Real Estate Investor Magazine South Africa October 2014 | Page 45

STRATEGIES

BY MONIQUE TERRAZAS

Double

Or Triple
The Value Of A Commercial Building

How to massively increase the
value of your property

W

idely known as one of the most successful
commercial investors globally, Dr Dolf
de Roos has some very creative ideas for
converting ordinary buildings into extraordinary
income generators, which he says is the secret of
successful commercial property investment. In his
books, including “101 Ways to Massively Increase the
Value of Your Property”, he shares some truly out-ofthe-box ideas, including how to double or triple the
value of a commercial building.
Editor’s choice
Here’s my favourite: install a mezzanine floor. Why?
Because it is a real solution that works in all kinds
of buildings across the various commercial property
sectors: retail, warehousing and industrial. While a
great out-of-the-box idea, it is also simple, practical
and cost-efficient.
The right mezzanine flooring system allows you to
retain the floor space you already have and still double
or triple you gross lettable area - the area for which
tenants pay rent, and thus the area that produces income
for you. It certainly converts an ordinary building into
an extraordinary income generator. And when the
income generated by the building is increased, so is the
value of the building itself.
Customised to tenant requirements
Ever-more demanding tenants want buildings
customised to their specific requirements and
mezzanine floors are the ideal solution for retaining
existing tenants with changing needs, attracting
new tenants with custom requirements or giving
www.reimag.co.za

IN PRACTICE
• A retail client may need more floor space, or want a
separate area for high value or sensitive stock, or even for
storage space.
• In an industrial building, a mezzanine floor could be
customised into office space, placing supervisors much
closer to work processes than a separate office building
would, or could be used for locate heavy or bulky
production equipment, or for storing bulk goods.
• In a warehouse, a mezzanine can be used to add extensive
space for piece picking, kitting, assembly, or other labourintensive tasks that don’t require much clear height.
• In almost any commercial building, a mezzanine floor can
be customised to the tenant’s exact requirements, whether
it’s moving some value-added services up to a mezzanine,
using the extra floor space for storage, or even using a
mezzanine to locate heavy or bulky equipment overhead,
giving them more working space down below.
your building a competitive edge over other similar
properties.
A mezzanine flooring system can also be designed to
be extended in future, and can be disassembled and
relocated if required.
Cost-efficient
Compared to the costs of building a new commercial
property, extending the existing building or acquiring a
bigger building, a mezzanine floor is an exceptionally
cost-efficient means of doubling or tripling space. And,
certainly for a landlord facing a vacancy in a tough
market because a tenant needs more space, a mezzanine
floor can represent a very viable investment.
Get professionals to do it
To ensure you make a sound investment, get
independent expert assistance. An objective expert
with years of experience in the industry will design
your mezzanine flooring system based on only two
things: your exact requirements and years of expertise in
optimising space. An independent expert will also plan
implementation meticulously for minimal interruption
to your operations, obtain quotations from leading
suppliers known for quality systems and manage the
project to completion for hassle-free implementation.
Get a complimentary Mezzanine Flooring Systems
Buyer’s Guide on www.mezzanineflooringsystems.
co.za for excellent advice on how to double or triple
the value of your commercial building with the right
mezzanine flooring system.

RESOURCES
Mezzanine Flooring Systems
October 2014 SA Real Estate Investor

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