Plan how much office space your team needs. Enter headcount, workstation style, private offices and meeting rooms to get usable and rentable square feet, space per employee and an estimated rent.
Last updated:
People
%
Room to grow during the lease.
%
Hybrid teams: share in on the busiest day.
Workspace sizes
sq ft
10×12 ft = 120; 12×15 ft = 180.
Shared rooms
sq ft
sq ft
Building & rent
%
Aisles and hallways inside your suite; 25–40% is typical.
%
Share of lobby, restrooms and corridors added to rentable area.
$/ sq ft / yr
US office rent is quoted per square foot per year.
Enter your values to see the result.
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How to use the Office Space Calculator
Enter employees, planned growth and the share on site on your busiest day.
Choose a workstation type and the number and size of private offices.
Add shared rooms: meeting rooms, phone booths, reception and storage.
Set circulation, load factor and rent per square foot per year.
Calculate to get rentable square feet, space per person and estimated rent.
Program area = offices + workstations + meeting rooms + booths + reception + break room + storage
Usable area = program area × (1 + circulation %)
Rentable area = usable area × (1 + load factor %)
Monthly rent = rentable area × rent per sq ft per year ÷ 12
Typical space sizes used here
Space
Size (sq ft)
Approx. m²
Benching / open desk
36
3.3
Cubicle 6×8 ft
48
4.5
Cubicle 8×8 ft
64
5.9
Private office 10×12 ft
120
11.1
Small meeting room (4–6 people)
120
11.1
Medium meeting room (8–10 people)
250
23.2
Large conference room (12–16 people)
400
37.2
Phone booth / focus room
30
2.8
Reception & waiting
200
18.6
Workstation sizes are the furniture footprint only; aisles are covered by the circulation percentage.
Tips for planning
Plan for the headcount you expect near the end of the lease, not just today's team.
Count meeting seats: a common target is one meeting seat for every two to four people on site.
Ask brokers to quote both usable and rentable area so you can compare buildings fairly.
Check local building and fire codes for occupancy limits and accessibility clearances.
Frequently asked questions
How much office space do I need per employee?
It depends on the layout. Dense open-plan offices can work with roughly 100–150 rentable square feet per person, while offices with many private offices often need 200–250 or more. Rather than relying on one average, this calculator adds up the actual desks, offices and rooms you need.
What is the difference between usable and rentable square feet?
Usable square feet is the space inside your suite that you actually occupy. Rentable square feet adds your share of the building's common areas such as lobbies, shared corridors and restrooms. Landlords usually charge rent on rentable area, so rentable = usable × (1 + load factor).
What is a load factor?
The load factor (or add-on factor) is the percentage added to usable area to cover common areas. A 15% load factor means a 4,000 usable sq ft suite is billed as 4,600 rentable sq ft. Typical values vary by building; ask the landlord or broker.
What is circulation space?
Circulation is the walking space inside your suite: aisles between desks, hallways to rooms and space around doors. Planners commonly add about 25–40% on top of the furniture and room areas, more for layouts with many enclosed rooms.
How do I plan space for a hybrid team?
Set peak attendance to the share of desk staff in the office on your busiest day. Desks are sized for that peak, while private offices are counted in full. Many hybrid offices trade some desks for more meeting rooms and phone booths.
How is office rent calculated in the US?
US office rent is usually quoted per rentable square foot per year. Monthly rent = rentable sq ft × annual rate ÷ 12. Check whether the quote is full service (gross) or triple net (NNN), where taxes, insurance and maintenance are extra.
Are all the tools on FreeToolCabin tested for quality and accuracy?
Yes! Every tool on our site undergoes automated Q/A testing in real browser environments to ensure high precision, correct output, and zero errors. If you happen to spot a bug or have a suggestion, please contact us at [email protected] and our team will review it right away.