OLD VIDEO RELEASE: What's old is new again. The Lab. Rent vs Buy

OLD SUPPORTER VIDEO RELEASE, originally released Feb 15, 2020
Real estate Rent vs Buy, and finance stuff.

[jusaca]

While your current lab really is huge, the thing I really like the most about it is it having windows! While some might say we engineers always sit in the cellar I never liked it. I'm sooo happy to have a nice huge window to look outside at some trees every now and than to relax the eyes from staring at the screen.

The current cost obviously seems massiv in comparison to your own small space and that alone might be reason enough to move back, but I just wanted to give my two cents. Don't underestimate the beauty of sunlight :D

PS: Just became a patreon because now at the end of my time at university I rewatched bascially all of your teardowns and reviews of oscilloscopes - and I just realized just how much insight and practical design considerations I picked up from you over the last few years - thanks for your great content!

[GadgetUK]

I would be tempted to move back into the old lab space - it's most logical with prices for everything expected to rise sharply (post pandemic).

[peter.stimpel]

Best option: back to the roots, back to the garage ;)

[SeanBZA]

As an aside, what about the bunker for shipping and such, you only need to be in there ( or your actual shipping person) for 3 hours a day tops to actually do the packaging itself from the bulk stock inside on a rack, the rest of the work can be in the lab at a single bench where you actually interact some, making the shipping labels and then apply them in the bunker.


Then you finally can get rid of all of the couch feet, by including them in the boxes as "gift", which actually will get you past the customs declarations in many countries.

[IanScottJohnston]

you move back in to the old lab then get somebody in to build new bespoke benches complete with overhead as well as under bench shelving, and since they are there get them to shelve every wall as well. Space will be your enemy so get some help to maximize it. Lose the camera tripods and get round base mic stands and use them, not quite as steady but they take up way way less room.

[Scoochie]

Why are there 1 year old comments on a 1 hour old video?

[retireeelectronics]

Cheap Arse is good option because then you can always adjust your shipping area relative to business volume. If business slows down then consolidate back to the one property and if times are great then expand to the heart content.

[pnjunction]

I would try to make the cheap arse solution work and wait for a good opportunity to buy a larger space. The biggest problem is always to keep things tidy. For a couple of years I had my "lab" down in a small section of the basement, maybe 4sqm but it was a quite efficient setup. Now that I moved everything into a 20sqm room, it became a total mess. At some point the time searching for stuff exceeded the time I was actually working on the projects. My plan is now to keep every project in it's own separate box and label everything properly. If that doesn't help, I'll try to find a new hobby :-)

[migry]

You have to factor in the loss of the treasures found in the dumpster room.

[IanScottJohnston]

Any chance you can acquire or rent swap one of the direct neighbours to the 50sqm great to knock a door/archway through and have two labs side by side.

[KeritechElectronics]

Looks like a nice place. It could work as a recording studio with that small room being the control room, or reverse.

[williamweare]

what are you trying to get rid of to downscale your current test lab?

[wburger]

Your own place will always be occupied by a reliable person if you go back!

[jamesc]

I guess what it boils down to, in order to retain your current profits if you increase your input costs, you either need to increase sales price or sales volumes, in which case you may need the space. Or can you offset the costs with revenue derived from non-product sales ?

[pow]

old EEVblog lab. Having the freedom to do what you want and not worrying about tenants, not worrying about being kicked out on short notice for whatever reason. Sounds like smooth sailing. Try and find cheaper place for packing . Worry about bigger packing place when you need more space for packing.

[catalinalb]

Dave maybe you can convince Ms. EEVBlog to move into the House. Then you can just rent the space and have more time with your family. 😊

[hermannschaefer]

Hmm.. you could start by cleaning up my stuffed space, full of ancient and broken electronics and computers. *sigh*

[davepauljones]

Dave, yes move back, down size, its like when you was in your garage ++++

[LutzSchafer]

I would move back. Given the uncertain times and Dave you are not getting younger and your boys soon come to the age of college or university which costs a pretty penny these days. Hope your choice whatever it is will benefit you and makes your family happy.

[srvr]

I don't remember the old lab ever flooding. Still, the 85 m² would be decent savings from the current situation as long as you can find renters for the old lab. The 85 m² is slightly more per m². Biggest issue I'd think with the old lab is that you'd immediately be closer to running out of room for more equipment. I suspect the TEA thread would not approve. Personally, I'd go full cheap arse, cocoon myself in gear, and try to save the money for a bigger space. If finding renters is that difficult, I'd expect property values to adjust to market realities at some point.