A good location brings students to your door without much advertising, and a good space lets them work comfortably for hours. Spend more time on this decision than on any other purchase, because a rent agreement is much harder to undo than a computer order.
Where students come from
Most of your students will live or study within a short travel time of the centre. For school and college students that usually means near a school, a coaching area, a college gate or a busy market street. Stand at your possible location at the times students pass, in the morning, afternoon and evening, and count how many look school or college age. Ask local shopkeepers where students gather.
Think about safety, too. Parents, especially of girls, prefer a centre on a well lit, busy road with a clean entrance and a respectable neighbourhood. A first floor with a clear staircase is fine; a dark back lane is not.
Ground floor or upper floor
A ground floor shop is easy to find and the signboard works hard for you, but rent is often higher. A first floor space above a shop can be cheaper, quieter and more private for a lab, as long as the staircase is safe and the signage is visible from the road. Avoid spaces reached through another business or a narrow, unlit stair.
How much space you need
Plan for each computer seat to have a desk, a chair and enough room to push the chair back and walk behind it. A working rule is roughly 20 to 25 square feet per seat once you include walking space, but draw it on paper with your real desk sizes rather than trusting any rule. Also plan a small reception or waiting corner, a place for your own desk, and space for a whiteboard and a projector screen or display.
Start with the number of seats you can fill, not the biggest number you can fit. It is easier to add desks later than to pay rent for empty ones, and a slightly crowded small room looks busier and more alive than a large half empty hall.
Power
- Check the electrical load the premises are sanctioned for. Computers, lights, fans or air conditioning, a printer and a UPS add up.
- Ask the landlord whether the connection is residential or commercial and what the tariff difference means for your bill.
- Look at the wiring. Old, overloaded or unearthed wiring is a fire and shock risk. Plan to have a licensed electrician check it and add proper earthing and enough sockets before you place any computer.
- Find out how often the power fails in that area. If it fails often, you will need a good UPS and possibly a backup arrangement.
Internet
Ask existing shopkeepers in the building which providers give a reliable fixed line there. A wired broadband or fibre connection is better for a lab than a mobile hotspot, which can slow down when many people use it at once. Many centres keep a second connection or a mobile hotspot as backup. Check the provider can actually install it at your address before you take the lease.
Light, air and noise
Natural light is pleasant, but sunlight falling on screens causes glare, so plan blinds or place monitors side on to windows. The room should have ventilation: computers produce heat and a room full of people gets stuffy. Think about noise from the road and from neighbours, because a teacher who has to shout is tiring to listen to.
Signage, permissions and the lease
- Check that the building allows a commercial training activity and a signboard. Ask in writing if you can.
- Ask what local registrations apply to a business like yours in your state and city, for example a shops and establishments registration, and what is needed to display a signboard. Rules differ, so confirm with your local authority or an accountant.
- Read the rent agreement carefully: rent increases, the deposit, the notice period, who pays for repairs, and what happens if you leave early. Have someone experienced read it with you.
- Note the nearest fire exit and check that an extinguisher can be placed on the wall.
Compare at least three places
Put your options in a simple table: rent, size, footfall, power, internet, safety, signage. Ask a trusted friend to visit and give an independent opinion. Then run the rent through the centre planner to see how many students each option needs just to pay for itself.
This guide is general advice for planning. It states no membership fee and promises no income, student numbers or acceptance of a certificate by any employer. Ask the head office for the current fee and terms in writing, and check local rules and tax with a professional. Use the planner to test your own numbers.