from home - though he does own his own lock up unit for his stores.

Stay at home as long as you can is my advice!

I probably am to be honest,
My wife is on maternity and we have a 4 week year old baby, our house is quite small, and im finding it hard juggling home life and the business, with all thats going on at home. I also find it hard to stay focused workin from home and often struggle to get anything done, i strongly feel that getting up every morning at a set time and driving to an office with no distractions will help me no end. i have 3 vans on the road and definately agree i have possibly expanded to quickly before getting the basics right, but have a knack for generating work and feel if i can focus i should be able to get my business to where i want it to be.

The rent is £238+vat p/m (vat registered next month) and that includes everything except the phone.

I am about £400 p/m better off in august due to my phone book advert finishing (not renewing), so will be no worse off.

Thanks

 

[G. Lasagne]

p.s didi you register on the rebate scheme?

 

[Greg_Smith]

The question is, would you prefer to do business with someone who works from home or with someone who operates out of prestigious offices?

Would your clients/customers do business with you if they knew you worked from home? Would having a proper office increase your customer base?

 

[stugster]

I'm guessing he's not moving, or looking to move, into office space so he can bring his potential clients back to see the place.

 

[maxine]

I am about £400 p/m better off in august due to my phone book advert finishing (not renewing), so will be no worse off.

How much? That's a mortgage not an advert

We converted our garage ourselves for about £1k materials and knocked through into another reception room giving us a two room home office and really pleased with it. There's 3 desks in the office and the other room has seats for meeting area but usually used for lots of tea drinking in the morning. At least we don't have subbies traipsing all through our kitchen and lounge with boots on now It is also somewhere for the rare customer or supplier to visit us.

Sometimes we all end up sitting in there of an evening with kids doing homework on pc's and us doing quotes

Good luck with your office

 

[stugster]

I'm seriously considering the idea of a hut at the end of the garden now! I could even stick it on a credit card if I had to.

 

[i234i]

There is a PC Repair guy through here who has his garage done (himself) and its cracking.

Framed out the walls / floor and ceiling, filled and plasterboard. Looks great. Built shelves and has aload of kitchen worktop all the way round it. Got a camera at either end of it. (The door is un-useable) but still looks like a garage and he has a nice UPVC door onto the side which joins to a path to his backdoor.

If i didnt need to have a industrial unit (i do for obvious reasons! haha) but otherwise i would just do something to work from home is its a website, repair, consultancy, accountant etc. ... sometimes i understand it is necessary! but recently in the offices next to me it seems people are just wasting money for it to have 2 desks and chairs and say they have an office!!

 

[G. Lasagne]

How much? That's a mortgage not an advert

tell me about it
be lucky to break even with it, started well but rarely get a call now

I understand where your all coming from but my house it is not equipped to accomodate an office, and the more i look at my garage the more i cant be bothered with the hassle or expense.

 

[G. Lasagne]

I'm seriously considering the idea of a hut at the end of the garden now! I could even stick it on a credit card if I had to.

You will need more than a credit card if your going to afford the "cockney cowboy" the 9k is just for the quote, thats how these southern tradesman operate, then they will tell you need a new roof why do you think he carries a lassoo

 

[Deleted member 9840]

Gas, go for it.

At home i have a study which was used for an office and a double detached garage which i used for all my $hi7e. In other words, i had no trouble with space working from home.
Last year i got a little industrial unit and put an office in there, the sole purpose of this was to attract larger projects to quote for, and it has worked.
Being in M&E as we are, Unit 4, wherever, gives more credibility than 17 The Grove.

Now i quote as if i were a big company, insted of quoting man and van prices. It works, perception is everything in our game. You will get invited to price larger jobs.


Steve

 

[CKG]

Being in M&E as we are, Unit 4, wherever, gives more credibility than 17 The Grove.

That's definately true. It does separate the men from the boys and makes your shoulders a little bit wider.

I'll probably move into an industrial unit again - but only when it is absolutely the only option or the neighbours start moaning about the HGVs and vans rolling up to my gate a few times a day.

 

[Tej]

That's definately true. It does separate the men from the boys and makes your shoulders a little bit wider.

I'll probably move into an industrial unit again - but only when it is absolutely the only option or the neighbours start moaning about the HGVs and vans rolling up to my gate a few times a day.

lowers the tone of the neighbourhood

 

[G. Lasagne]

Gas, go for it.

At home i have a study which was used for an office and a double detached garage which i used for all my $hi7e. In other words, i had no trouble with space working from home.
Last year i got a little industrial unit and put an office in there, the sole purpose of this was to attract larger projects to quote for, and it has worked.
Being in M&E as we are, Unit 4, wherever, gives more credibility than 17 The Grove.

Now i quote as if i were a big company, insted of quoting man and van prices. It works, perception is everything in our game. You will get invited to price larger jobs.


Steve

Great point steve, all i need now is to find the larger projects and contracts to quote for, any tips!!!

 

[Deleted member 9840]

any tips!!!

Get on the blower and start pecking heads.........introduce yourself to the big M&E contractors, NG Baily, Shepherds, Balfor's, Amec (or Matthew Hall as they are called again) they don't bite

Steve

 

[G. Lasagne]

Get on the blower and start pecking heads.........introduce yourself to the big M&E contractors, NG Baily, Shepherds, Balfor's, Amec (or Matthew Hall as they are called again) they don't bite

Steve

To be honest the only one ive heard of is Amec, not sure if the companies you mention would be interested in domestic heating engineers, but thanks

 

[Deleted member 9840]

not sure if the companies you mention would be interested in domestic heating engineers, but thanks

unless you get on the blower, you will never find out
If it is solely domestic work you are qualified to do, give ROK (one of the the UK's largest social housing and housing association providers) a buzz, their newly set up division ROK PHE have lots domestic work.


Steve

 

[G. Lasagne]

unless you get on the blower, you will never find out
If it is solely domestic work you are qualified to do, give ROK (one of the the UK's largest social housing and housing association providers) a buzz, their newly set up division ROK PHE have lots domestic work.


Steve

Will do, thanks for the tip mate.

 

[Officebird]

I work from an office and it is good for me. I wouldn't be able to concentrate enough at home and I have actually picked up a lot of work as I'm the only one doing what I do in the area that works from and office and people don't like visiting other peoples homes.

Having sdaid that it would depend on your customers and their perception of you in an office. Will they think you are more expensive because of the office? Are they likely to call into the office?

Perhaps you could look at hot desking facilities that you can use for an hour here and there when you really need to be out of the house to concentrate. You could also team up with other small businesses and share an office.

It's a tough call actually but I have to say I am happy to be in the office and am glad I made that decision from the off. It benefits my customers with ease of dropping off work etc and helps the homelife because when I'm at home I'm at home if you get what I mean. I have a desk etc at home that I work from at night once my daughter is in bed but mostly I get her from school and I'm in mummy mode until after story time.

Good luck with your decision making!

 

[CEC Harrogate]

You have options today, like short term rentals, in fully serviced offices, or work from home but take a virtual office, where you get a prestige address to give out to clients and also a dedicated telephone number where a receptionist answers your calls and forwards it on to your mobile or home number.

If anyone out there is looking for these types of options, and in the Harrogate area then let me know, as we would be happy to help.

We have taken on a lot of clients who are setting up new companies, or taking that step up from working at home. Everything here is brand new and have a range of sized offices from 1 desk units to 100. With free tea and coffee and milk, breakfast bar area, meeting rooms, all new furniture etc.

 

[Alison Tepal]

Working from an office has actually helped us pick up new clients. Everytime I go into the shared kitchen for a tea/coffee I end up having a chat and networking with the other tenants and some of the other tenants have even referred me business which I would of never got by working from home.

My advice would be to get a small serviced office and try it out for 3 months on a rolling contract to see how it goes.

Good luck

Alison

 

[AboveParr]

Working from an office has actually helped us pick up new clients. Everytime I go into the shared kitchen for a tea/coffee I end up having a chat and networking with the other tenants and some of the other tenants have even referred me business which I would of never got by working from home.

My advice would be to get a small serviced office and try it out for 3 months on a rolling contract to see how it goes.

Good luck

Alison

Exactly my experience too!

 

A lot of decent advice there tbh.

I think it depends upon the work you do whether or not people would not like to see a 'home' office.

In our case, I needed a large workshop, storage, plus somewhere for people to visit to deliver/pickup computers, so a home-office was never going to work.

In fact, I'm painting and decorating a larger unit as we speak, as I'm taking on staff and need more workspace.

In your case, I think people are well enough used to seeing that you have a home-office, and some may even think that your prices will be better when you don't have to finance a large fancy office anywhere. That said, you'll have the utility bills no metter what you do, so its really the rent/rates that'll make the difference.

If you could convert your garage (and it needn't always take too much initially), then this would tide you over, allow you to further invest the advert savings, and you could gradually step the business up to a full office-based affair when your size forces you to.

good luck, whatever you decide.

 

[OfficeHounds]

Hello Gas Angel
I am just curious if you ever found a solution for your home office problem. Did you convert your garage, hire office space or find a solution at home?