Top 10 Ways to Upgrade Your Business Building This Year

 

This year has been quite an adventure so far this year, especially for business owners. If you’ve been wondering what you can do to get your business growing and moving forward, it may be time to consider some updates. This year may be a great time to do some major updates as closing your doors for a week or so won’t be as damaging due to slower in-store traffic. If you’re ready to update your business building this year, here are some recommendations for great ways to get the upgrades your building needs.

1. Check Major Systems

If you want to update your business building this year, the number one thing to start with is the major systems in your building. This includes HVAC and electricity. Your building could be decorated perfectly and have a beautiful exterior but if these systems aren’t working, your building will be useless.

The HVAC system controls the heating, ventilation, and air conditioning in your building. These are essential for the comfort and usability of a building. During the cold months, you will want to have heating not only for your employees and customers but also if you have any materials or supplies that can be compromised by cold temperatures. The same could be said for the warmer months. Ventilation is important to make sure there is airflow and fresh air moving throughout the building. This is especially important for business buildings that have workshops where chemicals or debris could be in the air. If your business building is older or you’ve recently purchased it, contact a commercial HVAC contractor to take a look at your system and determine where upgrades and updates can be made.

2. Update Plumbing

When you update your business building this year, don’t forget to check the plumbing system. Plumbing is tricky as it can appear to be working fine but have big underlying issues that don’t show up until the damage is major. Especially if your business building has lots of traffic from customers that may be using the bathroom often, it’s important to stay on top of upgrades and repairs. If you have recently purchased a business building, contact a commercial plumbing company to check out your system and make sure everything is in tip-top shape.

If you’ve owned your business building for a while and haven’t had any repairs made since you purchased it, it’s likely time to get some work done. Even if there aren’t major issues, getting regular checkups and repairs on small problems will keep you from having to deal with any big, emergency issues. A commercial plumber may suggest pipe repair services or flushing the mainline to keep everything running well.

3. Check For Pests

This update is especially important for those who have purchased a business building recently or for a building that may have been uninhabited for a while. When you are trying to update your business, you want to check for major issues like pests before you start making big cosmetic changes. Here are some of the main types of pests you’ll have to look out for:

• Rodents: Rodents can cause major problems in buildings because they chew through wires and insulation. Some of the most common signs that you may have a rodent problem in your building are odors, claw marks on wood lower to the ground, rodent droppings, and torn up paper and tissues.
• Bats: Bats are a dangerous pest because their droppings hold diseases and the bats themselves often carry rabies. Signs of bats in your building are piles of droppings in corners of attics or upper level of a building, squeaking and scratching noises, a strong smell of ammonia, and of course, live bat activity around your roof.
• Termites: Termites are hazardous for a building because they cause damage to the structure of the building making it dangerous to even be in there. Signs of termites are drooping drywall, small holes in drywall, buckling wood, and piles of sawdust. Termites can be difficult to get rid of, so make sure to work with a termite control service to properly get rid of them.

4. Update Roofing

One major update for your business you should consider making while the weather is still warm and dry is a roof update. Strong and updated roofing is extremely important to protect the interior of your building and even small cracks can lead to major issues and repairs. If you have been in the building for a while and haven’t made an update or recently purchased the building, it’s time to get it checked out and consider repairs.

As you are preparing for repairs and considering new roofing materials and types, there are a few important qualities you want to look for:

• High durability
• UV resistance
• Wind resistance
• Puncture resistance
• Easy installation, repair, and maintenance
• Long or lifetime warranty

As you prepare for repairs, make sure to contact a few industrial roofing companies in your area to get quotes and see what options they have for roofing materials.

5. Fresh Paint

When you’re planning to update your business but need a quick and more budget-friendly idea, consider giving the interior or exterior of your building a fresh coat of paint. Fresh paint can entirely makeover the look of your building, making an old run-down building look new and updated. You may also consider changing the color of the paint to match your new brand or to stand out more in the area you’re located in. Painting an entire building, whether interior or exterior, is a big job, so make sure to contact commercial painters in your area for quotes and to see what options they have for paint.

If you are going to have the exterior of your building painted, you will need to consider different and specific types of paint. Specifically, those that are more durable and can stand up to the weather and UV rays. The last thing you want is to pay for a new coat of paint and have to have it redone in a few years because low-quality paint was used originally.

6. Repair Exterior Pavement

Another great update for your business is to repair the pavement and sidewalks around your building. Some of them may fall within the city’s jurisdiction, so if repairs are needed there, make sure to contact your city to get those done. However, for the pavement within your property, you want to make sure you keep it updated and crack free. This is not only to maintain a clean, updated look for your business but also to keep your employees and customers safe, as well as the company. Dealing with a lawsuit because someone tripped on a crack in your pavement can be a lengthy and stressful process, so do all you can now to avoid it happening. Concrete paving might be a great option as it’s stronger and more durable.

7. Upgrade Landscaping

Another way to update your business building this year is to upgrade the landscaping around your property. You may consider working with a commercial construction company to make big alterations or simply a gardener to make small changes. Even adding more greenery to the exterior of your building with new plants and shrubbery can have a big impact on the look of your space. You may also consider changing the layout of your paths to create a more direct route to your door. Regardless of what you decide, a great way to update your business building this year is to change up the landscaping.

8. Update Internet Connection

A major upgrade you can make to update your business this year is to change your internet provider. Many companies have been using the same internet provider or program for years without realizing there is one that can provide more options and faster connections. Better internet can allow your employees to work faster which can lead to more growth for your company, better customer relationships, and ultimately more success.

Once you have updated your internet provider, you can also look into other technological options. You may even want to talk with your local telecom company about what different options are available for you in the way of voice transmission services.

9. Purchase a New Building

If all else fails and your old building just isn’t cutting it anymore for your business needs, it may be time to update your business building. There are plenty of real estate agents and different real estate options to find the best options for commercial property for lease in your area. However, you’ll need to first decide if you want to lease a property or purchase your own. Leasing leads to more limits in changes that you can make to the property, however it may mean lower monthly costs. Even if you aren’t sure yet whether you want to invest in a new property or work on your current building, take a look at the options around you for ideas.

10. Upgrade Your Marketing

One major way to update your business this year is to take your marketing to the next level. This doesn’t directly affect your physical business building, but if you don’t have a successful marketing strategy, an updated building won’t be any good. Here are a few suggestions for great ways to update your business marketing in 2020:

• Renovate your website: Over 70% of marketers worldwide said that relevant content was the most effective SEO tactic. If you are trying to update your business marketing this year, you need to look into creating a more updated and user-friendly website. Think about it as your virtual storefront. If you spend the time and energy to create a beautiful, perfectly crafted storefront, you should spend that same energy to create an equally well-designed website.
• Conduct market research: If you haven’t conducted market research in a while, you may want to consider updating your information. Audiences change as time goes on, their interests and desires are always adjusting, and you need to adjust your marketing with that. If you have the power to do market research in-house, even better. Otherwise, hire out a team to get it done well and in a timely manner so you can adjust your marketing plan.
• Set specific goals: Setting specific marketing goals will help you make big strides in growth this year. Many businesses have marketing goals, but they aren’t specific enough. For example, a goal could be to grow as a business this year. That’s a great goal but how will it be done? How will you track the growth? How will you grow? A better goal would be, to grow as a business this year by opening a new retail location, or by having x amount of sales, something specific that helps you to meet a certain end.
• Update social media: Social media is one of the most important tools you’ll use for your business, especially in a time where more and more people are shopping online. Having a strong social media platform will allow potential customers to more easily find you, connect with you, and potentially purchase your items or services. Don’t forget to take advantage of the different types of social platforms out there to reach different audiences.

Update Your Business Today

As you prepare to update your business building this year, take these tips into consideration. If you make any of these changes, repairs, and upgrades in your building, you will surely have an upgraded and much better business building to run your business in and will find more success and growth this year.