Trade Contractor
Skilled tradespeople and their businesses—HVAC, plumbing, electrical, roofing, and similar services—who make up the core tenant base for small bay industrial.
Definition
Trade contractors are the backbone of small bay industrial tenancy. These businesses provide essential services—heating and cooling, plumbing, electrical work, roofing, flooring, painting, and general contracting—to residential and commercial customers. They need space to store vehicles, equipment, and materials; a small office for dispatching and administration; and proximity to their service areas. Trade contractors value functional space over aesthetics, prioritize roll-up door access for their work trucks, and often have predictable cash flows tied to service agreements and construction activity. They're typically owner-operated, invested in their businesses, and reluctant to relocate once established due to employee commute patterns and customer relationships.
Example
A typical small bay property might include an HVAC contractor in 2,500 SF, an electrician in 1,500 SF, a plumbing company in 3,000 SF, and a general contractor in 2,000 SF. Each runs 3-8 service vehicles, employs technicians who report to the shop each morning, and stores inventory and equipment on-site.