With eCommerce businesses gaining a lot of traction, many investors are either building or planning to build a warehouse. Warehouses have become an essential segment of most online business strategies. Businesses are either constructing their own warehouses or renting them.
If you are thinking of constructing a new warehouse for your business or for renting purposes, there are a few things that you need to consider first.
In this blog, we have discussed some of the factors that have to be considered before constructing a warehouse for renting or storage purposes.
Layout And Flow
The design of any warehouse is dependent on the type of operations it is being built for. Many buildings that are built for generic purposes cannot be used to carry out the material flow for a business. This is because certain factors such as ceiling height and column spacing can restrict the type of items that can be stored and the equipment that can be used inside the area.
On average, a warehouse should have clear spans between 24 feet and 34 feet. Larger, automated centres with very narrow aisles and picking systems are now built with 54 feet clearance.
In addition to this, if a warehouse is improperly designed, certain elements can hamper the inward flow of raw materials and the outward flow of finished products. Hence, it is imperative that the flow of materials is identified before the warehouse is designed.
Zoning
The next thing that you have to consider is what intense operations are you planning to conduct in the warehouse? What will be the future trends of the operations? Based on these, you will have to choose a zone where you would like to build the warehouse.
You should consider factors like emissions, noise levels, and the availability of outdoor storage as well. Zoning should also be done based on the districts that you want to target for your future operations.
Availability Of Workforce
If you are building a warehouse for your own business, it is important that you consider the availability of the workforce in that area. Yes, building a warehouse in a remote area is pocket friendly but will you be able to carry out your operations in that area?
Many workers are not usually ready to travel outside the city for work. Moreover, if you already have operations somewhere else and are planning to move your trained or trainable workforce from a different location to a warehouse, know that it can be very pricey.
Proper Design
Once the aforementioned aspects are decided upon, it is time for you to move on to the design phase. This is by far the most important phase of warehouse construction. Improper designing and architecture can lead to major operational issues in the future.
Hence, it is better to look for designers and contractors who have extensive experience in warehouse and industrial building. They are well-versed in the way commercial and industrial construction works. Moreover, they understand the importance of construction planning and scheduling.
Commercial contractors like Belvan construction know how to tackle any delays in the construction timeline and have a fair idea of what kind of structure is required for different operations.
Conclusion
In addition to the factors mentioned above, you should also consider the size of the warehouse you need, the type of construction you are looking for, the location and the availability of transportation.
About Us
BelVan construction is a premium construction company in Alberta, Saskatchewan, & BC. We are qualified commercial general contractors based in Edmonton. We have offered various business experts general contracting, project design-build, pre-construction consulting, and construction management services since 2011.
Right from the start, our primary focus has been on providing our customers with premium yet affordable construction and renovation services in a respectful, responsible, and reliable manner. In each of our retail construction and renovation projects, our goal has been to make the clients’ needs our top priority with a commitment to providing excellent all-around service.
To get in touch with Edmonton’s leading commercial general contractors to build yourself an effective and productive commercial space, click here.
