Quick answer. If you're equipping a gym or fitness studio in Vancouver, get a quote for the installed package before you compare leases. Confirm the space can be used for your business, how the machines will get in, and when you can open. Ask which equipment and setup costs the lease covers and when the first payment comes due. Keep a separate budget for work and bills outside the lease.
Key takeaways
- Check the address and intended use with the City of Vancouver before ordering for a new location.
- Use a commercial equipment quote with quantities, models, delivery, assembly and warranty details. Get serial numbers and service records for used machines.
- Put payments, installation and opening on the same calendar. Allow for a delay between the first withdrawal and the first month of regular membership revenue.
Check the space and delivery route first
Start with the proposed address and what you plan to operate there. The City of Vancouver requires a business licence for organizations doing business in or from Vancouver and advises checking the approved use of a space. A change may require approvals or permits. Review the City's information about occupancy permits and confirm which steps apply to your unit before you rely on a particular opening date. A gym in a different municipality should check with its own local authority.
Ask the landlord and installer to walk the path from the loading area to the equipment floor. Give the installer door and elevator dimensions, booking restrictions and any stairs. Ask which units can be taken apart for delivery and who will reassemble them. If the lease unit is upstairs, have the appropriate professional check the floor and installation plan for your equipment. A heavy rack and a cardio machine present different placement and service questions.
Get a list of what needs to be ready before the installer arrives. Ask about power at each cardio station, network access for connected consoles, flooring and any anchoring required by the manufacturer. Have the vendor identify which work is included in its quote and which work the landlord or a separate contractor must do. Put those responsibilities in writing if delivery depends on them.
Quote an equipment package the business can use
Build the list around the sessions you plan to sell and the number of people using the room at once. A cycling studio may need matching bikes, spare parts and a plan for servicing them between classes. A strength facility may need several rack stations, suitable flooring and space for safe circulation. For a Pilates studio, specify the reformers and accessories instructors need for the class format. Buy enough to run the schedule you can reasonably fill and check what can be added later.
Ask the seller for models, quantities, commercial warranty terms and the price for delivery and assembly. List accessories, required subscriptions, spare parts and installation work separately. Ask who pays each bill and which amounts the proposed lease will cover. If the quoted payment covers only machines, compare it with the same equipment-only scope in the second quote, then compare the overall project with the rest of the bills included.
| Source | Ask for before paying | Costs to confirm |
|---|---|---|
| New commercial supplier | Model list, commercial warranty, delivery schedule and installer responsibilities | Freight, assembly and optional software or service plans |
| Refurbished dealer stock | Serials, refurbishment scope, test record and written parts coverage | Future replacement parts and labour after coverage ends |
| Private sale or auction | Seller records, serials and inspection access before any binding commitment | Disassembly, transport, reassembly, inspection and any non-refundable deposit |
With used cardio equipment, ask the manufacturer or service company whether parts are still available for the model and who can service it at your address. Check console access and account transfer, especially when a seller's subscription or location is attached to the equipment. For used racks or reformers, ask the seller for maintenance records and have the equipment assessed by a qualified person. The private-sale financing guide covers the seller evidence and purchase records a financing provider may ask to see.
Budget for the month the doors open
Draw up a cash schedule with equipment payments on one line and all the other bills on separate lines. Include the landlord deposit, occupancy costs, installer invoices and staffing. Ask the equipment lessor what triggers the first payment and how it handles staggered deliveries. If one treadmill or a batch of reformers arrives later than expected, ask what the agreement says about acceptance and whether the delayed machines can be invoiced separately.
Suppose you budget for a $3,000 monthly equipment payment, a separate $500 for service and software, and another $1,000 in monthly costs for the new program. If each completed paid class spot contributes $15 after its variable costs, the program needs 300 paid spots per month to cover the assumed $4,500. At 240 paid spots, it brings in $3,600 toward those costs and leaves a $900 gap. These are hypothetical inputs for a calculation, in Canadian dollars. Your forecast should include the real costs of the location and exclude money you have already counted as membership revenue.
Check whether the timetable has enough spots and whether your staffing plan can support it. A studio might have enough spots on paper but very few bookings outside its evening classes. Use the bookings you actually see across the week when you estimate the return on extra machines. For a new program without a history, test a slower scenario and write down what cash you have left if it takes longer to fill the timetable.
If you're replacing equipment at an existing location, map the changeover class by class. Ask the installer which stations will be unavailable and for how long. If members can use a different room or time slot, count the extra staff or rental cost. Consider staggering deliveries where the seller and lessor can document each batch separately. Ask the service company for an estimate on the old units too. That gives you a cost for keeping some equipment in service while you replace the pieces that cause the most cancellations.
Keep a running list of what you have already paid. Match deposits to the invoice they reduce. Get an updated cash schedule when the vendor changes a date.
Read the lease as a delivery and ownership agreement
Find the written amount due upfront, regular payments, term, purchase option, return requirements and early payout terms. Ask what happens if you move locations before the term ends. If you expect to keep the machines, include the purchase option and any fees in your comparison. If you expect to return them, find out who pays to disassemble, pack and transport them. A lease quote with no return estimate leaves a real cost unpriced.
Review the facility agreement beside the equipment lease. If the premises term ends before the equipment term, find out what moving the equipment would cost and whether the lessor needs to consent. Before you sign delivery acceptance, ask the vendor and lessor to confirm what you are accepting. If equipment is still packed or cannot be tested, document that and ask when the contract expects the equipment to be operational. Put the person authorized to sign and their inspection tasks on the delivery plan.
Gather the vendor quote, ownership details, financial records and opening or expansion budget. For a new location, bring the proposed premises documents and a schedule of work and approvals. Mehmi's startup review requires at least six months of revenue shown in bank statements. If the business has less operating history, ask what options may be available and what evidence would be required before placing an equipment order.
Frequently asked questions
Can I lease one piece of equipment for an existing studio?
Ask for a quote on the specific asset. Compare its cost with the additional sessions you expect it to support. Some charges, such as delivery and assembly, can be significant for a single machine, so get them in writing.
Can I add flooring and installation to the lease?
Ask the provider to identify which costs are included and how any separate contractors will be paid. Keep a reserve for anything it excludes and ask whether the contractor requires a deposit before the equipment can be delivered.
How do I budget when the gym hasn't opened yet?
Enter the date each deposit, installation bill and lease payment comes due. Then move the opening date back and check which bills still land on their original dates. Give yourself enough cash to pay those bills without depending on membership payments that may arrive later.
Tools and next steps
Use the lease versus loan calculator to estimate the equipment payments. Put the estimates on your opening cash schedule beside the vendor quote, facility readiness dates and planned class capacity.
Ask Mehmi Financial Group to review your commercial fitness equipment quote or call 1-833-863-4644.
Sources
- City of Vancouver business licence and location guidance, reviewed November 11, 2026.
- City of Vancouver occupancy permit guidance, reviewed November 11, 2026.
By Jodhbir Mehmi. Read our editorial standards.