Evaluating Office Space: What Actually Matters

The First 5 Minutes: Seat Density Check

Walk into the space. Look around. Count desks. Estimate square footage.

If the space feels cramped, it probably is.

Industry standard: 80 to 100 square feet per person (including circulation space, meeting rooms, and common areas).

Aggressive density: 60 to 70 square feet per person. Achievable, but tight. Your team will feel it.

Problematic density: Under 60 square feet per person. This creates a cage, not an office.

We once visited a managed office space marketing "50 seats" in a 2,000 square foot area. That's 40 square feet per seat.

The layout: desks packed wall-to-wall, minimal circulation space, no breakout areas, meeting rooms carved out of corners. Functionally, it was a call center setup, not a collaborative workspace.

The founder touring the space saw clean desks and thought it looked fine. He didn't register that his team would be sitting shoulder-to-shoulder with no room to move.

We flagged it. He appreciated the feedback and looked elsewhere.

What Companies Evaluate (That Doesn't Matter Much)

Founders focus on:

Aesthetics: Does it look modern? Is the furniture stylish? Are the walls painted nicely?

Amenities: Is there a foosball table? A gaming area? A fancy coffee machine?

Brand: Is the provider well-known? Do other recognizable companies work here?

These are nice-to-haves. They don't determine whether your team will be productive.

A beautifully designed space with terrible internet is useless. A plain space with rock-solid infrastructure works fine.

What We Evaluate (That Actually Matters)

When we conduct site visits, we check:

1. Internet Stability

We ask to see the internet setup. Dedicated line or shared? What's the bandwidth? How many companies share the connection?

We ask existing tenants: Have you experienced connectivity issues? Does bandwidth slow during peak hours? Do video calls drop?

If the provider claims "high-speed internet" but can't specify bandwidth or show the infrastructure, that's a red flag.

2. Power Backup

Is there a generator? What's the capacity? How quickly does it kick in during outages?

Bangalore has intermittent power cuts. A space without reliable backup means your team loses productivity every time the grid fails.

We've seen spaces where backup power only covers lighting, not AC or power outlets. Your team sits in a dark, hot room with laptops running on battery.

3. HVAC Coverage

Is air conditioning consistent across the space? Are there dead zones; areas where AC doesn't reach properly?

Walk around during peak afternoon hours. If certain sections feel stuffy, the AC is undersized or poorly distributed.

We once toured a space where the AC worked well in the front section (what visitors see during tours) but the back section (where most desks were) was hot. The provider had installed insufficient capacity to save on electricity costs.

4. Meeting Room Availability

How many meeting rooms? What's the booking policy? Are there usage limits?

We ask existing tenants: Can you actually book meeting rooms when you need them, or is there constant competition?

Many managed offices advertise "meeting rooms included" but bury usage limits in the fine print. You're capped at 10 hours per month. Beyond that, you pay ₹500 per hour.

5. Acoustics and Noise Levels

Is the space open plan? Are there acoustic panels or sound-dampening measures?

Open-plan offices amplify noise. Sales calls, meetings, conversations all blend together. If there's no acoustic treatment, your team works in constant background noise.

We test this by visiting during business hours when the space is occupied. If you can hear three separate conversations from one desk, acoustics are poor.

6. Washroom Cleanliness and Maintenance

Clean washrooms indicate overall facility maintenance quality. If washrooms are neglected, other infrastructure probably is too.

We've walked away from spaces that looked great in the main areas but had poorly maintained washrooms. It signals the provider's standards.

7. Fire Safety and Exits

Are there clearly marked fire exits? Fire extinguishers? Smoke detectors?

We ask to see the fire safety certificate. If the provider can't produce it, the building might not be compliant.

This isn't paranoia. Building safety regulations exist for a reason. Non-compliant buildings can be shut down by authorities, leaving you without office space.

8. Pest Control

We look for signs of pest issues. Cockroaches, rodents, termites.

If you see pests during a daytime tour, the problem is significant. Providers won't show you spaces with visible infestations. If you see them anyway, it's bad.

The Landlord Reputation Factor

The space itself is only half the equation. The landlord or provider's reputation matters as much.

We check:

How do they handle maintenance requests? Are they responsive or does everything take weeks?

How aggressive are they with lease enforcement? Do they work with tenants on flexibility or stick rigidly to terms?

What happens at renewal? Do they negotiate reasonably or impose large rent increases?

Have they faced tenant disputes? Are there complaints about surprise charges or contract interpretation issues?

We talk to existing tenants when possible. They'll tell you what the provider won't.

A provider with poor reputation creates headaches for years. Even if the space is great, dealing with an unreasonable landlord ruins the experience.

The Hidden Charges Audit

We ask for a complete cost breakdown:

What's included in the base rate?

Desk, chair, internet, electricity during what hours? Housekeeping? Meeting rooms (how many hours)? Printing? Parking?

What's charged separately?

After-hours AC? Weekend access? Tea and coffee? Dedicated internet line? Meeting room overages? Visitor parking?

We request sample invoices from existing tenants. Quoted rates often don't match actual costs once usage charges are added.

If the provider resists providing detailed cost breakdowns, that's a warning sign.

The Growth Buffer and Flexibility Check

Can you add seats easily? What's the process? What's the notice period? Is there space available in the same facility?

Can you reduce seats if growth stalls? What's the notice period? Are there penalties?

What's the exit process? Can you terminate early? What's the penalty structure?

Growth flexibility is essential for startups and scaling companies. Locking into a rigid contract with no adjustment options creates risk.

The Storage and Utility Space

Where do you keep supplies? Equipment? Bags and personal items?

Some spaces are designed with no storage. You get desks and that's it. If you need to store anything; marketing materials, equipment, even employee bags; there's nowhere to put them.

This sounds minor until you're operating day-to-day and realize everything is cluttering desk space.

The Kitchen and Pantry Setup

If your team needs tea, coffee, and lunch facilities, check the pantry setup.

Is there a functional kitchen? Refrigerator? Microwave? Water dispenser?

Is tea and coffee actually included or charged separately?

If your team brings lunch, can they store and heat it? Or are they eating cold meals at their desks?

These operational realities matter daily. A space that looks professional but has no functional pantry creates friction.

The Parking Situation

How many parking slots are included? Is visitor parking available?

If half your team drives and there are only 5 parking slots for 20 people, you have a problem.

Are slots assigned or first-come-first-serve? If first-come, latecomers park elsewhere and walk, which adds commute friction.

What's the cost for additional parking? Some providers charge ₹2,000 to ₹3,000 per slot monthly. That adds up.

The Internet Speed Test

Don't trust claims. Test it.

If possible, ask to connect to the WiFi during the site visit. Run a speed test. Check upload and download bandwidth.

If the provider won't let you test, that's a red flag.

Video calls, file uploads, cloud-based tools; all depend on stable internet. You can't afford to discover connectivity issues after moving in.

The Neighbor Check

Who are the other tenants? What industries? What type of work culture?

If you're running a focused engineering team and the neighbors are high-energy sales teams with constant calls, noise is a problem.

If you need confidentiality and the space is shared with potential competitors, that's a concern.

We once had a client tour a space where one tenant was running a call center operation with 80 people on phones simultaneously. The noise bleed was intense. Not suitable for a product development team.

The Lighting Quality

Is the space well-lit? Natural light? Overhead lighting?

Poor lighting causes eye strain, headaches, and reduces productivity. Spaces with only dim overhead lighting or no natural light feel oppressive.

We check whether desks near windows get adequate natural light and whether interior desks have sufficient overhead lighting.

The Commute Accessibility Test

Visit the office during morning rush hour. See what the commute actually feels like.

Is the building easy to reach? Is parking available at 9 AM? If using public transport, is the nearest metro or bus stop actually walkable?

Some spaces look great on maps but are hard to reach in reality. Traffic bottlenecks, poor public transport links, or long walks from transit points create daily friction.

The Contract Review

Before signing, we review the contract for:

Lock-in period: How long are you committed?

Rent escalation clauses: Does rent increase annually? By how much?

Security deposit: What's refundable? What's not?

Termination penalties: If you exit early, what's the cost?

Renewal terms: Do you get first right of refusal? Can the landlord refuse renewal?

Maintenance responsibility: Who handles interior repairs? Structural issues?

We flag any clauses that create unfair obligations or limit flexibility.

The Smell Test

Literally. Walk around. Does the space smell musty? Moldy? Like chemicals?

Bad odors indicate poor ventilation, water damage, or pest control issues.

This sounds trivial but imagine working in a space that smells off every day. It matters.

The Renovation and Fit-Out Reality

If the space needs renovation or fit-out, get a clear timeline and cost estimate before committing.

Providers often underestimate renovation timelines. "Two weeks" turns into six weeks. You're paying rent on an unusable space.

If you're doing fit-out yourself, clarify who pays for what. Are there restrictions on modifications? Who approves design changes?

When to Walk Away

Walk away if:

• Internet infrastructure is vague or untestable
• Hidden costs aren't disclosed upfront
• Landlord reputation is poor (verified by existing tenants)
• Seat density is below 60 square feet per person
• Building safety compliance can't be verified
• Contract terms are rigid with no flexibility
• Noise levels make focused work impossible

Even if the price is right and the location is perfect, operational red flags will create problems you'll deal with daily.