Like it or not, how we look is important when it comes to business. Appearances and professionalism go hand in hand, from what we wear when meeting clients to the type of furniture used at the office. No one wants to do business with someone who looks shabby, and no one is going to take you seriously if your facilities look like they have seen better days. If you want to grow and get ahead in the new economy, you need to invest in appearances.
How does this relate to commercial property? With more people working from their homes, many commercial properties are bleeding tenants. A Gartner survey revealed that over two-thirds of businesses plan to shift their employees to remote work permanently. This could lead to a collapse in demand for offices and the retail spaces that support them. You need to find a way to make your property more attractive to current and prospective tenants.
The easiest way to do that is to invest in property beautification. If you can make your property a better place to work and shop, you might persuade your tenants to stay put. You also get to attract better tenants. Upgrades such as artificial lawn installation go a long way in improving property values. Here are a few tips to get you started.
1. Control your spending
Just because you’re hemorrhaging tenants doesn’t mean you can spend all your resources on new landscaping. Set a budget and stick to it. Commercial landscaping can be incredibly costly, especially if you’re redoing everything from scratch. If you want to breathe new life into your outdoor spaces, make sure your budget is capped at 10 percent of the property’s value.
It helps to start with a development plan to rationalize your resources. Hire professionals to examine the area and to create a master plan. You don’t have to implement everything right away. Ask the architect or landscape designer to break down the plan into different stages. That way, you can complete the project over time, and your outdoor areas won’t look abandoned.
2. Keep the areas maintained
Nature is a wild thing, and even commercial landscapes need the occasional taming. Flower beds will die, and topiaries will lose their shape without regular maintenance. Soon, your outdoor areas will look disheveled and overgrown and attract wildlife. You’ll need a groundskeeper to maintain your property’s landscape.
3. Don’t forget about protection
Safety is a top concern for many tenants, and one way to retain tenants is to upgrade property security. And I’m not talking about hiring more security guards or installing more cameras. Even something as simple as adding a perimeter fence can go a long way in securing your property. Fences can keep wildlife out, especially if your property is located in a wooded area.
4. Leave the design to real designers
Commercial landscaping is different from residential landscaping. You can’t just plant random shrubs and ferns without a plan. If you want to make the most of your outdoor space, hire a landscape designer to create a master plan.
Designers aren’t just for design, however. They can also make suggestions on how to make better use of your money. They will also help keep the project under budget.
5. Keep it simple
When people talk about commercial landscaping, they usually think of spectacular planned gardens found in palaces and grand estates. While a grand garden might look pretty in photos, it might not be the best choice for office buildings and commercial spaces. You’ll want something simple and manageable.
6. Use the right plants
Good commercial landscaping carefully balances aesthetic considerations and the conditions in the area. Just because you want palm trees around your property doesn’t mean you can plant them. You have to consider moisture, soil type, and humidity when choosing flora for your outdoor areas.
For starters, you’ll want to use native plants for maximum tolerance. Introduced plant species may be used for landscaping as well, but you’ll need to get the all-clear from experts first. The last thing you need is bad PR because you introduced an invasive species to the area.
The bottom line
These six tips will help you design a more functional corporate landscape. Efficiency is paramount when designing outdoor areas for offices, so aim for a balance between simplicity and design. It also helps to read up on the basics of landscaping to ensure the success of your project.
