One of the key questions you’ll need to answer when starting your business is where you’re actually going to work. For some, there’s only one option – for example, if you’re starting a garage then you’ll need proper commercial premises and a shop will need the right sort of location to stimulate sales.
Working at home?
If you’re starting up on your own, working from home can be an excellent choice. It allows you to combine your home life with your work – although that sometimes means you find it difficult to separate them! In practical terms, working from home is best suited to anyone looking for a simple office environment. If working at home means you’d need to make large structural alterations to the building, you’re probably better off finding premises!
There are a few things to consider before deciding to work at home permanently. The first is that you may need to check with your house insurers and mortgage lender, as using your home for work purposes may alter the conditions of your agreements with them. Secondly, you’ll need to think seriously about health and safety – you need to conduct a health and safety assessment to ensure your home office is a safe place to work. You can find out more about health and safety in the home office here. You will also need to consider your tax situation since you could be charged business rates rather than council tax or become liable for capital gains tax when selling your property.
Finding premises
If you need to find premises, then the first thing to do is sit down and decide on your requirements. Think about the size and layout of your required premises, and whether there are any structural requirements. Note down any special facilities, such as parking spaces. Divide your list into “Essentials” – things that your business really requires – and “Nice to have” items which are less important, but still a consideration.
Once you have your list, you’re ready to start looking. Choosing a location is a balance between cost, convenience for your customers, and convenience for your employees (if you have any). For employees, good public transport links are vital, while for customers things like adequate parking and ease of finding you will be more important.
The next step
Creating your company
Creating a business plan
Finding the money
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