Your equipment lives in three places. Your supplies are split between a garage and a storage unit across town. The first hour of every day disappears into logistics.
A small warehouse (even 500 SF) turns that chaos into a system. One location for equipment, one staging area for jobs, one address for the business. This guide covers what it costs in Orange County, how much space different service businesses need, and what to look for.
How Much Does Service Business Warehouse Space Cost in Orange County?
Two main options: traditional lease or co-warehousing.
- Traditional leases in Orange County run $15-20/SF annually for base rent, plus NNN charges ($4-6/SF), utilities ($125-200/month), and insurance ($83-150/month). For 800 SF, expect $1,475-2,083/month all-in. You’ll also need $6,000-10,000 upfront for deposits and equipment, and most landlords want 3-5 year terms.
- Co-warehousing bundles everything into one payment. At WareSpace Santa Ana, units start at $900/month and include climate control, loading access, racking, WiFi, utilities, and conference room access. Upfront cost is one month’s deposit, and terms start at 6 months.
The ROI case: Service businesses typically recover warehouse costs through morning efficiency (organized operations eliminate 30-60 minutes of daily coordination), bulk purchasing (storage enables buying supplies at 15-30% lower cost), and equipment longevity (climate-controlled storage extends the life of gear that otherwise degrades in trucks and garages).
For a detailed cost breakdown, see our Orange County warehouse cost guide.
How Much Space Do Service Businesses Need?
Space requirements vary significantly by business type:
Business Type
Typical Size
What’s Driving the Need
Solo mobile service
200-400 SF
Basic equipment, supplies, and small staging
Commercial cleaning (5+ employees)
400-800 SF
Floor machines, supplies, and uniforms
Event company (small)
600-1,000 SF
Lighting, staging, décor, AV equipment
HVAC contractor
600-1,200 SF
Parts inventory, equipment staging
Restoration company
800-1,500 SF
Dehumidifiers, fans, extraction equipment, and client item storage
Landscaping operation
800-1,500 SF
Mowers, materials staging
Whatever the size, the space works better when you keep zones distinct: equipment storage in one area, parts and supplies on shelving, a staging zone for pulling tomorrow’s jobs, and a corner for admin work.
Size for 12-18 months ahead if you’re growing. Moving disrupts operations and means updating your address with clients and suppliers.
What to Look for in Orange County Service Business Warehouse Space
- 24/7 access is the priority for service businesses. Restoration calls come at 2 AM. Event load-ins start at 6 AM. HVAC emergencies happen on weekends. A lease restricting access restricts your ability to respond, and in service businesses, response time often determines who gets the job.
- Central location matters because drive time to clients directly affects how many jobs you can run. Orange County’s compact geography helps. From central Santa Ana, you can reach most of OC in 20-30 minutes, South LA County in 30-45 minutes, and North San Diego in 45-60 minutes.
- Climate control protects equipment that would otherwise degrade. Orange County’s mild climate (45-85°F, low humidity) is more forgiving than Florida or Texas, but climate control still matters for electronics, temperature-sensitive supplies, and fabrics.
- Loading access for most service businesses means drive-in access to load and unload trucks efficiently. Dock-height doors help if you receive bulk supplies via freight.
- Conference room access matters if you ever meet clients in person – event clients reviewing proposals, restoration clients signing authorizations. A conference room beats meeting at a job site or coffee shop.
Where in Orange County Should a Service Business Locate?
Map your jobs from the past 6-12 months and find the geographic center. Your warehouse should minimize average drive time across your service area. Here are the top three hubs for service businesses in OC:
- Central Orange County (Santa Ana, Tustin) works for most service businesses covering the county. Central positioning, quick highway access north and south. Rents run $14-18/SF. WareSpace Santa Ana is located here.
- North County (Anaheim, Fullerton) makes sense if your client base skews toward North OC or LA County.
- South County (Irvine, Lake Forest) has premium pricing and limited small-bay options. Only makes sense if most of your work is in South OC.
Common Mistakes Service Businesses Make When Leasing Warehouse Space in Orange County (And How to Avoid Them)
Mistake 1: Trying to Run Operations from a Storage Unit
Storage units prohibit commercial operations in their lease terms. Beyond legality, they restrict access hours (problematic for emergency response), lack climate control (equipment degrades faster), and don’t accommodate daily loading/unloading.
How to avoid it: Storage units work for overflow inventory that you rarely access. For an operations base, you need proper warehouse space.
Mistake 2: Choosing Location Based on Rent Alone
A shop in Brea saves $200/month over Santa Ana. But if your service area covers all of Orange County, that edge location adds 15-20 minutes to South County calls. In restoration or HVAC, response time often determines who gets the job.
How to avoid it: Map your jobs from the past 6 months. Your warehouse should minimize average drive time across your service area, not just be the cheapest option.
Mistake 3: Forgetting Client Meeting Space
Event companies, restoration contractors, and commercial cleaning services often meet clients in person—reviewing proposals, signing contracts, and discussing projects. Meeting at a job site or coffee shop undermines your professional image.
How to avoid it: Factor in conference room access when evaluating space. Co-warehousing facilities typically include this; traditional leases may not.
Mistake 4: Not Getting 24/7 Access
Service work doesn’t follow a 9-5 schedule. Restoration calls come at 2 am. HVAC emergencies happen on weekends. Event load-ins start at 6 am. If your lease restricts access, you can’t respond when jobs demand it.
How to avoid it: Confirm 24/7 access in writing. In service businesses, restricted hours can cost you contracts.
Mistake 5: Underestimating Equipment Storage Needs
Restoration companies accumulate equipment fast—dehumidifiers, air movers, and extraction units. Event companies build an inventory of décor, staging, and AV gear. Many businesses move into “enough” space and outgrow it within a year.
How to avoid it: Size for 12-18 months ahead. List all the equipment you own and expect to acquire. Moving warehouses disrupts operations at the worst possible times.
Service Business Warehouse FAQs for Orange County
How much does warehouse space cost for a small service business in Orange County?
Traditional leases run $1,475-2,083/month all-in for 800 SF after base rent, NNN, utilities, and insurance, plus $6,000-10,000 upfront. Co-warehousing runs $900-1,500/month with everything included and one month’s deposit upfront.
Can I run a service business out of a storage unit?
Most storage facilities prohibit commercial operations in their lease terms. Beyond that, storage units restrict access hours (problematic for emergency response) and don’t accommodate the daily loading/unloading that service operations require.
Do I need climate-controlled warehouse space for service equipment?
Depends on what you’re storing. Electronics (AV gear, diagnostic tools), fabrics (event décor, uniforms), and temperature-sensitive supplies benefit from climate control. Basic tools and durable equipment are fine without it. Orange County’s mild climate is more forgiving than humid markets like Florida.
Where should a service business locate in Orange County?
Map your jobs from the past 6 months and find the geographic center. For businesses covering all of Orange County, central Santa Ana offers good positioning with quick highway access in all directions.
WareSpace Santa Ana opens Fall 2026 at 2601 S Garnsey St. Service business warehouse space with 24/7 access, climate control, and 6-month terms starting at $900/month.
► Explore 3D Space