How to use the office space calculator
Deciding how many square feet to tour before you start looking saves a lot of wasted viewings. The math runs in two steps. Headcount times workspace per person gives the workstation area, and the shared space percentage is then added on top of that figure for meeting rooms, pantry and circulation. It is not carved out of a total you already have.
Square feet per person varies enormously between an open-plan sales floor and a lab or a law firm, so no default is baked in. Measuring the workstation zone of your current office and dividing by headcount gives a number that actually reflects how your team works, and the same applies to the shared space add-on, which should rise for meeting-heavy organizations.
Enter a rent per square foot per year, the way US office space is normally quoted, and the annual rent appears along with a monthly figure derived from it. Leave that field blank and the rent rows stay hidden. The result is usable square footage, so ask for the building load factor and gross it up to rentable square feet before comparing it against a listing. Operating expenses, parking and tenant improvement allowances are not included.
Frequently asked questions
There is no single correct figure, so it is left as an input. The most reliable number comes from measuring the workstation zone of your current office and dividing by headcount, or from the test fit a broker or architect prepares for the specific floor plate.
Added. The workstation area is calculated first, then the percentage you enter is added on top of it for meeting rooms, pantry and circulation. It is not carved out of the total.
Usable. Leases are normally signed on rentable square feet, which adds a building load factor for lobbies and core areas. Ask the landlord for the load factor and gross the result up before comparing it with a listing.