Why Have a Moving Office Checklist?
Moving office is not always as straightforward as other moves. Unlike moving house, you will need to shift heavy furniture and expensive equipment as well as thinking about the paperwork. You do not want to have packed everything up to find out you missed a clause in your commercial lease! This is why having a moving office checklist is important.
How Long Does It Take To Move an Office?
Moving offices is a big process and you really need to plan in advance. It is vital that you give yourself enough time to move calmly and take into consideration any problems that might arise. Done properly, your entire moving office process could take around 6 months. The actual move could take 1 day or even the whole week depending on where you are moving to.
6 Months Before Moving Office
Planning to move offices in advance is the surest way to save on stress. Being methodical is the best way to ensure your entire company can move safely.
Have a Look at Your Current Lease
If you do not own the property where your company is based, take a good look at your commercial lease before packing up. Look out for:
- Deposit — Check what your lease specifies in terms of duration. If you are ending the lease early, you could lose your deposit.
- Responsibility for Repairs — Make sure you know whether you need to make repairs before you move. You might have to repair light bulbs, fixtures or flaky paint.
- Other Terms — Watch out for any other terms where you might need to make sure everything is in order before moving out.
Prepare for Decommissioning
Decommissioning is probably going to be your biggest job. To decommission properly, you need to ensure the property looks exactly how it did before you moved in. When decommissioning, plan for:
- Taking down logos
- Removing or fixing fixtures
- Removing cables
- Replacing lightbulbs
Set Your Moving Office Budget
Make a note of all expected expenses for moving vans and other essentials, and consider what you could leave behind or sell. Having a budget will help you save money and keep costs low.
Research Removals Companies
Research a number of removal companies and get quotes to compare. When looking at different companies, look out for:
- Whether they specifically serve commercial movers
- Extras such as moving boxes and disassembly services
- Flexibility to move on weekends or outside office hours
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Moving house? Our experts at Selectra can set up your energy, broadband, and utilities in one free call — saving you time and money.
3 Months Before Moving Office
Decide a Moving Date
Having a moving date gives you certainty and helps you structure your plan. Consider both the season and day of the week since some days are more expensive than others.
Talk to Your Landlord
Give your landlord as much notice as possible. It might stipulate how much time you need to give in the lease agreement.
Get Moving Supplies
Remember to get the basics:
- Moving Boxes
- Sticky labels
- Brown packing tape
- Bubble wrap
- Old newspapers
- Marker pens
- Stretch wrap
Sort Out Utilities
Set up your business energy and other utilities, such as broadband, as early as possible. You will also need to schedule a disconnection with your old property.
Take a Look at Your New Premises
Check out the new premises to get a good idea of where everything will fit. This also gives you an opportunity to check internet and electricity connections.
1 Month Before Moving Office
Work Out a Floor Plan
Create a floor plan of your new property with all the equipment and furniture you are bringing. Know where people will sit and where desks and common areas will be.
Sort Out Storage
If you have a lot of stuff, look into temporary commercial storage units and factor it into your budget.
Begin Packing
Start packing non-essential items first before moving onto objects with more daily uses.
Make Sure IT Are Aware
Keep the IT department aware of every step and include them when inspecting the new facilities. Make sure all data is backed up and well secured before you leave.
Need Help Setting Up Your New Home?
Moving house? Our experts at Selectra can set up your energy, broadband, and utilities in one free call — saving you time and money.
2 Weeks Before Moving Office
Have everything non-essential ready to go. Make sure to update your business address for utilities, taxes, and Google Maps. Let people outside the company know about your change of address.
2 Days Before Moving Office
Make sure everything is arranged and ready to go. Finish packing, do a final walk-through of the old property, and confirm with the landlord that everything is in order.
Moving Day
Meet your movers at the property. Give them clear instructions on how to start removing furniture and equipment, and listen to their recommendations for technical objects. Provide them with refreshments!
After everything has been moved out, do one last sweep before handing the keys back to the landlord.
After Moving Office
Let the movers help put everything in place using your floor plan as a guide. Make sure all technology is working as expected. And do not forget to celebrate with your team — it is a big achievement moving an entire office!