There’s only so much you can learn from photos and floorplans. Viewing office space in person gives you the full picture — how it feels to walk through the door, the natural light, the noise levels, the energy of the area. It’s your chance to spot the details that matter: the layout, the atmosphere, the things you can’t always see online. Whether you’re leading the search or supporting your team through the change, this guide will help you approach viewings with clarity, confidence, and the right questions in mind.
For examples of how other teams found their ideal setup, see the Lily Arkwright Case Study or how Sifted secured their perfect HQ.
Planning your office viewings
Before you start touring spaces, make sure you’re clear on what your team actually needs. That clarity makes the viewing process more efficient and keeps everyone aligned on what to prioritise.
Start by mapping out the essentials:
- Team size: Who will be based in the office regularly?
- Future growth: Will headcount increase over the next year or two?
- Ways of working: Are you supporting hybrid working, hot desking, collaboration zones, or quiet desks?
- Client visits: Does the space need to make a strong first impression for visitors?
To help estimate the right size, try our office space calculator.
What features should an office have?
Before viewing your potential office space, make a checklist that reflects both essential needs and nice-to-haves — looking beyond the desk count. Use it on every tour to keep track. Things to include:
- Strong WiFi and tech infrastructure
- Meeting rooms of various sizes
- Kitchens and dining spaces
- Security features
- On-site management and maintenance
- Showers
- Natural light
- Breakout spaces
- Accessibility features
- Parking or bike storage
- Proximity to transport links
- Safe workstations
- Pet-friendly policies (if applicable)
Our breakdown of what makes a good coworking space is a useful resource, even if you're not going down the coworking route.
Shortlisting offices to view
Once we’ve got a clear understanding of your office requirements, the Tally Workspace team will get to work pulling together a personalised shortlist of spaces that match what you’re looking for. We’ll send you a pack with everything you need — including floorplans, high-quality images, and all the key details on amenities, transport links, and lease terms. You’ll also get a comparison table so you can easily compare each space by monthly price, cost per desk, price per square foot, and any standout features like flexible contracts or pet-friendly policies.
We always recommend running through the options together on a quick call first. It gives us the chance to add helpful context, share honest insights from our visits, and answer any questions you or your team might have. After that, you’re free to review the pack in your own time and discuss it with the rest of your team.
Arranging the viewing schedule
Typically, we suggest viewing around four to five offices to start with — it’s enough to get a solid feel for what’s out there, without overwhelming your calendar. And if none of them are quite right? That’s totally fine. We’ll refine the search and keep going until you find the perfect fit.
Let us know your availability and we’ll build the viewing schedule for you, taking into account travel time and keeping the day efficient.
What happens at an office viewing?
Office viewings are your chance to really get a feel for the space — not just how it looks, but how it flows, how it feels, and whether it fits the way your team works. Someone from the Tally Workspace team will usually come along with you to each viewing. We’re there to guide the tour, keep everything running smoothly, and make sure the important questions are being asked — from internet speed to lease flexibility.
Each viewing typically takes around 20 minutes, and we’ll factor in travel time between spaces to keep the day on schedule. We can also help arrange transport between venues if you’re viewing multiple offices. It’s all designed to be smooth, efficient, and as stress-free as possible — so you can focus on what matters: finding the right space for your team.
What happens after the office viewings?
Once you've completed your office viewings, the venues will typically follow up with proposals — usually later that day or by the following morning. These proposals come straight to us, and we’ll gather everything together, review the details, and pop them into a handy comparison table so you can see the key info at a glance.
This stage is also where things start to click. Seeing the spaces in person often brings real clarity — helping you refine your priorities and figure out what really matters to you and your team. You might realise you want more natural light, better breakout areas, or more flexibility in your lease.
We’ll be right by your side to talk through the proposals, answer any questions, and if needed, tweak your requirements and pull together another round of options. Whether you find "the one" on your first viewing or need a few more to compare, we’ll keep going until you’ve found a space that genuinely works for you. And yes — sometimes people do fall in love with the first space and move in the very next week. It happens more than you’d think!
Let’s find your ideal office
You know your team. We know office space. Together, we’ll find the right fit — whether that’s an inspiring creative hub, a flexible part-time setup, or something with a quick turnaround.
Talk to our team today and let’s get your search started.
