Guides / Checklist
What to Check Before You Lease a Ready-Built Factory in Vietnam
October 7, 2026
Photos and floor plans make most ready-built factories look alike. The differences that stop a move are rarely visible in a listing: a transformer that is too small, a slab that cannot take your presses, fire approval for warehouse use when you plan to run a paint line. These twelve checks catch most of them. Take this list on every site visit.
Building
1. Usable area and layout
Ask for the production floor area separately from offices, canopies and mezzanines. Check column spacing against your line layout. A 24 m span with columns in the middle can waste more space than a smaller clear-span unit.
2. Clear height
Measure under the lowest beam, not the ridge. 8 to 10 m is typical for newer units. Racking, cranes and tall machines all need height, and adding it later is not possible.
3. Floor load
Ask for the slab rating in tons per m² and see the drawings if possible. Heavy machine tools, presses and high racking may need a local foundation. Cracks, uneven joints or patched areas are worth a closer look.
4. Overhead crane
If you need a crane, check whether crane beams already exist, their span and rated capacity. If not, ask the owner whether the structure was designed to take a crane later. Retrofitting a crane on a building not designed for it is expensive or impossible.
5. Docks and access
Count loading docks and check levellers. Drive the route a 40 ft container truck will take from the park gate to the dock. Note turning space and whether docks are covered.
Utilities
6. Power
This is the check that most often changes a decision. Ask for the transformer size in kVA, whether it serves only this unit, and the voltage. Compare it with your connected load and shift pattern. If you need more, ask how long an upgrade takes and who pays.
7. Water and wastewater
Check the water supply, the connection to the park wastewater plant and the discharge limits. Processes such as plating, painting, food and dyeing need written confirmation that the park accepts their wastewater.
8. Compressed air, lighting and ventilation
These are usually tenant fit-out, but existing roof vents, skylights and lighting change the budget. Check roof condition after rain if you can.
Papers and permits
9. Fire prevention approval
Ask to see the fire prevention design approval and acceptance for the building. Check what use it was approved for. A change of use, a higher fire load or new mezzanines can require a new approval before you start production.
10. Land and building papers
Inside an industrial park, the developer holds the land lease from the state and subleases to tenants or owners. Check the remaining land lease term against the lease you plan to sign, and see the construction permit for the building. Outside parks, check land use rights and zoning carefully, since many units there are not allowed for manufacturing.
11. Investment and business line fit
Parks have rules on which industries they accept. Make sure your business line fits the park before you sign, because your investment registration and enterprise registration will list this address. Some processes, such as heavy plating or chemicals, are only allowed in specific parks.
Contract
12. Lease terms that matter later
Read for the rent escalation clause, the deposit return conditions, the reinstatement obligation at the end of the lease, and who pays for structural repairs. Ask for a break option if your volumes are uncertain.
A simple scoring sheet
After each visit, score the factory on the same five lines: power, floor and height, fire approval, papers and park fit, and total monthly cost. A unit that fails any of the first four is out, however good the rent. Compare the rest on cost, using the method in our factory rent cost guide.
Want us to do the checks?
We check power, floor, crane, fire approval and papers on site before a factory reaches your shortlist, and send notes with photos. Send your requirements and we reply within 24 business hours. There is no fee for tenants.
Frequently asked questions
What is a ready-built factory?
A ready-built factory is a standard building put up by a park developer or owner before a tenant is found. Tenants lease it and fit it out, instead of leasing land and building their own.
Who is responsible for fire safety approval in a leased factory?
The building should already have fire prevention approval and acceptance for its design use. If your process or layout changes the use or the fire load, the tenant usually has to apply for an updated approval before operating. Agree in the lease who handles and pays for it.
How long does a power upgrade take?
It depends on the size of the upgrade and the local grid. Small changes can take weeks, a new transformer or a new connection can take several months. Check this before signing if your load is close to what the unit has.
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