SpaceLogik

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Frequently Asked Questions

The SpaceLogik Process
When should I start looking for office space? How long does the whole process take?

The SpaceLogik process saves the average user four months in their search for a new office space. Our software automates space projection, property searches, landlord negotiations, and the design and architecture process. We cut out a few middlemen as well. This means you can be in fully customized and optimized space faster, which enables better occupancy planning on your end. And since you’ll occupy space faster than other tenants in the market, it makes your potential occupancy more desirable to would-be landlords.

For companies that can make reasonably fast decisions, we suggest the schedule timelines below:

Office Size (RSF) Conventional Spacelogik
3,000 – 25,000 12 months 4 months
25,000 – 50,000 14 months 5 months
50,000 – 100,000 18 months 6 months
Above 100,000 24 months 8 months
Do 'commission rebates' mean I'll get reduced service and inferior results?

Not at all. In fact, we’re likely going to reduce your rent by 15% - 20% over traditional firms that don’t have our technology … without compromising productivity or aesthetics!

We offer rebates because our technology streamlines an antiquated transaction process and eliminates unnecessary middlemen. Additionally, our fee sharing corrects a traditional commission structure that pays exponential fees for larger transactions and longer lease terms.

Why are SpaceLogik’s space projections more accurate than architects and workplace solutions groups?

The software gives you free access to many features that will let you to build space programs, see construction and furniture budgets, search buildings, project how much space you’ll need in each building and see initial offerings from landlords.

Basically, in a couple hours you’ll get the financial information that usually takes six months to collect with conventional brokerage. With the projections generated in SpaceLogik, you’ll be able to quickly eliminate buildings that are out of your budget. Conversely, you may be able to include buildings that you thought were out of your budget … but aren’t because of the space efficiencies you’ll realize using our software.

These initial projections are free. We created our software to empower tenants and landlords to work together with less red tape and fewer slowdowns.

If you like what you see in the projections, you’ll want to take the next step and subscribe to a building, or a number of buildings. By subscribing to a building, you’ll unlock additional SpaceLogik features and benefits that will help you save additional money and help you complete the transaction:

  • Work with a design Guru
  • Access printable, watermark free reports
  • Access SpaceLogik’s ‘Tweak’ feature
  • Run Best-and-Final E-bid contests with multiple landlords
  • Work with an Efficiency expert on custom space plans
  • Receive your commission rebate

When you subscribe to a building, you’re registering SpaceLogik as your representative for that building. That’s means we’ll be entitled to earn a commission from that landlord if you subsequently enter into a lease agreement at the building, minus any commission rebates you’ll be earning.

Here’s the subscription engagement you’ll be asked to agree to before getting the additional benefits that come with a full subscription.

What if I already have a broker representing me and I want to use SpaceLogik, too?

From a commission standpoint, you would need to honor any agreement you have with your conventional broker.

If you used the SpaceLogik application in addition to your broker, and you signed a lease at a building that you registered in SpaceLogik, you would also be responsible for the SpaceLogik commission (minus any rebates that apply, of course).

With that said, the savings we typically generate in space optimization alone are 5 TIMES higher than a full commission. Theoretically, you could pay your broker, pay SpaceLogik, and still save over three times a traditional commission. If you run into this situation, feel free to call us to see if there’s a solution that could make everyone happy.

What am I committing to by using SpaceLogik and when am I obligated?

Traditional architecture firms and the workplace solutions groups at brokerage companies use industry trends and guesstimates to project space. They project space based on employee trends over time across many different industries, and generally default to the highest common factor. Basically, it’s a ‘best guess’ projection, which is why a ‘test fit’ is required at each building to determine the correct RSF required.

Instead, SpaceLogik uses 4 patents to determine the space needed on a program-by-program basis, utilizing their key ‘circulation factor’ algorithm. From there, a relative building efficiency algorithm is used to adjust the space needed from building-to-building based on each property’s ER (efficiency ratio), SpaceLogik’s proprietary building ranking system.

Space Projections
Is SpaceLogik’s building ER the same as BOMA and building loss factor?

No. While the building loss factor has an indirect impact on the ER, there are a dozen other factors that go into building efficiency calculations, like columns, perimeter mechanical units, core efficiency, irregular angles and curves, along with a few other factors.

Are you saying everyone else’s space projections are wrong?

Yes. And, many companies are wasting millions of dollars in leasing costs as a result.

When will test fits be completed?

Unlike conventional brokerage transactions where the amount of space you lease is determined by a subjective drawing, SpaceLogik uses a series of patented algorithms to accurately project space needed, eliminating the need to prepare these costly and timely test fits. You will eventually need to prepare a space plan to start the design process of your new office but SpaceLogik’s predictive analytics allow you to do it much later in the process … once you’ve narrowed your building list to your true options.

What if SpaceLogik’s space plan exceeds the projections in the software?

The space plans developed by our efficiency experts will typically be within 2% of the application’s projections. There are some exceptions to this—for example, if the building has increased the rentable square footage of a floor or suite without properly entering it in the system. If for some reason the plans are outside of this range, we will rebate the space planning fee (typically paid for by the landlord) to the tenant. In other words, we won’t charge for the plan if we don’t hit our numbers.

Design Help & Technical Support
I’m having difficulty building my space program or searching buildings. What help does the site offer?

Our site offers technical support to all users. If you are having technical difficulty, reach out to us with questions.

How do I get in touch with my Guru?

Once you register for at least one building, you’ll be assigned three specialty Gurus: a transaction guru, a design and workplace guru, and a construction guru. Your Gurus will help you through the entire transaction from developing your program to move-in. Once you register for the site, you will receive an email welcoming you to SpaceLogik. A Guru will reach out to you within 24 hours to get you started.

Space Search & Negotiations
How do I know the landlord is going to reply to our online contest (BAFO RFP)?

There’s no reason an owner or landlord wouldn’t want to throw their hat in the ring for a potential tenant. With that said, landlords generally hire agents to cover leasing activity … and some of those leasing agents may be less open to new technology than others at first. In cases where the leasing agent doesn’t respond to the RFP, we’ll reach out to the landlord directly on your behalf.

I’m a great negotiator. Can I negotiate more after the Best and Final Offer contest is over?

No. The reason the contest is so effective for everyone is that it’s a best and final offer. If landlords believe there is still another round to negotiate, they will always leave something on the table.

What if I’m interested in a building that isn’t listed yet?

In new SpaceLogik markets, we may run into this from time to time. Once you’re in the site, you can request that a building be added. After you submit the form, we’ll usually have the building listed in 1-2 business days. We’ll send you an email when the building is listed.

What if I want to have my broker use the SpaceLogik software?

Unfortunately, when you subscribe to a building you are registering SpaceLogik as your official agent for that building. Additionally, our terms of service prohibit you from sharing access to the site with anyone outside of your organization.

Can’t I just take your space projections, complete the transaction myself and save all the commission?

You can! But until you subscribe to a building, you won’t have access to our space efficiency experts, be able to run contests, or use our guaranteed construction and furniture pricing. Additionally, the leasing broker for the building often earns a full commission (instead of a half commission when SpaceLogik is involved) so you may actually pay a higher commission by doing it yourself. See how commission structures work here.

How will I get expansion and cancellation options that my normal broker gets me?

The system automatically requests standard expansion, cancellation and renewal options that are being offered in the market based on the size of your transaction and your lease term. The landlords will need to address those option requests in their best and final bid response so you’ll be able to compare those offerings in your decision-making process. If you have atypical option needs, let your Transaction Guru know before you run a contest to possibly customize the request.

Commission Rebates
How much will my commission rebate be? Does everyone get 75% off?

Our fee structure has a minimal fee per transaction and then adds a small percentage for the size of the lease and the length of the term.

While that means smaller tenants may not see a big commission rebate, tenants of 20,000 square feet or more will see commission rebates between 75% and 85%. Once you register in the software, you’ll see your exact rebate on our commission calculator. Here are some random examples:

Office Size (RSF) Lease Term Conventional Commission SpaceLogik Fee YOUR Rebate (S) YOUR Rebate (%)
5,000 5 years $31,250 $30,000 $1,250 4%
10,000 7 years $87,500 $38,400 $49,100 56%
20,000 10 years $250,000 $63,000 $187,000 75%
50,000 12 years $750,000 $140,000 $610,000 81%
100,000 15 years $1,875,000 $307,000 $1,568,000 84%
What if the space I want gets leased before we sign a lease?

Unfortunately, that might happen with any brokerage solution. However, SpaceLogik subscribers are typically on a much shorter occupancy horizon and they also represent faster cash flow for the landlord. That means you stand a better chance of being the tenant that steals the space from someone else.

Does your database have subleases? I hear subleases are great deals.

We may occasionally list a larger sublease. And sometimes subleases work out. However, more often than not, subleases cost tenants more than an efficient, conventional space. Read our blog post “Why Subleases Are Rarely the Steal You Think They Are.

Construction, Build Out and Furniture
What if I want to make changes to construction or furniture after I sign the lease?

Once you sign a lease, SpaceLogik will set up a construction kick-off meeting at your convenience. In this meeting, your design and construction gurus will walk through room-by-room construction and furniture specifications to make sure we’re building exactly what you want. If you want to make changes before the official sign off, we’ll adjust your pricing based on your modified requirements without any change fees.

How long is the construction process?

The construction schedule will increase depending on the size of the transaction and the building location (as some municipalities have longer permitting processes). However, since we’ll be designing and building your space in-house, and since a lot of the heavy lifting was already completed in the SpaceLogik application, our construction timeline is usually 2 to 4 weeks shorter than conventional brokerage firms.

Can we see renderings of our office before final sign off?

Absolutely. We can provide photo-realistic stills, walk throughs or videos for a nominal additional price.

Here’s a video for a prospective tenant that shows the quality of the renderings that you can expect: www.vimeo.com/salesforcetower(link to 3-D video)

The SpaceLogik Process
  • When should I start looking for office space? How long does the whole process take?
  • The SpaceLogik process saves the average user four months in their search for a new office space. Our software automates space projection, property searches, landlord negotiations, and the design and architecture process. We cut out a few middlemen as well. This means you can be in fully customized and optimized space faster, which enables better occupancy planning on your end. And since you’ll occupy space faster than other tenants in the market, it makes your potential occupancy more desirable to would-be landlords.

    For companies that can make reasonably fast decisions, we suggest the schedule timelines below:

    Office Size (RSF) Conventional SpaceLogik
    3,000 – 25,000 12 months 4 months
    25,000 – 50,000 14 months 5 months
    50,000 – 100,000 18 months 6 months
    Above 100,000 24 months 8 months
  • Do 'commission rebates' mean I'll get reduced service and inferior results?
  • Not at all. In fact, we’re likely going to reduce your rent by 15% - 20% over traditional firms that don’t have our technology … without compromising productivity or aesthetics!

    We offer rebates because our technology streamlines an antiquated transaction process and eliminates unnecessary middlemen. Additionally, our fee sharing corrects a traditional commission structure that pays exponential fees for larger transactions and longer lease terms.

    Select this link for examples of commission rebates and space savings.

  • Why are SpaceLogik’s space projections more accurate than architects and workplace solutions groups?
  • Traditional architecture firms and the workplace solutions groups at brokerage companies use industry trends and guesstimates to project space. They project space based on employee trends over time across many different industries, and generally default to the highest common factor. Basically, it’s a ‘best guess’ projection, which is why a ‘test fit’ is required at each building to determine the correct RSF required.

    Instead, SpaceLogik uses 4 patents to determine the space needed on a program-by-program basis, utilizing their key ‘circulation factor’ algorithm. From there, a relative building efficiency algorithm is used to adjust the space needed from building-to-building based on each property’s ER (efficiency ratio), SpaceLogik’s proprietary building ranking system.

  • What if I already have a broker representing me and I want to use SpaceLogik, too?
  • From a commission standpoint, you would need to honor any agreement you have with your conventional broker.

    If you used the SpaceLogik application in addition to your broker, and you signed a lease at a building that you registered in SpaceLogik, you would also be responsible for the SpaceLogik commission (minus any rebates that apply, of course).

    With that said, the savings we typically generate in space optimization alone are 5 TIMES higher than a full commission. Theoretically, you could pay your broker, pay SpaceLogik, and still save over three times a traditional commission. If you run into this situation, feel free to call us to see if there’s a solution that could make everyone happy.

  • What am I committing to by using SpaceLogik and when am I obligated?
  • The software gives you free access to many features that will let you build space programs, see construction and furniture budgets, search buildings, project how much space you’ll need in each building and see initial offerings from landlords.

    Basically, in a couple hours you’ll get the financial information that usually takes six months to collect with conventional brokerage. With the projections generated in SpaceLogik, you’ll be able to quickly eliminate buildings that are out of your budget. Conversely, you may be able to include buildings that you thought were out of your budget … but aren’t because of the space efficiencies you’ll realize using our software.

    These initial projections are free. We created our software to empower tenants and landlords to work together with less red tape and fewer slowdowns.

    If you like what you see in the projections, you’ll want to take the next step and subscribe to a building, or a number of buildings. By subscribing to a building, you’ll unlock additional SpaceLogik features and benefits that will help you save additional money and help you complete the transaction:


    • Work with a design Guru
    • Access printable, watermark free reports
    • Access SpaceLogik’s ‘Tweak’ feature
    • Run Best-and-Final E-bid contests with multiple landlords
    • Work with an Efficiency expert on custom space plans
    • Receive your commission rebate

    When you subscribe to a building, you’re registering SpaceLogik as your representative for that building. That’s means we’ll be entitled to earn a commission from that landlord if you subsequently enter into a lease agreement at the building, minus any commission rebates you’ll be earning.

    Here’s the subscription engagement you’ll be asked to agree to before getting the additional benefits that come with a full subscription.

    Space Projections
  • Is SpaceLogik’s building ER the same as BOMA and building loss factor?
  • No. While the building loss factor has an indirect impact on the ER, there are a dozen other factors that go into building efficiency calculations, like columns, perimeter mechanical units, core efficiency, irregular angles and curves, along with a few other factors.

  • Are you saying everyone else’s space projections are wrong?
  • Yes. And, many companies are wasting millions of dollars in leasing costs as a result.

  • When will test fits be completed?
  • Unlike conventional brokerage transactions where the amount of space you lease is determined by a subjective drawing, SpaceLogik uses a series of patented algorithms to accurately project space needed, eliminating the need to prepare these costly and timely test fits. You will eventually need to prepare a space plan to start the design process of your new office but SpaceLogik’s predictive analytics allow you to do it much later in the process … once you’ve narrowed your building list to your true options.

  • What if SpaceLogik’s space plan exceeds the projections in the software?
  • The space plans developed by our efficiency experts will typically be within 2% of the application’s projections. There are some exceptions to this—for example, if the building has increased the rentable square footage of a floor or suite without properly entering it in the system. If for some reason the plans are outside of this range, we will rebate the space planning fee (typically paid for by the landlord) to the tenant. In other words, we won’t charge for the plan if we don’t hit our numbers.

    Design Help & Technical Support
  • I’m having difficulty building my space program or searching buildings. What help does the site offer?
  • Our site offers technical support to all users. If you are having technical difficulty, reach out to us with questions.

  • How do I get in touch with my Guru?
  • Once you register for at least one building, you’ll be assigned three specialty Gurus: a transaction guru, a design and workplace guru, and a construction guru. Your Gurus will help you through the entire transaction from developing your program to move-in. Once you register for the site, you will receive an email welcoming you to SpaceLogik. A Guru will reach out to you within 24 hours to get you started.

    Space Search & Negotiations
  • How do I know the landlord is going to reply to our online contest (BAFO RFP)?
  • There’s no reason an owner or landlord wouldn’t want to throw their hat in the ring for a potential tenant. With that said, landlords generally hire agents to cover leasing activity … and some of those leasing agents may be less open to new technology than others at first. In cases where the leasing agent doesn’t respond to the RFP, we’ll reach out to the landlord directly on your behalf.

  • I’m a great negotiator. Can I negotiate more after the Best and Final Offer contest is over?
  • No. The reason the contest is so effective for everyone is that it’s a best and final offer. If landlords believe there is still another round to negotiate, they will always leave something on the table.

  • What if I’m interested in a building that isn’t listed yet?
  • In new SpaceLogik markets, we may run into this from time to time. Once you’re in the site, you can request that a building be added. After you submit the form, we’ll usually have the building listed in 1-2 business days. We’ll send you an email when the building is listed.

  • What if I want to have my broker use the SpaceLogik software?
  • Unfortunately, when you subscribe to a building you are registering SpaceLogik as your official agent for that building. Additionally, our terms of service prohibit you from sharing access to the site with anyone outside of your organization.

  • Can’t I just take your space projections, complete the transaction myself and save all the commission?
  • You can! But until you subscribe to a building, you won’t have access to our space efficiency experts, be able to run contests, or use our guaranteed construction and furniture pricing. Additionally, the leasing broker for the building often earns a full commission (instead of a half commission when SpaceLogik is involved) so you may actually pay a higher commission by doing it yourself. See how commission structures work here.

  • How will I get expansion and cancellation options that my regular broker gets me?
  • The system automatically requests standard expansion, cancellation and renewal options that are being offered in the market based on the size of your transaction and your lease term. The landlords will need to address those option requests in their best and final bid response so you’ll be able to compare those offerings in your decision-making process. If you have atypical option needs, let your Transaction Guru know before you run a contest to possibly customize the request.

    Commission Rebates
  • How much will my commission rebate be? Does everyone get 75% off?
  • Our fee structure has a minimal fee per transaction and then adds a small percentage for the size of the lease and the length of the term.

    While that means smaller tenants may not see a big commission rebate, tenants of 20,000 square feet or more will see commission rebates between 75% and 85%. Once you register in the software, you’ll see your exact rebate on our commission calculator. Here are some typical examples:

    Office Size (RSF) Lease Term Conventional Commission SpaceLogik Fee YOUR Rebate (S) YOUR Rebate (%)
    5,000 5 years $31,250 $30,000 $1,250 4%
    10,000 7 years $87,500 $38,400 $49,100 56%
    20,000 10 years $250,000 $63,000 $187,000 75%
    50,000 12 years $750,000 $140,000 $610,000 81%
    100,000 15 years $1,875,000 $307,000 $1,568,000 84%
  • What if the space I want gets leased before we sign a lease?
  • Unfortunately, that might happen with any brokerage solution. However, SpaceLogik subscribers are typically on a much shorter occupancy horizon and they also represent faster cash flow for the landlord. That means you stand a better chance of being the tenant that steals the space from someone else.

  • Does your database have subleases? I hear subleases are great deals.
  • We may occasionally list a larger sublease. And sometimes subleases work out. However, more often than not, subleases cost tenants more than an efficient, conventional space. Read our blog post “Why Subleases Are Rarely the Steal You Think They Are".

    Construction, Build Out and Furniture
  • What if I want to make changes to construction or furniture after I sign the lease?
  • Once you sign a lease, SpaceLogik will set up a construction kick-off meeting at your convenience. In this meeting, your design and construction gurus will walk through room-by-room construction and furniture specifications to make sure we’re building exactly what you want. If you want to make changes before the official sign off, we’ll adjust your pricing based on your modified requirements without any change fees.

  • How long is the construction process?
  • The construction schedule will increase depending on the size of the transaction and the building location (as some municipalities have longer permitting processes). However, since we’ll be designing and building your space in-house, and since a lot of the heavy lifting was already completed in the SpaceLogik application, our construction timeline is usually 2 to 4 weeks shorter than conventional brokerage firms.

  • Can we see renderings of our office before final sign off?
  • Absolutely. We can provide photo-realistic stills, walk throughs or videos for a nominal additional price.

    Please watch our video to show you the quality of the renderings and what expect.