How to Calculate How Much Office Space You Need

When searching for new office space, no one wants to pay more than they need to. This means calculating the amount of space you actually need.

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This can be a cause of confusion, since most office space is advertised in square footage, and many people find this a difficult concept and struggle to visualise just how much floor space they need.

Expanding

If you have an existing business, you will be able to do some simple calculations based on your current office, but if you are moving, it may be that the company is thinking of expanding so you may need a larger space.

If you run a new business, it may be a more difficult calculation, and you will not want to waste start-up funds on under-utilised space. In this case it may be worth looking at the advice offered by the Health and Safety Executive. Regulation 10, found in the 1992 Workplace Regulations, sets out the guidelines.

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The HSE calculation involves cubic metres, so have your metric convertor to hand when calculating the space you need. The HSE recommends that the volume of the empty space divided by the number of workers it is expected to house should be a minimum of 11 cubic metres. The maximum height used in this calculation should be three metres. With an average ceiling height of 2.4m, a floor space for each worker should measure 4.6m. Whether you are looking for offices to let Basingstoke, Reading or Andover these rules will apply.

Culture

The landlord or management company should be able to advise you on the space you will need, and if you are hoping to locate your business with easy access to London and southern ports and looking for offices to let Basingstoke offers many opportunities.

Many lets involve open-plan offices. They are popular and help you visualise the work space and carry out any calculations easily at the site. Remember, however, that they are designed to accommodate workers who are sitting close together, and this may not suit the culture you are trying to create in your company. If this is the case, consider renting a larger space than that indicated by the HSE calculation. Having some spare space in the new office is better than trying to squeeze people into a space that is too small.