10 Important Things To Consider Before Renting A Warehouse

Renting a warehouse for the first time is an exciting yet overwhelming thing. You’ve finally built up a business enough that you need to manage your own stock, but how do you find the best warehouse for your requirements?

Getting your warehouse management wrong could cost you significant amounts of cash. Errors in picking, packing, and distribution affect your profit margin and can also damage your reputation.

Before you sign your first warehouse lease it’s essential to make sure you’re getting the right space for your stock and logistics needs.

Below are the list of questions that you should prepare when you visiting the potential warehouse that you want to lease.

1. Is It Suited Your Stock Requirement?

   Check and see if the warehouse can offer your product’s specific requirement, such as, temperature controlled, or proper security, or special storage for Hazardous material.

2. What Equipment Comes Included?

   Warehouse type depending on the business model. So, check carefully, if you want the empty warehouse, or warehouse which equipped with fulfillment service.  For example, if you are a startup, the warehouse with fulfillment service (warehouse with pick, pack and inventory management service) may be available. However, if you are a medium to large enterprise, you may want the empty warehouse, in which, you can plan and invest all of the equipment yourself.

3. Is There Room To Expand?

   Check out the floor space to make sure that you have enough room to safely move around inside the warehouse which including a clear receiving and distribution zone. Apart from the floor space, do not forget to check out the ceiling height to see how much can you safely stack vertically.

4. What Are The Estimated Annual Running Costs?

   How much is the rental rate, the cost to provide air conditioning, refrigeration services, and electricity to your warehouse?

5. Can Staff Commute And Park Easily On Site?

   Check out warehouse location and amenities, such as free car parking, easy transport access, and staff break areas. Otherwise, the good warehouse cannot do anything if your staff cannot reach there easily.

6. What Zoning Permissions Do I Need?

   Check the current zoning permission of the warehouse whether it is suitable for your business or not.

7. Can Delivery Trucks Easily Access The Site?

   The warehouse needed to have an access routes large enough for your largest truck. The turning circle on-site needed to be checked along with whether you will need to share the loading and recieving dock with other companies.

8. What Is The Floor Load Limit?

   Check the floor load limit whether it is enough for your products and equipment.

9. Who Is Responsible For Warehouse Building Maintenance?

   Make sure to justify with the landlord about who is responsible for building maintenance. Does the warehouse have a repair team? Are there services already including within the rent?

10. What’s The Minimum Lease?

    Find out the minimum lease term that the landlord can offer. Is the lease able to change over time or it has to stay until the contract is over?