1. Get the zoning right: B1 vs B2
B1 industrial covers clean and light industrial use — light assembly, R&D, food processing with limited nuisance, printing, some ancillary showrooms. B2 industrial is heavier: manufacturing with higher noise, effluent or fumes, warehousing at scale, workshops.
Your business activity dictates which category you can legally occupy. Landlords are not the final authority — JTC and URA are. Sign the wrong lease and change-of-use approvals can drag for months.
2. Check the permitted use before you sign
Every industrial building has an approved use list. Even within B1, a unit approved for 'general industrial' may not automatically allow a central kitchen or a fitness studio. Ancillary office is typically capped at 40% of floor area.
Always request a copy of the URA Grant of Written Permission for the unit and confirm your activity is covered — or that a change-of-use application is realistic.
3. Understand the building specs that matter
Floor loading (kN/m²) determines what equipment you can install. Ceiling height dictates racking, mezzanines and machinery. Power supply (single vs three-phase, kVA) is often the deal-breaker for heavier operations.
Loading and unloading access, cargo lift capacity, and 24-hour operating permissions are all worth confirming in writing before LOI.
4. Rental benchmarks and lease structure
Industrial rents move by micro-market — Ubi and Tai Seng price differently from Tuas or Woodlands. A realistic benchmark comes from recent comparable leases, not asking rents.
Typical industrial leases run 2 or 3 years with a 1-month rent-free fitting-out period. Landlords will push for annual escalations; tenants should push back on reinstatement scope and diplomatic clause triggers.
5. Where advice actually pays for itself
The value of a specialist agent is not just finding the unit. It's identifying the ones that won't work before you waste a viewing on them, and structuring the LOI so it doesn't unravel at lease signing.
If you're sizing up an industrial move, message me with the operation, headcount and equipment — I'll shortlist what actually fits.
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