You have found a tenancy in the right Brisbane suburb. The floor area looks good, there is plenty of passing traffic and the rent fits the budget.
But will the space actually work as a gym, Pilates studio, recovery centre or wellness business?
That question is worth answering before you sign the lease.
Health and fitness businesses can place very different demands on a building compared with an office or retail tenant. Flooring, noise, ventilation, showers, accessibility and equipment loads can all turn an apparently simple commercial fitout into a much larger project.
Here are seven things to check before committing to a space.
Start with your proposed layout, not the empty floor area.
A gym may need strength and cardio zones, functional training areas, change rooms and storage. A Pilates studio needs enough room around each reformer. Recovery and wellness businesses may need treatment rooms, saunas, cold plunges or private spaces.
Map out your equipment before signing a lease and allow enough room for people to safely move around it.
A tenancy that looks large when empty can fill up quickly.
Flooring matters in a health and fitness space.
Heavy gym equipment and dropped weights can place significant demands on the floor. Studios may need a level, comfortable surface suited to repeated movement. Wet recovery areas can require completely different finishes again.
If you are considering a tenancy above ground level, equipment weight and vibration deserve particular attention.
This is the type of issue that should be identified before your fitout or refurbishment starts, not once equipment arrives on site.
Noise is one of the easiest issues to underestimate.
Music, group classes, treadmills, weights and general activity can create problems for neighbouring businesses or residents.
The location of speakers, training areas and high-impact equipment can make a difference. So can wall construction, ceilings, doors and flooring.
This is particularly important in mixed-use buildings and inner Brisbane locations where gyms and wellness businesses may sit alongside offices, shops, apartments or hospitality venues.
An air-conditioned retail tenancy does not automatically make it suitable for a busy gym or studio.
A room full of people exercising creates heat and places greater demands on ventilation and cooling.
Think about:
An uncomfortable studio is something your members will notice straight away.
This can have a major impact on the cost and layout of your health fitout.
Gyms may need showers and change rooms. Recovery businesses might require ice baths, saunas or other wet facilities. Physio and wellness businesses may need sinks or additional plumbing.
Before you settle on a tenancy, find out where the existing water and drainage services are located.
Adding plumbing in the wrong part of a building can quickly become expensive.
Think about your customers from the moment they arrive.
Is there easy access from the street or car park? Are there stairs? Is there a lift? Is the entry suitable for people with different mobility needs? Can members move comfortably between training, treatment and amenities areas?
Accessibility and building requirements can also affect how much of the existing tenancy you can retain.
The earlier these issues are considered, the easier it is to incorporate them into your health fitout.
Fresh paint and good lighting can make an existing tenancy look ready to go.
Look deeper.
Existing walls may need removal. Ceilings and services may need changes. Air conditioning may be inadequate. Flooring might not suit your equipment. Amenities may need upgrading.
If the previous tenant was a completely different type of business, there may also be significant demolition before your new fitout can start.
Inspecting these elements early gives you a much clearer idea of the real project scope.
When comparing Brisbane tenancies, it is easy to focus on rent per square metre.
For a health, fitness or wellness business, the better question is:
“What will this space cost me to actually open?”
A slightly more expensive tenancy with suitable flooring, services, access and amenities could cost considerably less to fit out than a cheaper space requiring major modifications.
The best time to work that out is before you commit to the lease.
Trade Project Services has delivered commercial fitouts and refurbishments across Brisbane for more than 40 years, including the Teneriffe Athletic Co project.
You can view examples of recent TPS projects or read more about our health fitout and refurbishment services.
If you are looking at a tenancy for a gym, fitness studio, wellness centre or allied health business, send TPS your plans or project details and we can review the proposed works and provide a quote.
