The flexibility afforded by a “zero-commute” combined with the
skyrocketing price of gasoline has strengthened the case for
full time teleworking and telecommuting. According to an
Environmental Protection Agency (2004) study:
“Americans spend an average of 46 hours per year stuck in
traffic. Gridlock produces more than billion in congestion
costs per year”
The artist community has been well acquainted with the use of
work/living spaces for years, but improvements in technology
have made the benefits of teleworking and occasional
telecommuting more attractive to general consumers. According to
the key findings form the International Telework Association &
Council (ITAC) Telework America (2000) study:
“Home-based teleworkers also have larger homes, on average,
than non-teleworkers; the difference amounting to about 500
square feet. The most popular place for an office in these
larger homes is a spare bedroom, with the living room a distant
second. The primary home telework activity is computer work (55%
of total activities), followed by telephoning, reading,
and—averaging 7% of the time—face to face meetings.”
As you purchase your next home, there are certain factors to
consider if you need to set up a new home office:
Make sure that your high-tech needs can be met. Have a
qualified electrician inspect the wiring of the house to see if
the system can handle the extra power load that your home office
requires. Older homes may need significant upgrades to handle
the extra power, while newer homes are built with more
energy-efficient systems to handle the additional power along
with heating/air conditioning requirements. If you use cable,
DSL or satellite internet access, check with your local service
provider to see if access is available in your new neighborhood.
Shop around for your telephone provider—in some cases, business
service bundles may be more cost effective than regular
residential service.
Designate where your office space will be. Determine the
amount of space you will need to accommodate your work style and
space. In many cases a spare bedroom or living room space can be
used, if a formal den option is not available. If your work
requires heavy telephone usage or just heads-down concentration,
you may want to consider utilizing a room with a door. Doors can
be closed to reduce interruptions from other family and
household noises.
Plan your office blueprint to include all required furniture,
bookcases, computers, fax, and printers. Make sure to allow for
filing and storage space for files and extra office supplies.
Lighting is critical for computer or assembly work, so make sure
to allow for direct sunlight along with any specific task
lighting that may be necessary. Select flooring options that
will allow you to work comfortably—you may wish to go with
hardwood or laminate flooring to allow for your chair to move
smoothly across the floor. Install enough phone lines to cover
your home, business and fax machines needs.
Is the office easily accessible? If you will expect
regular package deliveries, make sure that your designated
office is easily accessible to the front door of the home. This
is also necessary if you will need to meet clients or visitors
in your office and would like to ensure a professional
appearance for your business.
Find out about local business requirements. Some cities
have zoning restrictions and guidelines for work/living spaces
along with tax implications. Make sure to check with your local
government to determine if special restrictions exist