Choosing the appropriate office space forms part of the most crucial business decisions. Office space influences directly employee productivity levels, perceptions of your brand, and long-term costs to operate the business. The most common dilemma that companies face these days is choosing between a warm shell or bare shell office space. Be it a warm shell or a bare shell office, there are specific advantages to each, and, by the kind of business or by growth strategy, they become suitable.

In this article, we will explore the differences in a nutshell between warm office space and bare office space, then discern the pros and cons of both and provide insight to guide you in choosing which is better for your organisation.

What is a Bare Shell Office Space?

A bare shell office space is an empty sheet of paper for businesses to draw their workplace from scratch. It usually emerges as an empty shell without the most fundamental features of:

• Ceilings and floors
• HVAC systems
• Electrical and plumbing systems
• Lighting fixtures

A bare shell space is entirely underdeveloped, and, therefore, the offices permit maximum flexibility so that businesses can precisely fit their needs. However, it means the development of a bare shell office is time-consuming and requires a high upfront investment in infrastructure.

What is a Warm Shell Office Space?

A warm shell office space is a semi-abandoned commercial building with rudimentary infrastructure and essential utilities provided. The nature of the office is,

• HVAC systems (Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning)
• Essential lighting and electrical wiring
• Plumbing and restrooms
• Finished floorings, ceilings, and walls
• Fire safety systems

In other words, a warm shell is an office space that is “move-in ready” after minimal interior customisation or design work. Businesses can get on with business fairly rapidly by adding mere furniture and equipment, as well as any minor interior improvements.

Also Read: What is Warm Shell Office Space?

Primary Differences Between Warm Shell and Bare Shell

Before we go any further and look at the advantages and disadvantages of each, let’s first identify the fundamental differences between warm shell and bare shell office. Those differences can be sub-divided into several key factors:

Level of Completion

Warm shell spaces are almost complete but demand nearly insignificant work to get a business to occupy. Bare shell spaces, however, need finishings and demand large-scale work to generate a office usable.

Time to Move-In

In contrast, because a warm shell office already has systems laid down, companies can move in within relatively short periods after making minor alterations. Bare shell office space takes substantially more extended periods to develop because businesses would have to establish all the required infrastructure from scratch.

Customisation

Bare shell spaces offer complete flexibility to customise and configure the office layout and infrastructure to the very needs and requirements of the business. Flexible yet more constraining than bare shell space, warm shell does not allow changes to basic structures as the general infrastructure is already in place.

Cost

Usually, the renting or purchasing cost of a warm shell costs much more than that of a bare shell because of the additional infrastructural elements incorporated into it. Bare shells bear most of the initial setup costs and, hence, can offset the lower rent or purchase price.

Time and Labour

A bare-shell office is more likely to take more time, sweat, and labour before getting it ready for business. Warm shell spaces are prepared for use, with minor adjustments needed only; thus, less extensive work in construction is required.

Benefits of Warm Shell Office Spaces

With warm shell office spaces, various benefits are attributed to them, making them a good option for businesses, especially those who want a convenient, ready-to-move option. The advantages include:

Faster occupancy

First of all, taking a warm shell office has the first advantage that there is speedy occupation. By having the basic structure in place, companies can occupy the space much faster when using a warm shell space compared to a bare shell space. Thus, warm shell offices are very apt for companies that have to start or set up operations without enduring long construction times or installation work.

Less Preliminary Costs

Lease rates in warm shell spaces may be steeper compared to bare shell. Upfront, however, the cost is relatively minimal. Since there is already existing basic systems like HVAC, lighting, and plumbing, business ventures save on installing them. They need only moderate settings in minor interior components, which makes a warm shell space more cost-effective in the short term, especially for business ventures on small to medium scale.

Pre- Approved Infrastructure

Warm shell spaces typically come with pre-approved infrastructure in the form of fire safety systems, electrical wiring, and plumbing. This saves time and hassle as businesses need not obtain local authority approvals on these essential systems, which could sometimes prove a nightmare to get through.

Disadvantages of Warm Shell Office Spaces

There are many advantages of selecting a warm shell office, but there are also some disadvantages that should be noted:

Limited Customization

A warm shell office is likely to have little scope for change regarding design. It may be complicated or pricey to alter the fundamental structure of the office since the supporting infrastructures are already in place. Companies with unique layouts or infrastructures that need to be erected to operate the business may need help finding suitable warm shell offices.

Higher Rent

The rent is relatively more expensive than that of a bare shell space because all the essential infrastructure features are included in the warm shell space. The saved upfront expenses may be lost in the long run, especially if you rent for a long time.

Advantages of Bare Shell Office Spaces

When flexibility and customization are right at the top of the list, then a bare shell office space holds a lot for businesses looking to have complete control over what they would like their work environment to be.

Total Customization

The biggest advantage of a bare-shell office is its flexibility and ability to customize all elements according to your specific requirements. With a bare shell office, if, for example, you specifically require special infrastructure, particularly unique layouts or special design elements, the space can be designed to perfectly suit your business needs. The extent of customization can be very useful for companies involved in industries that have rigid operational or regulatory demands such as manufacturing or research-based operations.

Long Term Cost Savings

Bare shell spaces are those where the space is unsheltered and requires a huge investment upfront in infra, while it saves more money in the long term if your business has to stay in that space for an extended period of time. Depending on the efficiency and saving measures one has in setting up the office, operating costs might be lower for a bare shell office as opposed to a warm shell.

Flexibility in the Use of Space

Bare shell offices are totally unfinished spaces. It gives maximum discretion to the company regarding usage. You can create open-space work stations, or private offices, collaborative working environments, or installation of special equipment that would be impossible in a pre-finished warm shell office.

Disadvantages of Bare Shell Office Spaces

The apparent advantages of the bare shell offices, such as flexibility and personalization, come with considerable disadvantages, making the decision not that easy:

High Initial Costs

The most visible disadvantage of a bare-shell office is the high installation costs when you first start. One needs to install all basic systems, like HVAC, plumbing, and electrical wiring, and lighting. Installation for all these can be quite costly, especially for smaller businesses or new startups. In addition to that, the time and man-hours consumed by the construction can also delay commencing the operation, thus making it an additional cost factor.

Increased Time of Moving In

A space that is a bare shell can take much longer than moving into a warm shell office. Hiring a few contractors, obtaining the permits, and supervising construction takes months, making this option not very practical for businesses in need of starting up within a short span of time.

Complexity in Management

The fit-out of an empty shell office is often very challenging and its duration is quite long. This will involve working closely with several contractors, architects, and engineers to make sure all regulatory standards are followed and the fit-out job is completed within time. The management and oversight involved in this kind of fit-out become quite significant; hence, other important business priorities can be compromised.

Warm Shell vs. Bare Shell: Which One is Right for You?

The decision whether to warm shell or bare shell office space depends on the needs, budget and timeline of your business. Here’s a quick guide to help you with the decision:

Use a Warm Shell when:

• Your company needs to move in quickly.
• Lower upfront costs are preferred.
• Your business could have a better need for extreme modification.
• You should reduce the hassle of dealing with a contractor and installations as much as possible.

Choose a Bare Shell when: 

• You will require flexible or tailored configurations.
• You would have adequate time and budget for the build-out.
• You have specific infrastructure or layout needs.
• You would use the premises for a long time. Any short-term saving shall be worth it for long-term benefits.

All these spaces come with their own advantages and disadvantages. Warm shell is quite versatile, easy to move in quickly into, and avoids cost for initial setup by a business; hence it is more suitable for those looking for easy hassle-free setup. Bare shell offers full customization and flexibility to the company and thus is ideal for companies that would need a customized space to suit their respective needs. The differences and the needs that your business requires will make you able to judge and determine the kind of office space that matches your goal and your vision.

If you’re looking for flexible office spaces that offer a range of customisations, BHIVE Workspace provides top-tier solutions designed to suit your growing business. Explore the vast array of office options BHIVE offers and scale your business in a space that perfectly matches your needs. Visit BHIVE today to learn more!