Older warehouses, factories and industrial units can represent excellent assets but ageing roofs, outdated cladding, poor insulation and tired internal spaces can quickly reduce their appeal to potential buyers and tenants.
The good news is that an old industrial building doesn’t necessarily need replacing.
A carefully planned industrial refurbishment can transform an ageing property, improve its appearance and usability, reduce future maintenance requirements and potentially make it far more attractive to occupiers, investors and buyers.
At ACT Industrial, we refurbish and upgrade commercial and industrial buildings throughout Leicester, Leicestershire, the Midlands and across the UK. With over 50 years of industry experience, our capabilities cover everything from industrial roofing and cladding to asbestos removal, civils, concrete, industrial doors, internal refurbishment and complete turnkey construction.
So, where should you spend your money if you want to improve an older industrial property?
1. Start With the Industrial Roof
The roof is one of the first areas we’d consider. An ageing industrial roof can create problems including:
* Water ingress
* Corrosion
* Damaged rooflights
* Poor insulation
* Condensation
* Failing fixings and sealants
* Gutter problems
* Increasing maintenance requirements
A building with an obvious history of roof leaks can immediately raise questions for potential purchasers or tenants. Depending on its condition, the answer might be targeted repairs, refurbishment, overcladding or complete roof replacement.
ACT Industrial can assess the existing roof and recommend an appropriate solution based on the building’s condition and the owner’s longer-term plans.
2. Replace Tired Industrial Cladding
Few things date an industrial building faster than faded, damaged or heavily weathered cladding.
Replacing the external cladding can completely change the appearance of an older warehouse or factory. It can turn something that looks 30 years old into a much more modern commercial property. There can also be practical benefits. Depending on the system being installed, a roofing and cladding refurbishment can provide an opportunity to consider improved thermal performance and weather protection at the same time.
For landlords preparing industrial units for the rental market, the external appearance shouldn’t be underestimated. First impressions matter with industrial property too.
3. Deal With Asbestos
Many older UK industrial buildings still contain asbestos-containing materials, particularly asbestos cement roofing and cladding. The presence of asbestos doesn’t automatically make an industrial building unsuitable for occupation or investment.
However, its presence and condition need to be properly understood and managed. For an owner planning a significant refurbishment, removing ageing asbestos materials and installing a modern replacement system can remove a major question surrounding the future of the property.
ACT Industrial can incorporate asbestos removal, roofing and cladding replacement within the wider refurbishment project, reducing the number of separate contractors the client needs to coordinate.
4. Improve the Building’s Energy Performance
Energy efficiency has become increasingly important for commercial property. Older industrial buildings can suffer from poor insulation, ageing roof systems and inefficient building envelopes. When replacing roofing or cladding, consider whether it’s also an opportunity to improve insulation and overall thermal performance. The exact improvements required will depend on the building and proposed works, and professional energy advice should be obtained where necessary.
However, simply replacing like-for-like without considering the building’s future performance can be a missed opportunity.
5. Improve Natural Light
Walk into an old warehouse with discoloured or damaged rooflights and it can immediately feel dark and dated. Replacing ageing rooflights as part of a roofing project can transform the internal environment. Better natural light can make a warehouse feel cleaner, brighter and more modern particularly during property viewings.
It’s a relatively simple detail that can have a substantial visual impact.
6. Refurbish Industrial Gutters and Drainage
Gutters aren’t going to sell an industrial building. Failing gutters might stop someone wanting to buy one. Large industrial roofs collect enormous amounts of rainwater, making guttering and drainage an important part of the building. Overflowing or damaged gutters can contribute to water ingress and deterioration elsewhere.
If the roof is being refurbished, it makes sense to inspect the guttering, outlets, downpipes and associated drainage at the same time.
7. Repair the Concrete Floor
The condition of the warehouse floor can tell a potential occupier a lot about how the building has been maintained. Cracking, failed joints, damaged surfaces and years of patch repairs can make an otherwise usable warehouse look neglected.
Depending on the condition and intended use, repairing or replacing sections of industrial concrete can dramatically improve the appearance and usability of the building. It is also worth considering whether the existing floor is appropriate for future racking, machinery, forklifts or other operational requirements.
8. Don’t Forget the Yard
Industrial property isn’t just about what’s inside the building. For many occupiers, the external yard is just as important. Poor concrete, potholes, drainage issues and awkward vehicle movements can all reduce the attractiveness of a property.
For warehouses and logistics facilities in particular, consider:
* HGV access
* Turning circles
* Loading areas
* Parking
* Drainage
* Yard condition
* Security
* External lighting
ACT Industrial’s groundworks, concrete and civils capabilities mean external improvements can be incorporated into a wider building refurbishment.
9. Upgrade Industrial Doors
A large modern industrial building with an ancient roller shutter doesn’t exactly finish the job. Old industrial doors can affect appearance, security and day-to-day usability. Depending on the property, improvements might include new roller shutters, sectional overhead doors, personnel doors, fire doors or alterations to existing openings. It’s also worth considering whether the existing doors are actually positioned and sized appropriately for modern operations.
10. Modernise the Offices
You can spend a fortune improving the warehouse and then walk a prospective tenant into an office that hasn’t changed since 1994. It’s not ideal. Older industrial buildings often have perfectly usable office areas that simply need modernisation.
Improvements could include:
* Flooring
* Ceilings
* Lighting
* Decoration
* Kitchens
* Toilets
* Meeting rooms
* Partitions
* Reception areas
* Mechanical and electrical upgrades
Modern offices alongside a refurbished warehouse can dramatically change the overall impression of the property.
11. Improve the Building’s Appearance From the Road
Kerb appeal isn’t limited to houses. An industrial property is still competing against other industrial properties.
New cladding, entrance improvements, doors, signage, external decoration, landscaping and a tidy yard can make a huge difference to how the site is perceived. This is particularly relevant for landlords trying to attract tenants or owners preparing a building for sale. Sometimes relatively straightforward external improvements can make a building feel considerably newer.
12. Create Better Loading and Access
Think about how a future occupier will actually use the building. Could loading access be improved? Could another industrial door be introduced?
Does the yard work efficiently?
Could vehicle and pedestrian movements be separated more effectively? An older building designed for the needs of a business 30 years ago may not necessarily suit a modern warehouse or distribution operation. Changes to access and loading arrangements can potentially make the property attractive to a wider range of occupiers.
13. Consider Whether the Warehouse Layout Can Be Improved
Floor area is important but usable floor area is what matters. An awkward internal layout can make a large building surprisingly inefficient.
Depending on the structure, it may be possible to alter internal spaces, remove redundant areas or reconfigure offices and welfare facilities to make better use of the available footprint. Before spending money purely on cosmetic improvements, consider whether the building itself could work harder.
14. Think About Future Expansion
This is particularly important if you’re refurbishing a building for your own business. Don’t only solve today’s problems.
Could the building be extended later?
Could additional doors be installed?
Is there enough yard space?
Could offices be expanded?
Could the existing structure accommodate future changes?
An industrial building that can adapt as a business grows can potentially be far more useful than one already operating at its limit.
15. Fix the Problems Buyers Will Use to Negotiate
This is an important one. Imagine you’re selling a warehouse and a prospective buyer’s survey identifies:
Old asbestos roof.
Leaking gutters.
Damaged concrete.
Corroded cladding.
Old roller shutters.
Suddenly the buyer isn’t just looking at the purchase price. They’re mentally deducting the cost and probably a healthy contingency for everything they’ll need to fix.
Addressing obvious defects before marketing a property may remove some of those objections. That doesn’t mean every industrial building needs a complete refurbishment before sale. It means understanding which problems could have the greatest impact on how potential buyers perceive the building.
What Improvements Add the Most Value to an Industrial Property? There isn’t one answer for every building.
For a badly leaking warehouse, replacing the roof might be the obvious priority. For another building, the roof may be perfectly serviceable while the cladding, offices and yard make the entire property look tired.
We’d generally prioritise improvements in this order:
1. Stop deterioration
Deal with water ingress, structural concerns, asbestos management and drainage problems.
2. Improve the building envelope
Consider roofing, cladding, insulation, gutters, rooflights, windows and doors.
3. Improve operational usability
Look at floors, access, loading, yards and internal layouts.
4. Improve internal spaces
Modernise offices, welfare facilities and communal areas.
5. Improve appearance
Cladding, decoration, landscaping, entrances and signage can finish the transformation. The best refurbishment strategy is one that considers the whole industrial property rather than individual repairs in isolation. Should You Refurbish an Old Industrial Building Before Selling It?
Not necessarily.
The answer depends on the condition of the property, local market, likely purchaser and cost of the proposed works. Spending significant money on improvements that a future owner intends to remove would make little sense.
However, dealing with obvious defects or modernising particularly tired areas may make the building more attractive and remove potential barriers during negotiations. The important thing is understanding the condition of the building before deciding where to invest.
Is It Worth Refurbishing an Old Warehouse?
In many cases, yes.
An older warehouse can have excellent fundamentals:
* Good location
* Large footprint
* Suitable structure
* Established access
* Large yard
* Existing utilities
* Expansion potential
If the underlying building remains suitable, refurbishment can potentially give an older industrial property a completely new lease of life. That’s why we’d always consider repair vs refurbishment vs redevelopment rather than automatically assuming an old building needs demolishing.
When Does a New Industrial Building Make More Sense?
There is a point where continued investment into an old building may stop making sense. If extensive structural alterations, complete roof and cladding replacement, major floor reconstruction, drainage works and substantial internal changes are all required, it may be worth comparing refurbishment against redevelopment.
This is one of the advantages of working with ACT Industrial. We’re not limited to one trade or one solution.
Our capabilities extend from individual repairs and industrial refurbishment through to complete turnkey industrial buildings, allowing us to consider the project as a whole.
Can ACT Industrial Completely Refurbish an Industrial Property?
Yes.
ACT Industrial can deliver multiple elements of an industrial refurbishment, including:
* Industrial and warehouse refurbishment
* Commercial and industrial roofing
* Industrial cladding
* Asbestos removal
* Guttering
* Groundworks
* Civils
* Concrete works
* Industrial doors
* Structural works
* Internal refurbishment
* External improvements
* Turnkey industrial buildings
* New industrial buildings
Using one experienced contractor for multiple elements of the project can simplify communication, programming and responsibility.
How Much Does It Cost to Refurbish an Old Industrial Building?
There is no single figure because the cost depends on the size, condition and intended use of the property.
A building requiring cosmetic improvements will be very different to one needing asbestos removal, a complete new roof, cladding, concrete works and internal refurbishment.
Factors affecting industrial refurbishment costs include:
* Building size
* Age and condition
* Roofing requirements
* Presence of asbestos
* Cladding condition
* Insulation
* Structural requirements
* Concrete and civils
* Drainage
* Industrial doors
* Office refurbishment
* Access
* Whether the building must remain operational
* Specification of the finished property
The most useful starting point is to properly assess the existing building and decide what you’re trying to achieve.
Increasing the Value of an Old Industrial Property? Talk to ACT Industrial
If you own an ageing warehouse, factory, industrial unit or commercial building, don’t look at each defect as an isolated problem.
Look at what the entire property could become.
ACT Industrial has over 50 years of industry experience and a fully qualified team, delivering commercial and industrial projects throughout Leicester, Leicestershire, the Midlands and across the UK. Whether you need industrial roof replacement, cladding, asbestos removal, concrete and civils, industrial doors, internal refurbishment or a complete turnkey transformation, we can bring the different elements together under one experienced team.
And where refurbishment no longer makes commercial sense, we can also deliver complete new industrial buildings.
ACT Industrial from the ground to the roof, one team for the complete industrial project.
Share this post: