Calgary Warehouse Due Diligence Checklist

Site and location

• PR — Land-use designation and whether your operation fits the district. Districts →
• PR — Published parcel area and how it compares to others in the area.
• PR — Distance to the nearest published truck route and dangerous-goods route.
• Actual truck ingress, egress, turning radius and apron depth for your largest vehicle.
• Trailer parking and storage — how many, where, and whether it is exclusive to you.
• Snow storage location, and who is responsible for clearing what.
• Employee parking count and security.
• Drainage, grade and any evidence of ponding on the yard.

Building

• PR — Recorded year of construction.
• PR — Permit and development history at the address, and what the descriptions say.
• Clear height, measured under the lowest obstruction in each area you will use.
• Column spacing and whether it works with your racking layout.
• Dock count, dock height, leveller type and condition, seals, bumpers.
• Drive-in door count, dimensions and grade.
• Floor slab thickness and condition; load rating if you are racking heavy.
• Roof age, membrane type, last inspection and any warranty. Ask for the report.
• Sprinkler type, density and whether it suits your commodity classification and storage height.
• Office area, condition, HVAC, washrooms and accessibility.
• Lighting type and levels in the warehouse.

Services

• Electrical service size, voltage and phase; available spare capacity; who owns the transformer.
• Gas service and heating type; make-up air where you have fumes or dust.
• Water and sanitary capacity if your process needs it; any trade waste requirements.
• Compressed air, floor drains, oil separators — present, permitted and functional.
• Data and telecom service to the building, and who the carriers are.

Regulatory

• Confirm the specific use is permitted or discretionary in the district, with The City.
• Whether a development permit or change of use is needed, and how long it takes.
• Occupancy classification and whether your operation changes it.
• Environmental history of the site and neighbours; whether a Phase I is warranted.
• Any outstanding orders or notices on the property.
• Signage rules — district, landlord and condominium.

Lease and cost

• Net rent, term, escalations, renewal mechanism.
• Additional rent estimate broken into components, plus three years of actuals.
• PR — The property's assessment history, so you can see what has driven the tax line. Every property page on this site carries up to 22 years.
• Capital vs. repair language and any amortisation mechanism.
• Proportionate share definition and denominator.
• Operating cost cap on controllable costs; exclusions; audit right.
• Restoration and removal obligations — racking, mezzanine, power, cranes, dock equipment.
• Assignment and subletting rights.
• Landlord's work, fixturing period and free rent, in writing with dates.
• Insurance requirements and whether your broker can meet them.
• Indemnity, environmental and relocation clauses.

Before you sign

Have the lease reviewed by a commercial real estate lawyer. Have any building condition question you cannot answer answered by a qualified consultant. And keep a written record of every representation made during the tour — if it matters, it belongs in the lease, not in an email.

This is a checklist, not adviceIt is a starting framework for your own diligence. It is not legal, engineering, environmental or accounting advice, and no item on it substitutes for a qualified professional on a specific building.