Viewings are an essential part of finding a new office space.
It’s where you assess everything. From the quality of the building to the local amenities, office viewings are the perfect opportunity to visualise the future of your business and team.
But with so much to think about, you may feel unsure about what to expect. To help you prepare, we’ve shared five essential things to look out for during your office viewings:
Hubble Top Tip: Aim to book around six viewings; it’s the perfect number for solid comparisons, giving you a better perspective than just one or two.
1) The square footage
When attending your office viewing, you’ll be given the same measurement: square footage.
By this point, you should already have a rough idea of how much office space your team needs. So, consider the viewing as an opportunity to confirm this estimate and visualise the layout.
Hubble Top Tip: Keep in mind that square footage varies depending on the office type and your specific requirements.
For example, serviced offices can either have desk areas for each employee or include additional features like internal meeting rooms. Managed offices, on the other hand, typically require a lot more desk space and room for amenities such as meeting rooms and kitchenettes.
To help you understand square footage requirements during your viewing, the widely accepted rule for the ideal amount of space per person for offices in London is:
- Serviced Offices: 35 – 50 sq. ft. per employee
- Managed Offices: 70 – 85 sq. ft. per employee
We’ve created a handy guide to help you establish how much office space you need. Check it out!
Hubble Top Tip: Have a broker schedule your tours—especially for multiple visits in one day. We’ll even plan the best route to save you time!
2) The communal areas
While on your office viewing, take the opportunity to explore the communal spaces, including coworking areas, kitchens, and breakout spaces. During this time, assess whether they offer:
- Comfortable Seating: Think comfy sofas, ergonomic chairs, and atmospheric seating options that make you feel relaxed.
- Aesthetic Appeal: Look at the general decor and colour scheme to check whether it’ll create an inviting atmosphere that motivates employees to commute into the office.
- Kitchen Facilities: Check the communal kitchens to see whether they’re stocked with beverages, snacks, and other essentials to meet your team’s needs.
Hubble Top Tip: Bring a list of must-haves and nice-to-haves to stay focused on the amenities and facilities that matter most to you.
3) The natural light
Ample natural lighting is essential to a pleasant and productive office space. It reduces eye strain and fatigue from prolonged exposure to artificial lighting. It also helps connect us to the outdoors, improving mood and wellbeing.
Hubble Top Tip: When you’re touring the office space, make a mental note of how many windows there are in each area – and if there are any areas that don’t get natural light at all.
You may even want to check if there are any outdoor areas available — such as rooftop terraces or gardens — so your team have additional ways to see and think clearly.
4) The amenities
During an office viewing, you’ll also have the chance to check out the workspace’s amenities and facilities. While these will vary depending on the workspace, they typically include all your essentials like furniture, cleaning services, high-speed internet, and security staff.
On top of this, most flexible workspaces offer additional amenities to give them a competitive edge, such as gyms, childcare, and bicycle storage.
For things like meeting rooms and event space, make sure you ask how the booking process works. Also, check out the available tech to ensure it’s something your team can work with.
Hubble Top Tip: Visit the office on the actual day your team plans to use it, as the vibe can vary—some days are busier, others quieter. Is this a space your team will want to use?
5) What’s included
As mentioned earlier, various office types come with different size requirements and amenities. However, you should establish what is and isn’t included in your monthly rental during the viewing.
For example, serviced offices are ready to go from the day you move in. This means all your utilities, bills, and daily office maintenance are included in your monthly bill, such as WiFi and furniture.
However, managed offices require greater input from the tenant. While all costs are bundled into a single monthly fee, you, the tenant, must establish what you need — from the number of desks and the specific type of furniture.
The viewing is a great opportunity to determine exactly what’s included with your specific office rental in that specific building.
Hubble Top Tip: Double check with your workspace whether there are any additional costs for things like upgraded WiFi, and meeting room and lock access.
Let our expert advisors do the heavy-lifting
At Hubble, our team of expert advisors can assist you with office viewings.
Our flexible workspace platform helps businesses give their teams great places to work. Once you’ve found an office to view, our advisors can help you organise a schedule and even attend viewings with you.
They’ll also offer zero-pressure advice and manage negotiations — all for free!
Why opt for Hubble?
- Expert Guidance – Our workspace specialists oversee the entire process of finding your new office, so you don’t have to.
- 100% Market Coverage – With Hubble, you gain access to every available workspace in the flexible office market. Simplify your search by exploring all options in one place.
- Significant Savings – Benefit from average discounts of 15% as our experts negotiate the best prices on your behalf.
Finding the right office for your team can be a real challenge, but you don’t have to do it alone.
