Warehouse viewing checklist: what to check on a tour

Loading doors and truck access

Loading decides how goods move through the building, and it is the hardest thing to change later.

• Dock-height doors put the floor level with a trailer bed. Check for dock levellers (mechanical or hydraulic), seals or shelters, bumpers and working dock lights
• Grade-level doors, also called drive-in doors, let vans, trucks and forklifts drive in at ground level. Measure the clear width and height of the opening, not the door panel
• Open and close every door. Note whether they are powered and how worn the tracks and panels look
• Walk the truck court and apron: is there room for a trailer to back in, and for trucks to turn without blocking neighbours?
• Ask whether trailer parking and overnight parking are allowed

Clear height, columns and floor

Clear height is the usable height to the lowest obstruction (joists, beams, sprinkler lines, lights, heaters or ductwork), not to the roof deck. Measure it in more than one spot. Storage also has to stay a required distance below sprinkler heads, so how high you can actually stack is a fire-code question.

Measure column spacing and sketch your racking layout between the columns. Tight or irregular spacing can cost you aisles and pallet positions.

Look hard at the floor: cracks, heaving, broken joints, uneven sections and patches. Racking and forklifts need a sound slab. Ask whether the slab's load capacity is known; if you run heavy racking or equipment, get it confirmed rather than assumed.

Power, heating and lighting

Don't assume power from a listing. Ask for the electrical service size, the voltage, and whether it is single-phase or three-phase, then look at the main panel for spare capacity. If you run compressors, welders, ovens or production equipment, have an electrician confirm the service works for you before you remove conditions.

Check the heating: the type (unit heaters, radiant tubes or forced air), how many units, their age and service records, and whether the office is heated separately. Look at the lighting: fixture type, whether it runs on sensors, and whether light levels are good enough in the aisles you plan to use.

Sprinklers, washrooms, office, parking and security

• Sprinklers: is the building sprinklered, and with what type of system? The design affects what you can store and how high. Ask for the details and check them with your insurer
• Fire and life safety: alarm panel, extinguishers, exit signs and emergency lights present and recently serviced
• Washrooms: how many, whether they work, and whether there is a staff room
• Office: size, condition, heating and cooling, internet service
• Parking: how many stalls come with the unit, and where staff and visitors will park
• Security: fencing, gates, exterior lighting, alarm and camera systems, and how the building is locked

Roof, pests and environmental red flags

Look up. Water stains on the roof deck or ceiling tiles, rust streaks, buckets and pooling on the floor all point to roof leaks. Ask when the roof was last replaced or repaired, and who pays for roof work under the lease.

Look for signs of pests: droppings, gnawed packaging, nests, and bait stations along the walls. A heavy line of bait stations tells you something about the building's history.

Watch for environmental red flags: floor staining, chemical or fuel odours, old drums or tanks, floor drains and sumps, and evidence of vehicle repair or chemical use by past occupants. Ask what the space was used for before. You don't want to be blamed for someone else's contamination, so get advice if anything looks wrong and record the condition before you move in.

Land use and neighbours

A good space is useless if your operation isn't allowed there. Every property sits in a municipal land-use district that sets which uses are permitted or discretionary. Confirm with the municipality that your use fits, especially if it involves retail sales, customer visits, outdoor storage, food, vehicle repair, events, or anything noisy or hazardous. If your use is a change from the last approved use, a development permit and a building permit may be needed.

Then look around. Who are the neighbours, and do they create noise, dust, odours, fumes or heavy truck traffic? In a multi-tenant building, ask how the shared yard, garbage bins and loading are managed, and whether other tenants' trucks will block your doors. For smaller units, see renting a small warehouse.

Take this list to every viewing

• Count dock and grade-level doors and measure each opening
• Test levellers and door operators
• Measure clear height to the lowest obstruction in several spots
• Measure column spacing against your racking layout
• Photograph floor cracks, joints and patches
• Ask for electrical service size, voltage and phase in writing
• Note heater type, age and service history
• Confirm the sprinkler system type and ask your insurer about it
• Look for roof stains, pooling and buckets
• Look for droppings and bait stations
• Note staining, odours, drums, drains and past uses
• Confirm land use with the municipality before removing conditions