Coworking Private Office vs Conventional Commercial Lease in Montreal

Direct answer

A coworking private office and a conventional commercial lease solve different versions of the same problem. A coworking private office usually offers an enclosed, furnished workspace inside a shared facility under a membership, licence or service agreement. A conventional lease gives a business a longer-term right to occupy defined premises and usually gives it more control over layout, branding, access and operations, while transferring more cost, administration and exit risk to the tenant.

Neither model is universally cheaper. Flexible space can reduce initial capital requirements and accelerate occupancy because the office is already built and furnished. JLL identifies accommodating small headcounts, short-duration projects, speed to occupancy and lower upfront capital as documented reasons to use flexible offices. [1] A conventional lease can win when a stable team will use the same footprint for years, needs substantial control, and can spread fit-out and transaction costs over a long term.

The correct comparison is not the advertised monthly payment. It is the total cost, control, responsibility and exit exposure over the period the business realistically expects to occupy the space.

This guide provides a decision framework, not legal, tax, accounting, brokerage, construction, accessibility or insurance advice. Contract labels are not decisive: have a Quebec commercial lawyer review the actual agreement and a qualified accountant model the tax treatment for your entity.

What each model normally means

Coworking private office

A coworking private office is an enclosed office within a larger shared workplace. The operator commonly provides furniture, internet, utilities, common areas and building operations as part of one recurring charge. The actual agreement may be called a membership, licence, office-services agreement, flexible-office agreement or lease. Never infer the legal rights from the marketing name alone.

At 2727 Coworking, the safe published description is narrower: individual enclosed listings accommodate one to ten people; current pages publish furnished, lockable space, high-speed internet, utilities, shared kitchen and common-space access, and 24/7 member access. Prices and availability are specific to each office. Meeting-room credits, business-address rights, cleaning scope and universal contract terms are not sufficiently consistent across current sources to promise in evergreen content. Live listings belong at booking.2727coworking.com/offices, not in a permanent price claim.

“Private” means the office is physically enclosed and allocated to the customer. It does not prove speech privacy, sound isolation, regulatory suitability, exclusive network infrastructure or professional confidentiality. CCOHS says planners should assess acoustical privacy according to the actual level of confidentiality required and treat visual privacy as a separate question. [2]

Conventional commercial lease

A conventional lease typically identifies particular premises, a term, rent, permitted use, operating-cost allocation, repair duties, insurance requirements, default remedies, renewal options and surrender obligations. The tenant may obtain more control over signage, fit-out, security and operating routines, but only to the extent the lease and law allow.

The lease price may be expressed as net rent per square foot, gross rent or another structure. That number may exclude additional rent, operating expenses, property taxes, utilities, cleaning, insurance, telecommunications, maintenance, professional fees, permits, improvements and restoration. The allocation is contractual; a generic guide cannot tell you which party bears each item.

Montreal may require an occupancy permit for a commercial, industrial or professional activity. The City says the permit is connected to both the occupied establishment and its operator, and interior work may require another permit. [3] Confirm permitted use and borough procedure before committing to premises or alterations.

Side-by-side decision table

Question	Coworking private office	Conventional commercial lease
Move-in speed	Often faster because the room and shared infrastructure already exist	Often slower because diligence, design, permits, construction, furniture and systems may be required
Upfront capital	Commonly lower, but deposits and setup charges can still apply	Can be substantial once legal, design, fit-out, furniture, IT and moving costs are counted
Term	Often shorter or more flexible, but verify the exact agreement	Commonly longer and negotiated; do not assume a standard term
Monthly invoice	Often bundles several services	Rent may be only one of several occupancy-cost lines
Space control	Limited by shared-facility rules and operator standards	Potentially greater, subject to lease, building rules, code and permits
Branding	Usually limited	Often more scope for signage and custom finishes, subject to approval
Growth	Moving between offices may be possible if inventory exists	Expansion depends on rights, adjacent space or another transaction
Contraction	Potentially easier at the end of a short commitment	Difficult during the term unless a break, assignment, sublease or negotiated surrender works
Privacy	Enclosed room, but acoustic and technical performance must be tested	Tenant can specify improvements, but no confidentiality follows automatically
Operations	Operator manages much of the shared environment	Tenant usually manages more vendors and responsibilities
Asset value	Furniture and improvements generally belong according to the agreement	Tenant may own furniture; leasehold improvements and surrender rights require review
Exit risk	Renewal price, relocation, service changes and availability matter	Remaining rent, restoration, assignment/sublease and guarantee exposure matter

Montreal market context in 2026

An elevated vacancy headline does not mean every suitable office is cheap or easy to secure. CBRE reported Montreal office vacancy of 18.0% in Q2 2026, the lowest figure since Q2 2023. When listings marketed for more than 36 months were excluded, the measure fell to 12.4%. [4] CBRE also reported a Class AAA net asking-rent range of $33 to $42 per square foot and a 12.4% quarterly fall in sublet vacancy to 1.4 million square feet. [5]

Colliers described occupiers competing for limited premium space and landlords of sought-after assets gaining pricing power, while emphasizing that recovery remained uneven across assets. [6] The practical lesson is to evaluate the specific building, suite and transaction rather than use citywide vacancy as a discount assumption.

Canada-wide conditions also matter because construction and sublease supply affect future options. CBRE said national office momentum was positive for a fourth consecutive quarter in Q2 2026, national sublease space had declined for a twelfth consecutive quarter, and active construction was at a two-decade low. [7] Those observations do not forecast a specific Montreal lease, but they are reasons to avoid treating today’s visible inventory as guaranteed future leverage.

Build a total occupancy cost model

Compare both choices over the same time horizon and headcount assumptions. Separate cash timing from accounting and tax treatment.

Flexible-office cost lines

Record the recurring office charge, taxes, deposit, setup and access fees, extra users, after-hours access, meeting-room use, printing, storage, mail or address service, parking, guest charges, insurance, telecommunications upgrades, equipment and renewal pricing. Ask whether the operator may relocate the office and how much notice applies to termination or non-renewal.

Do not value an inclusion at full retail price unless the team will actually use it. Conversely, do not treat a bundled service as free. Its cost is embedded in the package.

Conventional-lease cost lines

Model at least:

1. base rent;
2. additional rent or operating-cost recoveries;
3. property taxes and utilities where passed through;
4. deposits, guarantees and prepaid amounts;
5. brokerage and legal costs;
6. architectural, engineering and permit costs;
7. construction and leasehold improvements;
8. furniture, fixtures, equipment and access systems;
9. internet, telephony and network installation;
10. insurance, security and compliance costs;
11. cleaning, maintenance and repairs;
12. moving and business-interruption costs;
13. escalation and renewal assumptions;
14. unused space and growth buffer;
15. restoration and surrender work; and
16. assignment, sublease or negotiated-exit costs.

CRA says a business may deduct lease payments incurred in the year under its stated rules, while purchased equipment is not necessarily an immediate current deduction and capital cost allowance may apply. [8] CRA also describes capital improvements to leased property as potentially forming part of a Class 13 leasehold interest, with treatment depending on the lease and term. [9] These sources identify categories, not a tax answer for your business. Ask an accountant about timing, CCA, GST/QST input tax credits and the consequences of inducements or allowances.

A disciplined comparison example

Suppose a four-person team compares a furnished private office for 18 months with a conventional suite. Do not compare 18 monthly membership invoices against 18 months of quoted net rent. Build three schedules:

Schedule	What to show
Cash	Every payment by month, including deposits and upfront work
Economic cost	Costs allocated across the expected occupancy period, including unused capacity and exit work
Sensitivity	Low, expected and high cases for headcount, fit-out, delays, renewal and exit

If the conventional suite requires six months to open, include the interim workspace and the delayed benefit. If it has a five-year term but the model only displays 18 months, include the remaining commitment or a defensible exit scenario. If a landlord funds improvements, reflect the repayment or rent implications rather than calling the allowance free.

Control, identity and customer experience

A conventional lease is more likely to suit a business that treats its premises as part of its product: a clinic with specific build standards, a showroom, a branded client centre, a secure records environment, or a team with specialized equipment. Control can be valuable even when it costs more.

A coworking private office is more likely to suit a team whose priority is productive occupancy rather than real-estate customization. Shared reception experience, common areas and a turnkey environment can reduce operational work, but the team accepts house rules, shared circulation and limits on alterations.

Ask the following before choosing:

• May the business display its name, and where?
• Who controls guests and deliveries?
• Can doors, locks, cameras or access systems be changed?
• May the business bring servers, heavy equipment or unusual electrical loads?
• Are calls audible outside the room?
• Can screens and papers be seen from shared areas?
• Is network separation documented?
• Who has master-key or administrative access?
• What happens during construction, outages or building closures?
• Can the operator or landlord relocate the business?

These are factual diligence questions. They do not establish that a room meets a regulated profession’s duties.

Size the office around work, not payroll

CCOHS says there is no one clear-cut answer to office-space allocation. It directs planners to account for time at the workstation, equipment, storage, visitors, movement, acoustical and visual privacy, and natural light. [10] Its cited example of about 72 square feet for a staff workstation is an example, not a universal entitlement or code rule. [11]

Statistics Canada reported that 9.8% of employed Canadians had a hybrid arrangement in May 2026, 11.4% worked exclusively from home and 78.8% worked exclusively outside the home. [12] Those national proportions are context, not a staffing forecast. Size your office using:

• peak simultaneous attendance, not total payroll;
• fixed versus mobile work patterns;
• monitor and equipment footprint;
• private-call and meeting demand;
• visitor volume;
• accessible circulation;
• files and storage;
• future hires and contraction risk; and
• the cost of overflow alternatives.

In a flexible office, verify that the advertised capacity fits the team’s real equipment and movement needs. In a conventional suite, test a furniture plan before accepting a nominal area.

Legal and contract issue-spotting

This checklist identifies questions for counsel; it is not a substitute for legal review.

Rights and legal characterization

Determine whether the agreement is a lease, sublease, licence, membership or services contract; what space is exclusively allocated; and whether relocation is permitted. Review whether property-law remedies, contractual remedies or both are intended to apply. Do not assume that a short agreement is simple or that the title controls its legal character.

Term, renewal and exit

Record the commencement date, delivery condition, rent start, initial term, renewal mechanics, notice dates, holdover consequences, early termination, default cure, assignment, sublease, surrender and restoration. Calendar every notice deadline independently of invoice dates.

Money

Identify all recurring and variable charges, tax treatment on invoices, annual escalations, audit rights, deposit return conditions, guarantees, indemnities, interest and legal-cost provisions. For a conventional lease, understand how the rentable area and additional rent are calculated. For flexible space, ask which services can be repriced or withdrawn.

Use and compliance

Confirm permitted use, hours, occupancy, guests, signage, regulated activity, hazardous materials, food, equipment, accessibility and any exclusivity. Montreal’s occupancy-permit process may request a precise description of use, proof of legal existence, owner authorization and plans. [13]

Work, repair and surrender

Allocate design, approvals, permits, construction, maintenance, replacement, damage and restoration. Document base-building condition before occupancy. A tenant improvement that looks permanent may have a different contractual, accounting and tax result from furniture that can be removed.

Risk allocation

Review insurance, limitation of liability, indemnity, casualty, service outages, security, privacy, force majeure and business interruption. Decide who bears the risk if permits, construction or telecommunications are late.

Personal and corporate exposure

Identify the contracting entity and every guarantor. A new corporation may be asked for a personal or corporate guarantee. Model the guarantee as real exposure, not boilerplate.

Where conventional leasing wins

An honest comparison must include situations where flexible space is the wrong answer.

A conventional lease can be the stronger choice when:

• the team is stable and likely to use the same footprint for several years;
• customized rooms, power, ventilation, equipment or accessibility work is necessary;
• customer experience requires prominent branding or exclusive reception;
• the organization requires documented control over access, networking or records;
• density and repeated meeting-room use make bundled flexible space expensive;
• the tenant can negotiate a suitable improvement allowance and strong lease terms;
• the business can operate the workplace efficiently;
• expansion, contraction or termination rights are negotiated for the actual plan; and
• the business values permanence more than rapid exit.

Conventional space may also produce a lower effective cost for a mature team after fit-out is amortized. That conclusion must come from the full model, not the quoted rent.

Where a coworking private office wins

Flexible private space can be the stronger choice when:

• the team needs to begin operating quickly;
• headcount or Montreal commitment is uncertain;
• the expected occupation is shorter than a conventional transaction justifies;
• management does not want to procure furniture, internet and utilities separately;
• a small team would otherwise lease more space than it needs;
• a project, market-entry team or temporary office has a defined horizon;
• preserving capital is more important than customizing premises; or
• the organization wants a bridge while evaluating a permanent location.

JLL’s documented flex motivations include small headcounts, short projects, speed to occupancy, lower upfront capital and shorter commitments in pre-built space. [14] That supports these use cases, not a claim that every flex agreement delivers them equally.

A staged decision process

Stage 1: write the business requirement

Record the legal entity, intended use, opening date, expected duration, peak attendance, visitors, equipment, confidentiality needs, budget, location, accessibility and growth cases. Mark non-negotiables separately from preferences.

Stage 2: shortlist comparable options

Compare actual available offices, not category averages. A furnished eight-person coworking office is not comparable to an unfinished eight-person nominal suite without adjustments for shared rooms and circulation.

Stage 3: request complete documents

For every finalist request the draft agreement, price schedule, building and house rules, plan, service scope, insurance requirements, access rules and disclosure of one-time charges. For leases, request operating-cost history and relevant work letters where available.

Stage 4: test the premises

Visit during normal operations. Test cellular coverage, Wi-Fi where permitted, sound transmission, temperature, natural light, guest arrival and travel at the actual commute time. Inspect entrances, lifts, stairs, washrooms and circulation for the people who will use them.

Stage 5: model three scenarios

Use stable, growth and contraction cases. Include delay, renewal and early-exit stress. Make the decision against the scenario the business can survive, not only the lowest expected case.

Stage 6: obtain professional review

Send the actual agreement to counsel. Send the cost and inducement model to the accountant. Use a broker, architect, engineer, accessibility professional, contractor, insurer or IT specialist when their expertise is material.

Stage 7: preserve the evidence

Store the signed agreement, exhibits, photographs, insurance, permit, invoices, acceptance records, access credentials and notice dates. Record oral promises in the contract or a signed amendment.

Inspection checklist

Workspace

• Measure rooms and confirm the plan.
• Place workstations, chairs, monitors and storage on the plan.
• Check door swing, circulation and emergency routes.
• Inspect light, glare, temperature and ventilation conditions.
• Test audibility at the door and adjacent common area.
• Check visual exposure from corridors and windows.
• Identify private-call and meeting alternatives.

Technology

• Confirm service provider, installation lead time and demarcation point.
• Ask what internet is included and whether performance is committed.
• Confirm network separation and permitted equipment.
• Test mobile coverage.
• Locate power, data and backup options.
• Review access logs, cameras and administrative privileges.

Commercial

• Reconcile every charge to the draft agreement.
• Identify taxes and payment timing.
• Confirm deposit, guarantee and refund terms.
• Record annual escalations and renewal mechanism.
• Review relocation, service change and interruption rights.
• Model exit and restoration.

Operational

• Walk the guest route.
• Confirm delivery and mail processes.
• Verify after-hours access for authorized users.
• Review cleaning and waste scope.
• Identify construction or outage plans.
• Confirm parking, cycling and public transit needs.

Montreal publishes current cycling-network information, including the year-round network, and describes the Express Bike Network connections through Griffintown. [15] [16] Commute claims should still be tested by each team.

Red flags

• The quote omits additional charges or taxes.
• “Private” is treated as “soundproof” without testing.
• An “available” office has a future availability date.
• A capacity number assumes laptops only but the team uses multiple monitors.
• The permitted use does not precisely cover the activity.
• A promised inclusion is absent from the agreement.
• Renewal pricing is entirely discretionary and relocation can occur without a workable remedy.
• A long lease has no plausible contraction strategy.
• A flexible agreement is described as month to month without a verified term.
• The decision model excludes deposits, fit-out, unused capacity or exit work.
• The signer assumes corporate incorporation eliminates a personal guarantee.
• Non-refundable travel, equipment or construction is booked before conditions are resolved.

Frequently asked questions

Is a coworking private office always month to month?

No. Terms vary by operator, office and agreement. 2727’s current public materials conflict on universal private-office terms, so review the individual listing and written agreement rather than relying on a generic month-to-month statement.

Is a conventional lease always cheaper?

No. A quoted rent excludes many potential costs. A conventional lease can become more economical for a stable team over a long period, but only after fit-out, operations, unused capacity and exit exposure are included.

Is a private office confidential?

Physical enclosure is not a confidentiality certification. Test speech and visual privacy, access, records, network design and professional obligations. CCOHS treats acoustical and visual privacy as separate planning criteria. [17]

Can I deduct the office cost?

CRA publishes general categories for lease payments, equipment and leasehold improvements, but the result depends on the entity, expense and facts. [18] Ask your accountant; this guide does not calculate deductibility or tax savings.

Does high vacancy mean I should sign a lease now?

Not by itself. Montreal’s headline vacancy includes long-marketed inventory, and premium conditions differ from weaker assets. [19] Compare specific options and negotiate from current evidence.

Does 2727 publish a permanent private-office floor price?

Current public sources conflict and availability is office-specific. Use the live office catalog and obtain a written quote for the actual listing.

When should I involve a lawyer?

Before signing or paying a non-refundable amount when lease rights, guarantees, permitted use, improvements, default, assignment, sublease, renewal or surrender matter. A lawyer should review the actual document, not a summary.

Four decision scenarios

A two-person professional practice

The practice needs two workstations, occasional clients and secure paper storage. A coworking private office may avoid the fixed cost of a reception area and building operations, but the team must test speech transmission, screen visibility, guest routing and storage. A conventional suite may win if professional rules require controls that the shared environment cannot document. CCOHS makes confidentiality, visitors, equipment and storage part of the requirement. [20]

A six-person software team expecting growth

The team uses multiple monitors, calls and two in-office collaboration days. It should model eight or ten people only if hiring has a plausible timetable; otherwise the growth buffer is expensive. Flexible space can bridge the hiring period, but adjacent inventory is not guaranteed. A conventional lease can reserve growth capacity and permit stronger network control, but it exposes the company if hiring stalls. Statistics Canada’s national hybrid figure is context only; the team’s own peak attendance drives the answer. [21]

A ten-person client-facing firm

Repeated visitors, private conversations and brand experience may justify a direct lease. The comparison should include the cost of exclusive meeting space, reception and acoustic improvements rather than assume that a closed office supplies them. If the firm can use a conventional suite for a long stable term, the control and amortization case may outweigh flexible convenience. Premium-space competition reported by Colliers is relevant context, but it does not remove the need to negotiate the actual asset. [22]

A foreign company testing Montreal

A short flexible office can support real local work while the company validates hiring, customers and operating needs. It does not by itself determine immigration, tax residence, permanent establishment, corporate registration or banking outcomes. A pre-built short commitment matches the market-test horizon documented in flex research. [23] If the test succeeds, the evidence gathered should inform a later lease rather than automatically renew flexible space forever.

Document request matrix

Evidence	Coworking private office	Conventional lease
Complete customer agreement	Request current draft and all policies incorporated by reference	Request lease draft, schedules, rules and amendments
Price evidence	Office-specific quote with date, taxes and variable charges	Base/additional rent schedule, operating-cost information and inducements
Premises	Office identifier, dimensions, capacity and shared areas	Plan, measurement method, delivery standard and condition report
Services	Written inclusion and usage-fee schedule	Building services plus tenant vendor requirements
Authority	Provider identity and authority to grant occupancy	Ownership/agency information and signing authority
Use	Written confirmation of permitted activity	Negotiated permitted-use clause and public approval path
Insurance	Required coverage and certificate instructions	Lease requirements reviewed with broker
Privacy/security	Factual controls and test results	Specifications, work and operational policies
Entry	Productive start date and access process	Work milestones, possession, commencement and delay remedy
Exit	Notice, renewal, property removal and deposit	Assignment, sublease, surrender, restoration and guarantee release

If a material fact appears only in an email or tour conversation, ask for it in the signed agreement. A polished proposal does not replace a binding scope.

Official and primary references

1. [24] Flexible-space uses and structures.
2. [25] Montreal vacancy, rents and sublet supply.
3. [26] National trends and construction.
4. [27] Premium and asset-quality segmentation.
5. [28] Planning, privacy and movement.
6. [29] Work-location context.
7. [30] Lease and equipment categories.
8. [31] Leasehold improvements.
9. [32] Permit and use diligence.
10. [33] Sublease and assignment starting point.
11. [34] Commute evidence.
12. [35] Griffintown connections.

Source and method note

This page was researched on 23 August 2026 using current material from CBRE, Colliers, JLL, CCOHS, Statistics Canada, CRA, Ville de Montreal and Quebec’s official legislation portal. Market observations are dated; legal, tax and product facts require reconfirmation against the actual transaction. The page deliberately does not claim that flexible space is always cheaper, that 2727 has a particular office available, or that an enclosed room guarantees confidentiality.

Appendix: build a board-ready recommendation

A decision memo should allow someone who did not attend the tours to understand what management is buying and which risks it accepts. A useful memo contains six exhibits.

Exhibit 1: requirement baseline

State the planning date, intended opening, legal entity, activity, peak attendance, work modes, visitor pattern, equipment, storage, accessibility needs and required duration. Separate facts from forecasts. “Eight employees” is a fact; “all eight will attend daily next year” is a forecast. Name the owner of each assumption and its next review date.

Exhibit 2: normalized premises

Show each option’s exclusive office area, shared facilities, usable workstations under the actual furniture plan, meeting capacity, guest path and storage. Do not compare a coworking room that benefits from shared circulation and kitchen space with a conventional rentable-area number without adjustment. Photograph constraints and record measurements.

Exhibit 3: cash schedule

Present monthly cash for the whole decision horizon. Keep refundable deposits visible even if they are not economic expense. Identify construction draws, prepaid rent, professional invoices, moving costs and the point at which productive use begins. If an option is not ready on time, add interim-space cost rather than assume zero disruption.

Exhibit 4: responsibility matrix

Assign every recurring task: internet support, access credentials, furniture repair, cleaning, waste, deliveries, guest arrival, insurance, permits, security incidents, after-hours failure and emergency communications. A service bundled in the coworking price reduces work only when its scope and response process satisfy the requirement. A conventional lease provides control only when the business has a person or vendor able to exercise it.

Exhibit 5: risk register

Score impact, not false precision. Include late delivery, unexpected construction, service outage, headcount increase or decrease, client loss, renewal increase, neighbouring noise, permit delay, accessibility work, guarantee enforcement, restoration and counterparty failure. For each risk, identify prevention, contingency, trigger and owner.

Exhibit 6: recommendation and rejected alternative

State why the selected option fits the current evidence and why the runner-up lost. Record the condition that would reverse the choice. For example: “Select the flexible office for twelve months because customer demand and simultaneous attendance remain unproven; reconsider a direct lease after two quarters above seven daily users.” This creates a decision that can be audited rather than a vague preference.

Questions for the accountant, lawyer and insurer

Accountant

• Which payments are current expenses and which create capital property?
• How should landlord inducements, free-rent periods and fit-out allowances be recorded?
• How do GST and QST apply to the invoices and input tax credits?
• What is the cash-tax timing difference between furniture purchase and bundled service?
• Does the entity’s expected occupancy period change the useful comparison horizon?

Lawyer

• What is the agreement’s legal character and which remedies actually apply?
• Does the permitted use cover the full activity and foreseeable growth?
• What obligations are personal, guaranteed or continuing after termination?
• Can the space be relocated, assigned or subleased, and under which conditions?
• What must be restored, removed or surrendered?
• Are operating-cost, audit, interruption and renewal provisions sufficiently clear?

Insurance adviser

• Which property, liability, cyber and business-interruption coverages are required?
• Does a shared workplace change access or property assumptions?
• Are improvements, equipment and property away from the premises covered?
• Do the agreement’s indemnities exceed available insurance?
• What evidence and notification are required after a loss?

These questions should be answered for the transaction, not by importing generic statements from this guide.

Final decision checklist

Before authorization, management should be able to answer yes to each statement:

• The same legal entity appears on the quote, contract, insurance and permit work.
• The team’s real peak attendance, equipment, visitors and privacy needs are documented.
• Both alternatives were normalized for productive capacity and the same time horizon.
• Upfront, recurring, variable, delay and exit cash appear in the model.
• The 2727 option, if considered, uses the specific live listing and written term rather than a category floor.
• Every important inclusion appears in the agreement or schedule.
• The conventional option includes a plausible delivery plan and interim-space consequence.
• Counsel reviewed use, guarantees, changes, defaults, renewal and surrender.
• The accountant reviewed payments, assets, taxes and inducements without a promised deduction.
• The insurer reviewed the actual activity, shared-space facts and contractual indemnities.
• Sound, sightlines, guest route, access, internet and mobile service were tested onsite.
• Permit and work responsibilities have owners and deadlines.
• Growth and contraction cases are survivable.
• Oral representations that affect the choice were captured in writing.
• Notice and renewal dates are already on a controlled calendar.

If one answer is no, it does not automatically reject the option. It identifies a condition to close or a risk for an authorized decision maker to accept explicitly. That distinction prevents a checklist from pretending to be professional approval.