Question: My wife and I own a photography business and
are moving to another city and opening a studio out of our home. Do
you think it's a good idea to get a home in a business-zoned
area and work in a separate studio in a detached building, like a
garage, or should we buy a home in a residential area and add on a
room?
David Bowles
dbmb4633@aol.com
Answer: We find people who work out of a separate
structure are generally more satisfied with their experience than
those who have both their home and business in one structure,
unless the home is laid out to easily compartmentalize business and
personal life-with a separate entrance for customers, sound
insulation, etc. The families of business owners are usually
happier, too, when the business is in a separate structure. Also,
if you plan to use chemicals, say, in a photo lab, you'll
probably feel more comfortable if the chemicals are in a separate
building.
Content Continues Below
The principal disadvantage of having a separate structure: It
generally requires business insurance, as the homeowner's
policy usually won't cover a separate building on the property
being used for business.
As for zoning, if you expect to have customer visits or regular
deliveries, it's safer to move to an area zoned for business.
Otherwise, an angry neighbor or competitor could create zoning
problems, resulting in a cease and desist order. Ultimately, this
could require expensive litigation, a quick relocation of your
business or both.
We suggest making a list of all the criteria you seek in your
ideal home office, including zoning considerations and
homeowner-association restrictions. Then enlist the help of a
quality real estate agent to help you find a home that comes as
close as possible to your ideal. While you can take virtual tours
of homes on numerous real estate Web sites, there's still
nothing like a competent real estate agent to save you time and
effort.
Small-business experts Paul and Sarah Edwards recently
released their second edition of The Best Home Businesses For
The 21st Century (Putnam Publishing Group). If you have a
question regarding a start-up business issue, contact them at
paulsarahe@aol.com or send
it in care of Entrepreneur.
Originally published in the June 2000 issue of Entrepreneur Magazine