Will your café or restaurant fit? Measure the shop before you rent

The size on the listing is not always the floor you can use. A pillar, a low ceiling or a narrow back can take away the space you planned for. Before you sign, take a tape, measure the shop yourself and draw a simple plan. Then work out what you really pay for the space you can use.

Shabnam wanted to open a juice and sandwich counter. The broker showed her a shop. "400 square feet," he said. "Plenty of space."

The rent was ₹40,000 a month. It looked fair for 400.

She came back the next day with a measuring tape and her cousin. They measured wall to wall. The floor inside came to about 300 square feet.

There was more. A thick pillar stood right where she wanted the counter. The back was so narrow that a fridge would block the way to the toilet.

This is an example, with made up numbers.

When someone says "400 square feet", ask one question. Is that the floor inside the walls, or does it include walls and shared space?

The number on a listing can include the walls, the stairs or a share of the common area. The space where your counter and tables go can be smaller. Ask the landlord to write down what the number includes.

Take a long tape and one helper. It takes a short visit.

1. Measure the floor wall to wall. Length and width. Do each room on its own.
2. Measure the front. How wide is the shopfront from side to side? That is how much of your shop people see from the road.
3. Measure the ceiling height. Fans, AC, lights and a hood over a stove all need room above. They need power too, so check the power and water.
4. Find every pillar and step. Mark where they are. A pillar in the wrong place can split a room in two.
5. Measure the doors. Will your fridge, oven and counter go in through them?
6. Look at the back. Is there room to store stock? Where does waste go out?

Take photos of each wall and the ceiling. You will forget details later.

Size is not everything. A small room can feel open. A big one can feel like a box.

• Count the windows. Is the inside dark at noon? You will pay for lights all day.
• Feel the air. Is there a window or vent at the back? A hot, closed room is hard for staff and guests.
• Look at the walls. Damp patches or cracks may mean leaks. Ask who will fix them.

Use squared paper or the back of a page. Draw the walls, the pillars, the door and the windows. Then draw what you need:

• the counter and the billing desk;
• the kitchen or prep area;
• seats or a standing space;
• a queue space near the counter;
• storage and a fridge;
• a wash area and a way to the toilet;
• room for staff to walk past each other.

If it does not fit on paper, it will not fit in the shop.

Shabnam drew hers that night. With the pillar, she lost the space for two seats and a fridge.

Some things need space outside the shop too.

• The AC outdoor unit. Ask where it can go.
• The exhaust pipe. If you cook, ask where the pipe can run. See can this shop have a kitchen.
• The signboard. Ask where it can go and how big it can be.

Get the landlord's yes in writing, before you sign. Our lease checklist shows what else to put in the lease.

Here is a simple sum, using Shabnam's made up numbers.

• Rent: ₹40,000 a month.
• The broker said 400 square feet. That is ₹100 a square foot.
• She measured about 300 square feet she can use. That is about ₹133 a square foot.

The rent did not change. But she pays a third more for each foot she can use. Compare that with other shops on the same street, measured the same way. Viabe Location Check also shows fair rent for one exact address.

Is a bigger shop always better?

No. More space can mean more rent, more staff and more lights to pay for. Pick a shop that fits your plan with a little room to spare.

Can I change the layout after I move in?

Sometimes. Ask the landlord before you sign what you may change. Pillars and main walls usually stay where they are.

Should I take a carpenter or designer along?

If you can, yes. They can tell you quickly if your counter and kitchen will fit.

You pay rent every month for the whole lease. Make sure you are paying for space you can use.

Check the address before you sign. Viabe Location Check reads one exact address: nearby competitors, how busy the street is, fair rent, risks and a clear verdict. Check your location. Full report ₹2,999 + GST.