When it comes time to start – or expand – your new business, there are many things you need to consider. Things like return-on-investment (ROI) and financing immediately leap to mind. However, one often overlooked area of concern is the electrical condition of the property you purchase. Today, we are going to look into five (electrical) things to consider when buying a building. Some of them may shock you.
5 Electrical Tips for Buying a Building
Whether you are starting a small business in Gainesville or a Fortune 500 company in the middle of Atlanta, one thing is for sure: you have a lot to consider. Business owners of all shapes and sizes consult to figure out what their pricing should be, who their customers are, and how best to market their goods and services.
Amidst all of the research and considerations, however, one area is often neglected: the electrical capabilities of the property you will conduct business from. While this may seem like a small matter in the grand scheme of things, in reality, a building with poor electrical wiring or backup solutions can be downright disastrous for your fledgling (or even veteran) business enterprise.
For instance, suppose you are planning a grand opening or re-opening. You have spent oodles of money on a marketing blitz, signage, extra inventory, and so forth. You have pressed hands with the masses and issued press releases and everything that goes with launching your business. Then, an hour before you are set to open, disaster strikes: your electrical grid pops and your store has no electricity.
No lights, no cash registers, no alarm, no air-conditioning, no phones, no computers. This can be a business’s worst nightmare. Every minute your store is down is another minute you lose revenue and have to pay employees to sit around with their hands in their pockets. Worse, you risk losing customer trust, and they may seek a competitor’s business.
Electrical Tips for Businesses
One of the most important things to consider – from an electrical standpoint – is whether a location has enough power for your business needs. Before you purchase any location, make sure that you factor in your electrical needs. Whether you have a lot of heavy machinery or just lighting and computers, if your circuits can’t handle the draw of your appliances and lighting, it can leave you in a tough spot.
Additionally, you always want to make sure you have room to grow. After all, growth is what a business is all about! When you look at the plans for your potential property purchase, make sure there is plenty of room on the grid to run any future equipment you might need. Maybe you will need to add a server closet for your IT company or expand your manufacturing capabilities with some new machinery. Whatever the case, never purchase a place that does not have a little “extra juice” – or, at the very least, the ability to upgrade your wattage easily.
This next electrical tip may seem like a no-brainer, but it is also important that you can access the electricity. Do a parameter sweep of the entire area and make a note of where all of the sockets and lights are. Is it enough to safely satisfy the needs of all your current – and future – equipment? Will you have to jam a thousand cords into extenders? If so, make sure you ask for more plug-ins, outlets, and sockets.
Speaking of outlets, having AFCI and GFCI sockets is an excellent rule of thumb. These help protect you from electrical fire hazards caused by arcing faults and through other electrical mishaps. Having them will help prevent not only fires but worker/customer injuries as well.
Finally, no company should exist without a good backup system. This includes back-ups for your computer software/hardware, but also your electricity. Power outages happen, whether caused by storms, high winds, or other issues. Having a generator in your business can help you reduce or eliminate downtime in such an event, which means you can keep your business open, your customers safe, and the revenue flowing.
While power generators in North Georgia may incur an upfront cost, you more than make-up for this cost by having peace of mind. Think of it like business insurance: it may be an additional cost, but when the time comes, having it can make – or break – your business.
North Georgia Electrical Contractors
Planning on acquiring property for your business in the North Georgia area? If you are buying a building in Gainesville, Flowery Branch, Hall County or the surrounding areas and need to make sure your electrical needs get met, call Georgia’s electrical contractor and generator gurus!
