Parking lots are a large part of the business planning process, but they are often a feature that is underestimated. Therefore, Phaze Concrete explains the considerations involved in deciding the size of your next parking lot.
Businesses have a lot to worry about when they are first opening. The time, money and overall investment that goes into opening a business or even a new location is mammoth. Businesses often allocate matters, such as the size of the businesses parking lot to other professionals.
While physically laying the parking lot should be left to qualified individuals, it is a good idea to have a plan in place. Of course, businesses always want to maximize volume. Yet, entrepreneurs need to consider how much of that is necessary. Business owners must have a goal for the size of their next parking lot because it directly affects their customers. Professionals will build whatever the paying customer asks for. Therefore, it is important that the business owner is asking for the right thing. Here are a few tips Phaze Concrete has picked up over the years for choosing the size of your next parking lot.
Location Equation
The general rule when it comes to parking space, there is a recent equation that has proven extremely useful. To make use of this equation, calculate the number of parking spaces per 1000 square feet of store parking space. For example, if the store has 300 square feet of store parking space, 3.3 cars would fit comfortably within each 1000 square foot store parking space. Of course, this might not be an exact match for your location. However, it could help set some guidelines and give you some numbers to work with.
Consider the Whole Space
When deciding how large a parking lot should be, consider the amount of space you have. After all, you do not want to give up valuable retail space for parking. Yet, you also do not want to jip yourself out of parking real estate. There is a balance that needs to be accounted for. Think about your ideal volume and ask yourself: Does this work with more people? Does this work with fewer people. Once the size is justifiable with the number of people you anticipate, including outliers, your estimate should be accurate.
Never Forget Navigation
There could be ample space in your parking lot, but if it is not easy to navigate, the effort is moot. There is no equation that is going to account for common sense. Planning out the navigation and flow of the parking lot is crucial. People need to feel at ease when entering and exiting your parking lot. Thus, it is important for businesses to make navigation as stress-free as possible. Make sure that every aspect of the parking and exiting process is acceptable. Parking lots are not created equal. Sometimes, it is up to the business owner to get creative for the betterment of the customer experience.
To close, business owners need to consider the effect the size and functionality their parking lot will have on their customers. People enjoy physically going to a location, so long as it is easily accessible. Therefore, the size of the parking lot and the ease of navigating is essential, according to Phaze Concrete.
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