Office Space Done Right: Avoid Costly Surprises with an Integrated Approach

So you’ve found yourself the ‘perfect’ office space. Prime location. Affordable lease. Ideal size.

You’ve put in an offer, having enlisted Soul Spaces to take care of the fit out.

All set to get going, we head over to the site to carry out an initial survey.

That’s when the cracks start to show…

Right off the bat, our design and build team spot a number of issues with the building — from poorly-installed flooring to damaged ceiling tiles, outdated fluorescent lighting to inconveniently-located floor boxes, not to mention the inefficient HVAC system and faulty smoke detectors.

Addressing these concerns will no doubt require significant — and unexpected — financial investment, diverting valuable funds away from the design and build of your office, and ultimately pushing back your move-in date.

Worst of all, since the tenancy agreement has already been negotiated with the landlord, and the offer made, the responsibility to fix these issues now falls to you, the tenant.

Herein lies the problem with taking a disjointed approach to office search, design, and build.

At Soul Spaces, we offer clients a fully integrated, end-to-end office search, design, and build service; our unique ‘360’ solution means we’re with you from the day you decide your workspace is in need of an upgrade, to the moment you get the keys to your new office — and beyond! We provide honest, expert advice at every stage of the office search, design, and build process.

With Soul Spaces on board from the outset, issues with the space can be identified before an offer is made. We can leverage this early insight to negotiate fairer terms, ensuring any necessary repairs and improvements are factored in. As a result, you’ll be spared the cost of essential remedial work, leaving this responsibility where it belongs — with the landlord.

It’s easy to get swept up in the excitement of finding a new office space for your team, but without careful due diligence, you might just end up overlooking serious issues that could cost you dearly in the long run. When it comes to leasing commercial property, the landlord isn’t legally required to disclose to you, the prospective tenant, the building’s every flaw, and in some cases, there may be issues with the property even the landlord isn’t aware of.

Most of the time, then, these problems don’t surface until after negotiations have taken place, by which point it’s too late to have the landlord pay the price to fix them. Responsibility has already been shifted to you, the tenant, and you’re left with a hefty bill to settle before you’ve even had a chance to think about financing your fit out.

Imagine you’ve had your offer accepted by the landlord, signed a lease, and lined up an office design and build team, only to discover your new space requires extensive — and expensive — repairs! After seeing a number of our design and build clients find themselves in a similar predicament, we knew something had to be done…

That’s why we offer clients a fully integrated approach to office search, design, and build; with a holistic service like ours, you can steer clear of the kinds of issues — from peeling wallpaper, to cracked plug sockets, to obstructed fire exits — that can soon turn a ‘perfect’ office space into something of a money pit.

We’re proud to be London’s leading end-to-end office search, design, and build provider. But our service isn’t just about saving you money — the benefits of our 360 solution go far beyond cost efficiency…

• Search and design with the planet in mind

Office search with design and build in mind helps avoid unnecessary modifications down the line. By identifying spaces already closely aligned with your vision, we’re able to minimise renovations, which means fewer materials are needed, less waste is generated, and energy consumption during construction is reduced.

In the same way, with Soul Spaces involved from day one, you can be sure that any modifications made to the space to bring it up to standard are completed sustainably, rather than cheaply and hastily, as the landlord might have done. In practice, this might look like replacing damaged fluorescent lighting with LED bulbs, which are up to 80% more energy efficient, opting for recycled and recyclable materials wherever possible, or using low-VOC paint in order to improve indoor air quality.

Our solution, then, guarantees your office isn’t just functional and beautiful, but responsible — an eco-friendly space that aligns with your values and ours. What’s more, our approach ensures that necessary remedial works are carried out not only sustainably, but at no cost to you, the tenant.

• Reliable representation and neat negotiation

With over 15 years’ experience between them, our expert office search, design, and build teams — headed up by hands-on founders Tomal and Joe — have successfully negotiated countless great deals for our clients (among them Attensi, UBT, Spinnaker Support, and Nordcloud).

With a team of seasoned negotiators like us in your corner, you’re guaranteed honest, expert guidance from start to finish, enabling you to secure the lowest possible monthly rent and the highest possible financial contribution from the landlord to ensure the space complies with regulations. Further to this, we’re able to point out potential pitfalls hidden in the fine print of your lease, making sure you’re fully informed and protected before you sign the contract.

Since launching in 2020, we’ve managed to secure exceptional deals for over 100 clients. Here are some of our more recent success stories:

→ With extensive experience comes a vast network of industry connections. We recently helped venture capital firm Frontline secure office space in Soho by putting an exclusive, off-market option on the table, which we wouldn’t have been able to do if it weren’t for the strong landlord relationship we’ve developed over the years. On top of this, we were able to negotiate a £45,000 cash contribution from the landlord to replace the lighting and flooring in the space, as well as 12 months’ rent-free occupancy, during which time we plan to design and fit the space for a creative, high-end finish.

→ Another client, Italian food brand Seggiano, came to Soul Spaces looking for office space to accommodate their small-but-growing team. We placed them in Wood Green, managing to secure a £30,000 cash contribution from the landlord, 4 months rent-free, and a price well below market rate — just £15 per square foot.

→ Having presented them with a range of serviced, managed, and leased office space options based on their preferences for size and location, our long-term client Brillio, who harness digital technologies to provide innovative solutions for clients, opted for a conventional leased office listed at £31,500 a month. We conducted a review of the space, and after negotiations with the landlord (which took place last month), we were able to secure the space for just £23,600 a month, as well as having them transform the boardroom according to the client’s specifications.

Whether you’re just considering an office move, or you’ve already got a vision of your ideal workspace, we’d love to hear from you! Get in touch to find out more.