Before you sign a commercial lease — what to check
Use, accessibility, Certificate of Occupancy, health review and systems — the questions that change what a commercial space is worth to your business.
Where this applies Anywhere we work — Philadelphia, the Pennsylvania suburbs and New Jersey. The names of the steps, and the offices that handle them, differ from town to town.
A space that looks right can still be the wrong space. These are worth answering before the lease is signed — or writing into it.
Is your use allowed here?
Zoning sets what a property can be used for. A new use may need a zoning permit, and sometimes zoning relief, which can take months — worth knowing before the rent starts.
Will it need a Certificate of Occupancy?
Changing a building’s use usually means a new Certificate of Occupancy — with drawings, and the code upgrades that can come with the new use. Townships have their own versions of the same step.
What accessibility work is involved?
Entrances, restrooms and routes through the space may need to be made accessible as part of the fit-out. It can change the layout and the budget.
Is there food service?
Restaurants and other food businesses need health department plan review as well as building permits. Build it into the schedule.
What do the building’s systems allow?
Restrooms, kitchens, ventilation and power often decide where things can go. Commercial systems often need an MEP engineer.
Who does what?
The lease decides whether the landlord or the tenant does the work, and who holds the permit. We prepare the drawings; the permit is filed by the contractor, an expediter or the owner.
General guidance, not a determination about a specific space. We are glad to look at a space with you before you sign.
