How Much Office or Commercial Space Do You Really Need?
Ben Kuykendall | October, 2025
When you’re growing or relocating your business, one of the biggest questions is: how much space do I really need?
Too little space and you may be facing a sublease situation if you grow too soon. Too much space can lead to wasting money that could be used for growth to instead pay for unused square footage.
Striking the right balance is critical to maximizing efficiency and value at your next location.
“A Cathedral to Collaboration”
A CEO I used to work under once said “This office is a cathedral to collaboration”.
Quite a claim, I know. But it wasn’t an exorbitant space by any means. It was generic office space in East Orlando that had exclusively IKEA furniture.
The difference was it was laid out well, made great use of limited space, and had the right tech enhancements to impress recent grads and make our meeting rooms more effective.
We wanted to be there and we enjoyed working side by side, so the firm grew. For where it was in its growth cycle, that was a win. To help you find your own Sistine Chapel of sales or Notre Dame of E-Com (OK, I’ll stop), here’s a step-by-step guide to help you determine the right amount of office or commercial space, with some tips drawn from market realities in Central Florida.
1. Start with Your Core Needs
Before calculating numbers, first define what your business really requires.
- What does our team look like today — and in 2 to 5 years?
- Will we run with an open layout, cubicles, or private offices?
- How much collaborative space (conference rooms, meeting rooms) is needed?
- What ancillary areas are essential — reception, storage, break room, server rooms, restrooms?
- Are there unique requirements for our use (lab space, medical devices, drafting tables)?
These foundational decisions deeply influence your per-person square footage and design needs.
2. Use Guidelines — But Adjust for Your Business
A common rule of thumb is 100–150 SF per employee or open-plan work settings, and approximately ± 175–200 SF per person for private or executive offices.
That’s just the starting point. In Central Florida’s various submarkets, you’ll want to adjust these figures based on:
- Local cost per square foot
- Varies from low-mid $20s/SF in Maitland, to upper $20s-low $30s/SF in Downtown Orlando, and high $30s-low $40s/SF in Lake Nona
- Lease structure and build-out costs
- NNNs continue rise with inflation, Florida’s insurance challenges, and every time a property is reassessed for tax purposes. Expect anywhere from an extra $6-$12/SF for these expenses, depending on the building.
- A MG lease structure usually only asks the Tenant to cover their own utilities and janitorial service for the space they occupy.
- Some offices even offer a Full-Service lease structure, where the $/SF is the tenant’s only lease cost.
- Your workflow and culture
- If your team travels often, you might get by with more “hot desks” and less permanent space
- Amenities and support functions
- Kitchens, restrooms, storage, and reception, can account for 20–30% of the total usable square footage
- Useable vs. Rentable square footage
- Could be it’s own blog post. Essentially, Tenants don’t get to occupy all of the square footage they pay for under their lease, to account for building lobbies, shared amenities, and building service areas.
3. Plan Around Growth, But Don’t Overshoot
Expansion is good, but overcommitting is costly. Aim to strike a balance:
- Forecast your hiring for the next 2–3 years and factor that growth into your space estimate
- Tap into demographic data from ESRI using ArcGIS maps to identify office locations that will attract the type of talent your firm is looking to add.
- Use phased expansion strategies
- e.g. lease a slightly smaller space now with expansion options to prevent paying for wasted area.
- Many office buildings across Central Florida are excited to welcome new tenants right now, and have the vacancy to offer expansion space options as your firm grows.
- Consider remote work or hybrid models to reduce desk density
- Large corporate return to office mandates have been in the news all year, from Southwest to Starbucks.
- Even for the largest enterprises though, 1-2 remote days per week remain an option and are here to stay post-covid. If at least some remote work is good enough for IBM, then it should work for your team too.
We always advise clients in Central Florida to lean on our boots-on-the-ground knowledge and have a broad network of experts to refer for a variety of questions.
4. Use Data + Local Market Insight
You need to gather your own internal data (headcount, equipment needs, meeting-room usage), but local market expertise matters too:
- Local brokers spend all day in the market, and know which buildings offer the right floor plates, ceiling heights, parking rations and amenities.
- Brokers also usually know about off-market or soon to market properties that may offer better options than what’s publicly listed.
- Local vendors, contractors, and municipal employees (zoning, code, permitting) are often available, willing to lend insight, and can help avoid costly surprises.
We always advise clients in Central Florida to lean on our boots-on-the-ground knowledge and have a broad network of experts to refer for a variety of questions.
5. Final Checklist Before Signing
Before you lock in your lease or purchase:
- Walk the actual space with your team leaders and key decision makers. Measure column spacing, window locations, HVAC runs and consider factors like how well lit the exterior is when employees leave late at night.
- Mockup work areas. Taping off your preferred layout is a simple way to estimate and validate your traffic flow once you occupy the office.
- Confirm mechanical, plumbing, and electrical infrastructure can support your operations. Ask to walk the space with a building superintendent, property manager, or your preferred GC.
- Negotiate expansion or flexibility clauses so that you have built-in options to grow or shrink as your company and the business environment continue to change.
- Focus on cost-per-usable-square-foot, not just rentable area. Some teams need a highly amenitized space to draw their employees in to work or to entertain clients. Others just need a simple, functional space that’s well located. Either way, be sure you are maximizing the value of what you are paying for.
Why Getting It Right Matters
The correct office space size can maximize productivity, control costs, and improve workplace satisfaction for your team. Conversely, the wrong space can become a costly mistake and missed opportunity to grow your company. At FCPG, we specialize in matching clients to spaces that balance today’s needs and tomorrow’s growth, whether it’s a lease, or purchase. Our local expertise in Central Florida’s various submarkets ensures your space decision is informed, strategic, and your best next move. Reach out today to find your perfect space.