Contractors, service providers, tradespeople and construction businesses need effective places to store equipment and materials and to serve as a base of operations. While using a work vehicle as a mobile office might work for some contractors, small bay warehouses can improve efficiency and organization. These flexible spaces offer combined office and industrial areas and often include shared amenities like conference rooms and material handling equipment.
Learn about the benefits of small bay industrial units and why contractors should use small warehouse spaces for their businesses.
What Is a Small Bay Warehouse?
A small bay warehouse is a light industrial or commercial space. Buildings are less than 200,000 square feet, and individual units are about 5,000 square feet. Because they offer flexible layouts, these units are sometimes called flex spaces or office warehouses. They generally have at least one bay or loading door for shipping and receiving.
Each unit includes office and industrial space, often with 15%-20% office and the remaining warehouse. Some small bay warehouses offer additional features or amenities, such as shared conference rooms, video surveillance, access control systems, climate control and Wi-Fi.
Small warehouses are perfect for contractors and service providers that don’t rely on foot traffic or require high-end finishes, such as:
- Arborists
- Appliance repair techs
- Electricians
- General construction contractors
- HVAC techs
- Landscapers
- Pest control techs
- Plumbers
- Subcontractors
- Welders
- Woodworkers
Benefits of Small Bay Warehouses for Contractors
These spaces offer the ideal balance between cost, location and provided facilities. Here are some of the many ways contractors benefit from small bay warehouses:
- Cost-effective: Small bay warehoses have a lower cost per square foot compared to larger mid-bay or big-box spaces, traditional offices or storage spaces.
- Operational efficiency: With flex warehouse space, you don’t need to lease an office and separate storage or workshop space. Having one centralized location makes it easier to manage your inventory, maintain equipment and organize projects.
- Flexibility and scalability: You can easily customize the layout, adjusting how much office and warehouse space you need. If you outgrow your space or need more room seasonally, you can lease additional bays or upgrade to a larger space in the same facility.
- Convenient access: Most small bay warehouses offer drive-in doors and loading docks, making loading and unloading supplies and equipment easier.
- Good locations: Small bay facilities are often on the outskirts of metro areas, close to major distribution hubs and urban centers. They are generally convenient for workers and clients to get to and streamline logistics. These facilities are perfect for last-mile distribution or regional service businesses.
- Improved professional image: While some service jobs can be completed from a van, having a dedicated location can enhance a contractor’s professional image by demonstrating reliability and stability.
- Meeting space: Conference rooms provide a professional and convenient space to meet with clients, employees or subcontractors.
- Optimized for heavy use: Warehouse spaces have high ceilings and reinforced floors to handle large inventories and heavy equipment. They often have a higher electrical rating than office spaces, so you can power all your tools.
- Opportunities for collaboration: When you share facilities with other tenants, you have more opportunities to network with other businesses and find ways to collaborate so everyone benefits.
- Shorter lease terms: Small bay warehouses are more likely to offer flexible or short-term leases than mid-bay or big-box facilities, making them more accommodating to contractors and other small businesses that may need to adapt their operations. Shorter leases make it easier to scale up or down.
Small Bay Warehouse Uses for Contractors
Contractors and service providers can use small bay warehouse spaces for various tasks. Because they are so versatile, different businesses can customize them to best fit their specific needs. Here are some of the most common uses for small warehouses:
- Material storage: Contractors can store everything from lumber and drywall to electrical wiring and plumbing supplies. With the extra space, contractors can stock up on materials when prices are lower and avoid running out of supplies.
- Equipment storage: Securely store equipment and tools like power saws, generators, compressors and landscaping equipment.
- Tool maintenance and repair: These spaces are also perfect places to maintain or repair equipment and store related supplies.
- Vehicle storage: Depending on whether the space has dock-high or ground-level doors, small warehouses can house work vehicles, protecting them from the elements and keeping them more secure.
- Fabrication or project staging: Contractors can use the space as a workshop for custom fabrication or to preassemble components for upcoming projects.
- Office space: Most small bay warehouses include an office area where contractors or employees can handle administrative tasks like managing paperwork or scheduling appointments.
- Secure document storage: Small warehouses can also be excellent places to store important documents, such as contracts, permits and insurance policies.
- Delivery hub: Having a fixed location can be essential for service providers who receive frequent deliveries or need a base of operations when they aren’t on the go.
Contact RISE Commercial District to Lease Small Warehouse Space
Small bay warehouses are redefining industrial space for contractors. RISE Commercial District offers high-quality small bay flex spaces designed for efficiency, security and comfort. We provide utilities, restrooms, conference rooms, forklifts, video surveillance and high-speed Wi-Fi for one transparent price. We have facilities in several states. Find a RISE Commercial District near you, schedule a tour, or reach out to us to learn more about our small bay warehouse solutions!
Frequently Asked Questions
What Is the Difference Between Small Bay and Mid-Bay Industrial?
As the names indicate, mid-bay industrial real estate is larger than small bay. Mid-bay buildings are typically between 200,000 and 500,000 square feet, with five to 20 tenants taking more square footage per unit. Small bay warehouses are less than 200,000 square feet but can have up to 100 tenants.
What Is a Shallow Bay Warehouse?
Shallow bay warehouses are, simply, not as deep as other warehouses. These buildings are often older and smaller, generally no more than 150,000 square feet. Shallow bay spaces can work well in cases where freight movement is high and storage is low.
What Is a Contractor Bay?
A contractor bay is similar to a storage unit but comes with a few additional amenities like power and internet so tradespeople can work from within the space. While contractor bays offer more than traditional storage spaces, they aren’t as convenient as small bay warehouses since they don’t provide office space and are often accessible only to the renter, so they aren’t good for meeting clients or if you have employees.
Why Lease a Small Bay Industrial Space?
Other property types are suitable for certain situations, but the flexibility of small bay warehouses means one space can work for many different scenarios. Leasing offers another layer of flexibility compared to the significant expense of purchasing real estate. Small bay facilities are often the best warehouse storage solutions for contractors.
