11 Nov Can I request my landlord to make upgrades to my office space before I move in?

Generally, office space is tailored to each specific businesses’ needs whether it be small things like paint colors or big things like locations of walls and offices. When you’re moving into a new office space, it’s likely that the decisions that the previous business made for the space will not meet your needs for the space. Because of this, you should absolutely request upgrades and changes before moving in.

Some typical things to look for when deciding on necessary upgrades are new flooring, new paint, and upgraded lighting. From there you can make the bigger decisions. Do you need walls added or taken down? Do you need private offices added? Do you need a larger break area?

Discussing needed changes with employees and other decision makers at the company will help you cover all of your needs before you enter talks with your landlord. You want to make sure you’re prepared, so you can be sure that all of the necessary changes can be taken care of before moving in.

Things get a little more complicated when it comes to who will pay for these upgrades. Sometimes the tenant is comfortable paying for these things, especially if they are getting a good rate on their lease. Other times, the landlord will cover most of the expenses. In still other cases, the tenant and landlord will break down the cost and share the expenses.

The best advice is to be clear about what you need and be willing to discuss the cost with the landlord before making changes or moving into the office space.