A commercial space viewing is more than a quick look at offices, storefronts, or warehouse bays. The right questions help you uncover costs, restrictions, maintenance responsibilities, and practical problems before you spend time negotiating a lease.
Start With Your Business Requirements
Before contacting a broker or touring a property, write down what your business must have. Otherwise, an attractive space can distract you from requirements that affect daily operations.
Separate your needs into three groups:
- Essential requirements: Features you cannot operate without, such as a loading door, accessible entrance, sufficient electrical capacity, customer parking, or a particular zoning classification.
- Preferred features: Improvements that would make the space better, such as private offices, conference rooms, signage visibility, or extra storage.
- Negotiable items: Features you could add, share, lease nearby, or replace with an alternative.
Estimate how the space will be used during a normal week. Consider employee headcount, customer traffic, deliveries, equipment, inventory, noise, operating hours, and future growth. A retail tenant may prioritize visibility and parking, while a medical office may need plumbing, accessibility, privacy, and specialized power. A contractor or distributor may care more about yard access, ceiling height, truck circulation, and loading capacity.
Bring basic measurements and numbers to the viewing. Know your maximum monthly occupancy budget, expected staffing level, minimum square footage, preferred location, and desired opening date. If several people are involved in the decision, agree in advance on who can approve a deal and which issues require a second inspection.
Ask About the Space, Building, and Property
Start the viewing with questions that establish exactly what is being offered. Commercial listings may describe usable area, rentable area, suite area, or an approximate size. Ask for the source of every measurement.
Useful questions include:
- What is the exact rentable and usable square footage?
- Which rooms, storage areas, restrooms, parking spaces, and outdoor areas are included?
- Are any portions of the space shared with another tenant?
- What is the ceiling height, floor loading capacity, and clear height?
- Where are the electrical panels, water shutoffs, HVAC units, fire exits, and utility meters?
- Is the space currently occupied, vacant, or being used for storage?
- How long has it been vacant, and why did the previous occupant leave?
- What repairs, renovations, or code upgrades were completed recently?
- Are there known water leaks, flooding incidents, mold concerns, pest issues, or structural problems?
- Is the roof under warranty, and who handles roof maintenance?
Look beyond the suite itself. Walk the route a customer, employee, delivery driver, or person with a disability would use. Check sidewalks, lighting, parking surfaces, stairways, elevators, loading areas, trash enclosures, and shared restrooms. If possible, inspect the property during a busy period rather than relying on a quiet midday visit.
Do not assume that a clean interior means the building is well maintained. Ask to see maintenance records, recent inspection reports, and documentation for major systems when appropriate. A commercial tenant may not receive every document before submitting an offer, but asking early identifies what must be reviewed later.
Clarify Rent and the Full Occupancy Cost
The advertised rent is rarely the complete cost of occupying a commercial property. Ask the broker or owner to explain the lease structure in plain language and provide a written estimate.
Common cost categories include base rent, operating expenses, property taxes, insurance, common-area maintenance, utilities, trash service, security, janitorial work, parking, and administrative fees. Depending on the lease, the tenant may pay some or all of these expenses directly.
Ask:
- Is the quoted rent monthly or annual, and is it based on rentable or usable square feet?
- Is this a gross, modified-gross, or net lease?
- What expenses are included in the quoted amount?
- What are the current operating expense or common-area maintenance charges?
- How have those charges changed over the past few years?
- Are there caps on controllable operating expenses?
- How are property taxes, insurance, and maintenance costs allocated?
- Which utilities are separately metered, and what were typical monthly bills?
- Are there one-time fees for setup, deposits, access cards, signage, or building services?
- Is a security deposit required, and can it be reduced with a letter of credit or guaranty?
Request a sample calculation showing the first year and a later year after rent increases. A space that appears affordable at the starting rate may become difficult to carry after annual escalations, expense increases, or required improvements.
| Cost item | Question to ask | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Base rent | What is the starting rate and escalation schedule? | Shows the predictable lease cost over time |
| Operating expenses | What is included and how is it calculated? | Reveals variable building charges |
| Utilities | Are they separately metered and what is typical usage? | Helps estimate the real monthly budget |
| Improvements | Who pays for construction and repairs? | Prevents unexpected upfront spending |
| Deposit and fees | What is due before possession? | Affects cash needed to open |
Ask whether the landlord offers free rent, a tenant-improvement allowance, moving assistance, or other concessions. Confirm whether concessions depend on completing construction, opening by a deadline, or signing a personal guaranty.
Verify Permitted Use, Zoning, and Compliance
A space can look perfect and still be unsuitable for your business. Confirm that the proposed use is permitted by zoning, the building’s occupancy approval, and the lease. Do not rely only on a listing description or a verbal statement.
Ask:
- Is my intended business use permitted at this address?
- Does the current certificate of occupancy cover that use?
- Are special permits, licenses, or inspections required before opening?
- Are there restrictions on food preparation, alcohol, medical services, childcare, vehicle work, noise, or customer traffic?
- Are there limits on operating hours, deliveries, outdoor storage, or after-hours access?
- Does the property have any pending code violations or required upgrades?
- Will the city require changes to accessibility, restrooms, fire protection, parking, or electrical systems?
- Who will obtain permits, and who will pay for compliance work?
Contact the relevant city or county planning and building departments before committing to the property. Ask about zoning, parking requirements, signage rules, business licensing, and any change-of-use process. The exact requirements depend on the jurisdiction, the building’s history, and the business activity.
If your use involves food, health care, hazardous materials, commercial vehicles, or high customer volume, involve the appropriate inspector or professional early. A broker can provide useful information, but neither a listing nor a lease replaces official approval.
Examine Layout, Systems, and Improvements
Use the tour to determine whether the space works operationally, not just whether it looks attractive. Bring a tape measure, phone camera, flashlight, and a copy of your preliminary layout if the owner permits photographs and measurements.
Check or ask about:
- Electrical service, panel capacity, outlet locations, and three-phase power
- Heating and cooling capacity, service history, and thermostat control
- Plumbing supply, drains, restrooms, grease traps, and water pressure
- Internet providers, fiber availability, phone service, and cellular reception
- Lighting levels, emergency lighting, alarms, sprinklers, and fire extinguishers
- Doors, locks, windows, insulation, sound transfer, and security systems
- Loading docks, freight elevators, delivery hours, and truck access
- Flooring, walls, ceilings, ventilation, and areas needing repair
Ask which fixtures and equipment will remain. Confirm ownership and condition of items such as built-in counters, shelving, appliances, rooftop units, signage, security cameras, and specialized plumbing. Get a written list attached to the lease or letter of intent when the items matter to your operation.
Discuss tenant improvements in detail. Ask who selects contractors, who approves plans, whether there is a construction deadline, and whether the landlord must approve materials or finishes. Request the allowance amount, eligible costs, reimbursement process, and treatment of unused funds. If the allowance is insufficient, obtain an independent construction estimate before accepting the space.
Understand Access, Parking, Signage, and Neighbors
Daily convenience can determine whether a commercial location succeeds. Ask when you can enter the building, whether access is controlled, and what happens during nights, weekends, holidays, or emergencies.
Questions to cover include:
- Who has keys, access cards, and alarm codes?
- Is access available 24 hours a day?
- Are there rules for deliveries, contractors, and visitors?
- How many parking spaces are assigned, shared, or unreserved?
- Are parking spaces enforced, and are there additional parking charges?
- Can customers use the lot during evenings or events?
- What signs are allowed on the building, monument, windows, doors, and roadside areas?
- Who pays for sign design, permits, installation, lighting, and removal?
- Are there neighboring tenants whose noise, odors, hours, or traffic could affect the business?
- Are exclusive-use protections available to prevent a direct competitor from leasing nearby space?
Visit at different times if traffic, noise, parking, or security is important. A property may be easy to access during a weekday tour but difficult during school pickup, weekend events, shift changes, or peak retail hours.
Ask Lease and Exit Questions Before Negotiating
You do not need to resolve every lease term during the first viewing, but you should identify issues that could change the decision. Ask for a draft lease or standard lease form early enough to review it with a commercial real estate attorney.
Clarify:
- What is the initial lease term and are renewal options available?
- How are rent increases calculated?
- Can the lease be assigned or the space sublet if the business changes?
- Is a personal guaranty required, and can it burn off after a period of good payment?
- What insurance limits and types are required?
- Who is responsible for repairs to HVAC, plumbing, windows, doors, roof, and structure?
- What happens if the building is damaged or access is interrupted?
- Are there relocation, demolition, or redevelopment clauses?
- What restoration must be completed when the lease ends?
- Can you remove installed equipment and fixtures at move-out?
- What are the default, late-payment, and early-termination provisions?
Pay close attention to vague maintenance language. “Tenant maintains HVAC” may mean routine servicing, all repairs, or complete replacement depending on the lease wording. Ask for definitions, dollar limits, response times, and emergency procedures in writing.
Organize the Viewing and Follow Up
Prepare a one-page question sheet with space for answers, measurements, photographs, and follow-up items. Assign one person to ask questions and another to take notes if the tour includes several decision-makers. Mark each answer as confirmed, estimated, or still unverified.
Immediately after the viewing, create three lists:
- Must resolve before an offer: Legal use, total cost, major defects, parking, access, and required improvements.
- Need written confirmation: Fixtures, concessions, maintenance duties, signage, utility estimates, and included services.
- Can negotiate later: Finish materials, move-in timing, minor repairs, and optional upgrades.
Request documents supporting important answers, such as a site plan, floor plan, utility history, operating expense history, certificate of occupancy, rules and regulations, insurance requirements, and building inspection records. Compare the property with at least one alternative using the same questions and cost assumptions.
If the answers conflict, pause the decision rather than filling in the gaps yourself. Ask the landlord, broker, city department, contractor, engineer, or attorney who is qualified to resolve the issue. A commercial viewing is successful when it gives you enough reliable information to decide whether the property deserves due diligence and lease negotiations—not merely when you leave with a favorable first impression.