How to Lease Industrial or Flex Space in Bucks County: A Checklist for Businesses

Many Bucks County companies outgrow a garage, a small shop or a crowded unit. Contractors, distributors, light manufacturers and online sellers all hit that point. Picking the next space is one of the biggest decisions a growing business makes. I was trained in industrial commercial real estate, and I spent over ten years in my family's distribution business, where I saw how a building can help or slow down daily work. Here is the checklist I'd walk through before signing.

Step 1: Know what you need before you tour

Write down what comes in, what goes out and how often. Note your vehicles, from vans to box trucks to tractor trailers. List your equipment, how many people you have on site and how much office space you need. Think about where you'll be in three to five years, not just today.

Step 2: Check the building

• Loading: count the dock doors, drive-in doors and dock levelers, and check door sizes against your vehicles.
• Clear height: measure the usable height under beams and sprinklers. It decides how high you can stack and rack.
• Power: confirm the service is enough for your equipment. Ask for documents, and have a licensed professional check it if you're unsure.
• Floor: look for cracks, check how level it is, and ask whether it can hold your loads and racking.
• Heating, cooling and ventilation: many warehouses only heat the space, so check what's there.
• Sprinklers and fire safety: your use and how high you store goods can change what's required.
• Roof and drainage: look for stains, leaks and standing water.
• Office area: check its size, layout and restrooms.

Step 3: Check access and the site

• Can trucks turn in, back up to the doors and leave safely?
• How far is it to Route 611, Route 309, the Pennsylvania Turnpike or I-95?
• Is there enough parking for staff and visitors?
• Can you store anything outside, and is the yard fenced?

Step 4: Confirm zoning and allowed uses

In Pennsylvania, each township or borough writes its own zoning rules under the state's Municipalities Planning Code. A use allowed in Warminster may be treated differently in Warrington or Horsham. Before you sign, check the district and allowed uses with the local zoning office, and ask whether you'll need a use and occupancy permit or other approvals. Try to make the lease depend on getting those approvals.

Step 5: Understand the lease

• Lease type: in a triple net (NNN) lease, you pay taxes, insurance and common area costs on top of the base rent. Ask for an estimate of those extra costs.
• Term and options: the lease length, renewal options, and the right to expand if nearby space opens.
• Rent increases: how much the rent goes up each year.
• Repairs: who pays for the roof, structure, parking lot and heating and cooling systems.
• Improvements: who pays to build out the space, and what you must remove when you leave.
• Personal guarantee: whether the landlord wants one, and whether it can be limited.

Step 6: Plan your timeline

Allow time for searching, touring, negotiating, permits and build-out. Counting backward from when your current lease ends helps you avoid a rushed decision.

Your quick checklist

1. Write down your needs: loading, clear height, power, people, vehicles.
2. Tour and check the building's condition.
3. Test truck access and parking.
4. Confirm zoning with the township.
5. Get the full cost, including NNN charges.
6. Read the repair and improvement terms.
7. Set a timeline with room to spare.

Thinking about a move or expansion in Bucks County? Email me at c.olivieri@kwcommercial.com.

Carolyn Olivieri, KW Commercial