Moving an office is much more complicated than moving a house. It requires the safe transportation of furniture, computers, documents, equipment and other valuable possessions. Also, a company should minimize the disruptions of moving.
This office relocation guide tells how professional removalists can help you organize your business move.
Why Is Office Relocation More Complicated Than Household Move?
An office relocation involves many items which must be sorted out and properly organized prior to transport.
They may include:
- Desks
- Office chairs
- Computers
- Monitors
- Printers
- Filing cabinets
- Meeting room furniture
- Servers
- Networking equipment
- Documents
- Office supplies
- Kitchen equipment
In contrast to household moving, a business relocation may have a direct impact on your business.
Poor planning may lead to:
- Loss of employee’s time
- Loss of documents
- Damaged equipment
- IT disruptions
- Unplanned delays
- Unexpected expenses
Professional removalists will help you in coordinating your physical relocation while your management team will concentrate on your business operation.
What Is an Office Relocation?
An office relocation means moving a business to another workplace.
It can take place in different places:
- Same building
- Other street
- Other suburb
- Other city
- Other state
The scale of relocation can be different from small office with few employees to large corporate workplace with hundreds of workstations.
The more complicated is your relocation, the more thorough planning you should do.
When to Start Organizing Your Business Move?
Planning period varies depending on the size of the business.
Small Office
A small office may be able to organize its relocation within several weeks in advance.
Medium-Sized Office
A medium-sized company may need several weeks or even more to organize its employees, equipment, furniture, IT requirements.
Large Corporate Office
A large corporate relocation may need several months of planning especially if it includes several departments, floors or even locations.
Begin to plan as soon as you have some degree of confirmation of your new premises and moving period.
What Assistance Can Professional Removalists Provide for Office Relocation
Professional commercial removalists can help you not only load boxes on a truck.
They can help you:
- with the moving planning process
- dismantle furniture
- pack the items
- label the boxes
- load them
- transport
- unload them
- assemble furniture
- store items
- handle the specialized equipment
- arrange commercial moving process logistics
Agarwal Packers and Movers Australia offer their customers commercial moving and office relocation services all across Australia including packaging, transportation, storage and other relocation services. (agarwalpackers.com.au)
- Create an Office Relocation Plan
Prior to moving any items you need to create a comprehensive plan.
The plan should include:
- current office location
- future office location
- moving date
- number of employees
- furniture list
- IT equipment
- documents
- special items
- packing requirements
- storage requirements
- building access issues
- downtime estimates
Delegate specific responsibilities to particular members of your team so they know what they have to do.
- Create an Office Inventory
Inventory will help you to understand what you will need to move.
Create a list and classify your office belongings.
Furniture
- desks
- chairs
- cabinets
- shelves
- conference tables
- reception furniture
Technology
- computers
- monitors
- printers
- phones
- networking equipment
- servers
Documents
- files
- contracts
- financial information
- employee records
- archived documents
Other
- kitchen equipment
- stationery
- promotional materials
- office decorations
Inventory may help your removalist to estimate the truck space and labor needs.
- Declutter before Moving
Office relocation is the great opportunity to get rid of items which your company does not need anymore.
Think about:
- outdated furniture
- broken equipment
- old stationery
- duplicate supplies
- unused electronics
- outdated documents
- damaged office equipment
Separate your items into:
- keep
- sell
- donate
- recycle
- dispose
It makes very little sense to pay for transporting items your company would not use anymore.
- Plan How You Would Like to Move Your Office Furniture
Not all businesses have to move all their existing furniture into the new office.
Think of the layout and needs of the new office before moving all things there.
For example, your new office might:
- Be smaller and have smaller workstations
- Have built-in storage
- Have more meeting rooms
- Have different desk configurations
- Have shared working space
Calculate how big the new office is before moving big pieces of furniture.
It can help you avoid the situation when you have transported furniture that cannot fit the new layout.
- Make Separate Plan for Your IT Relocation
IT equipment is usually the main thing when planning office relocation.
Your IT plan may include:
- Computers
- Monitors
- Servers
- Routers
- Switches
- Printers
- Phones
- Security systems
- Cables
Before relocating, make a list of your important equipment and talk to your IT provider or internal IT department.
Back Up Important Data
Make sure important business data is backed up before disconnecting equipment.
Label Your IT Equipment
Label computers, monitors, cables, and all other accessories so you could connect them correctly later.
Protect Special IT Equipment
There may be some IT equipment that requires special packaging and transporting.
Talk about it with your removalists before the move.
- Keep Your Confidential Documents Safe
Businesses usually work with confidential information.
Documents may be:
- Customer data
- Financial records
- Contracts
- Employees’ personal data
- Legal records
- Internal reports
Make sure confidential documents are packed safely.
Keep a list of where all your important documents are packed and by whom.
If you don’t need certain documents anymore, use your company’s data storage and disposal policy instead of just moving everything.
- Create a Floor Plan for the New Office
Draw a floor plan before moving day.
Plan where you would like to have:
- Desks for your employees
- Tables for meetings
- Furniture for reception area
- Cabinets for storage
- Printers
- IT equipment
- Kitchen equipment
Tell your removalists where major furniture should be placed.
It can save time since you won’t have to move the heavy furniture yourself.
- Work With Building Management
Your old and new buildings might have particular moving needs.
Ask the building management about the following:
- Lift hire
- Loading zones
- Parking facilities
- Moving times
- Security arrangements
- Access cards
- Service lifts
- Loading dock specifications
Most commercial buildings will allow moving only during certain hours.
Make sure you confirm such specifications long before the move day.
- Select an Appropriate Commercial Removalist Company
Using an experienced removalist company when relocating can simplify the process.
Some of the questions to ask yourself when comparing companies:
Commercial Relocations
Is the company experienced in commercial relocations?
Equipment
Does it own necessary vehicles and moving tools?
Packing
Can it offer professional office packing service?
Storage
Does it offer temporary storage?
Specialist Handling
Does the company know how to safely handle oversized and sensitive equipment?
Communication
Will you have someone in charge to be responsible for your move?
Pricing
Are all the costs included in the quotation?
According to Agarwal Packers and Movers Australia, it offers commercial relocation services for businesses in Australia, such as office moving, packing, transportation and storage. (agarwalpackers.com.au)
- Request a Quotation for Your Commercial Move
Verbal estimate cannot help you make sure you get all the costs included in the final price.
Requesting a written estimate will ensure the company is aware of the extent of your relocation.
The quotation should include the following:
- Number of people needed
- Trucks and protective equipment required
- Packing
- Packing material
- Furniture disassembly
- Furniture assembly
- Transportation and unloading
- Storage and specialist handling
- Possible additional charges
Additionally, inform the removalist of difficult access, stairs, lifts and distances for carrying.
Correct information leads to the realistic estimate of the costs.
- Consider Moving Stages
There is no need to move everything at once.
A staged move can be appropriate in situations like:
- Involvement of several departments
- Partial occupancy of the new office
- Continuation of business processes
- Gradual IT infrastructure move
- Availability of storage space
In this case:
Stage 1: Non-essential furniture and archive documentation
Stage 2: Department equipment
Stage 3: IT and essential workplace equipment
Stage 4: Remaining staff members and belongings
The optimal plan depends on business and building-specific needs.
- Minimise Business Downtime
Reduction of disturbance is among the key priorities for office relocation.
Plan to:
- Move off hours
- Move over weekends
- Move during scheduled shut downs
- Move in stages
Inform employees ahead of time about:
- Time of moving
- Their tasks
- New working place
- System downtime
- New office opening date
Proper scheduling can allow your company to restore the normal operation faster.
- Inform Employees about the Move
Relocation should be announced well ahead of time.
Information can be provided regarding:
- New address of the office
- Dates of moving
- Parking
- Public transport
- Workstation arrangement
- Packing procedures
- Equipment needs
- New building rules
You can also give the employees a simple moving checklist.
Employee Moving Checklist
- [ ] Clear personal belongings
- [ ] Label workstation equipment
- [ ] Protect confidential documents
- [ ] Clean desk drawers
- [ ] Backup important files
- [ ] Follow IT instructions
- [ ] Pack authorized office items
- Proper Labeling of All Items
Labeling is probably the easiest way to organize office relocation process.
Labeling can include:
- Employee name
- Department
- Floor
- Room number
- Workstation number
- List of box content
Example:
Marketing – Sarah – Desk 14
It will let movers put things directly to their places.
- Consider Temporary Storage
Storage can be useful while relocating offices.
You will need storage service in case:
- New office is not ready yet
- Lease period ends before the office becomes available
- Renovation is performed
- Office is downsized
- Relocation is performed in several stages
- There is excess furniture
Agarwal Packers and Movers Australia offers storage facilities along with their relocation services. (agarwalpackers.com.au)
Before booking your storage facility, inquire about:
- Duration of storage
- Fees
- Access
- Security
- Collection
- Delivery
- Handling charges
- Protecting Office Furniture While Shipping
Office furniture may be damaged during loading and shipping when it is not packed properly.
Professional removalists may use:
- Furniture blankets
- Protective packaging
- Trolleys
- Straps
- Packing materials
Furniture such as glass-top tables, cabinets, and large desks may require extra care.
Inform your removalist of any valuable or fragile furniture before moving.
- Plan For Specialist Equipment
A business may have specialist equipment that cannot be treated like ordinary office furniture.
These may include:
- Servers
- Laboratory equipment
- Medical equipment
- Large printers
- Industrial equipment
- Art work
- Safes
Ask if your removalist is capable of handling such specialist equipment.
Specialized handling of such equipment must be included while quoting the price.
- Prepare a Moving Day Communication Strategy
Assign one member to take charge of communication on moving day.
This member would coordinate:
- Building management
- Employees
- IT staff
- Removalists
- Business management
It helps to keep phone numbers handy in case there is an emergency.
Office Relocation Time Line
8-12 Weeks Before
- [ ] Confirm new premises
- [ ] Confirm moving date
- [ ] Create moving budget
- [ ] Appoint a relocation coordinator
- [ ] Research commercial removalists
- [ ] Create initial inventory
4-8 Weeks Before
- [ ] Get quotations
- [ ] Hire removalist
- [ ] Design office layout
- [ ] Declutter
- [ ] Storage
- [ ] Coordinate IT requirements
- [ ] Notify employees
2-4 Weeks Before
- [ ] Start packing non-essentials
- [ ] Label boxes
- [ ] Confirm building access
- [ ] Reserve lifts/loading areas
- [ ] Finalize furniture requirements
- [ ] Confirm moving schedule
1 Week Before
- [ ] Finish packing
- [ ] Backup important data
- [ ] Arrange removalist
- [ ] Arrange IT schedule
- [ ] Prepare important documents
- [ ] Give final instructions to employees
Moving Day
- [ ] Keep paths clear
- [ ] Arrange loading
- [ ] Supervise the move
- [ ] Check the equipment
- [ ] Direct the furniture into its proper place
- [ ] Final inspection
Post-moving
- [ ] Check inventory
- [ ] Connect IT equipment
- [ ] Test the phone lines and internet connection
- [ ] Check furniture
- [ ] Confirm that all departments are working
- [ ] Update the business address if necessary
How Much Does an Office Relocation Cost?
It is impossible to define the fixed price for a commercial move.
The cost may depend on:
- The size of the office
- The number of employees
- The volume of furniture
- Distance
- Labor demands
- Packing
- IT equipment
- Building access
- Storage
- Moving schedule
- Special equipment
The move of a small office with only a few workstations can cost considerably cheaper than a large corporate relocation.
The best way to get an idea about the cost of your move is to get a detailed commercial moving quotation.
How to Save Money on an Office Move
Companies can try to save money on the relocation through planning.
Declutter
Avoid transporting furniture and equipment which is not used anymore.
Pre-pack
Prepare non-essential items before moving day.
Relocate Phases
Staged relocation is possible for bigger companies to reduce the impact of relocation.
Compare Quotations
Get detailed quotations from different commercial removalists.
Prearrange Access
Prepare parking spots, loading areas and elevator access.
Get Detailed Inventory
The more details your removalist will have, the easier the move will be planned.
Why Hire Professional Office Removalists?
Professional removalists can provide you with the necessary labor force, vehicles and equipment.
Their assistance can allow companies to:
- Save employee time
- Save energy
- Protect the furniture
- Plan transportation
- Plan packing
- Plan storage
- Prevent unnecessary disruptions
The proper removalist will work with your needs rather than consider your relocation just as a regular household move.
Why Choose Agarwal Packers and Movers?
Agarwal Packers and Movers Pty. Ltd. offers commercial and office relocation services in Australia.
Agarwal Packers and Movers’ commercial moving services comprise office relocation, packing, transport, unpacking, and storage options. (agarwalpackers.com.au)
Additionally, it is stated that Agarwal Packers and Movers has been operating in the moving industry since 1987 and provides office relocation services in Australia and internationally. (agarwalpackers.com.au)
For businesses thinking about an office relocation, they need to discuss their office size, inventory, accessibility conditions, moving date, IT requirements, and any special equipment needed before making a quotation request.
It is always necessary to examine the quotation and know what services are included in it.
Contact Agarwal Packers and Movers
Thinking about an office relocation?
Contact Agarwal Packers and Movers Pty. Ltd. to discuss your moving requirements and get a tailored quotation.
Phone: (+61)-341-089656 Email: [email protected] ABN: 50 666 699 396
Get a Quote: Commercial Removalists
FAQs about Business Office Relocation
- What is the minimum notice period for office relocation?
Depending on the complexity of the office relocation project, the notice period can range from several months to less time required for a small office.
- Are removalists able to pack an entire office?
Yes, most commercial removalists can provide packing services for office furniture, equipment, documents, and other workplace items.
- Can removalists move computers and office equipment?
Yes, most commercial removalists can move computers, monitors, and other office equipment. It would be better to talk about any sensitive or special equipment in advance.
- How can I minimize office business downtime when moving offices?
One can think about relocation outside working hours, during weekends, in several steps, coordinating relocation with the IT department and informing the employees about the schedule.
- Is there a need to declutter an office before moving?
Yes. Removing unused furniture, equipment and supplies can reduce the amount that needs to be packed and transported.
- Do office movers provide storage?
There are some removalists who offer temporary storage for furniture, documents and all other items belonging to the business.
- How much will an office relocation cost?
The costs are dependent on the office size, volume of furniture, distance, labor, packing, access, storage and any specialist needs. It is recommended that you receive a personal quotation.
- Will removalists disassemble and reassemble office furniture?
Many removalists disassemble and reassemble office furniture. Check if this is offered in your quotation.
- What should I inform my removalist prior to an office relocation?
Provide your moving date, location, inventory, access details, furniture requirements, packing requirements, storage requirements and any specialist equipment.
- How can I obtain an office relocation quotation?
Approach a commercial removalist with information about your current office, new premises, number of work stations, furniture, equipment, moving date and access details. Your needs will be assessed and a quotation issued.
Final Thoughts
An office relocation involves much more than just the moving of desks and boxes. It involves coordination with management, staff, IT department, building managers and professional removalists.
Getting an early start, developing your inventory, sorting out your clutter, designing the new office layout and coordinating building access will make this job easier.
Most importantly, make sure that you select a mover who has experience with commercial and office relocations. The professional removalist team will assist with packing, transportation, furniture handling, storage and other aspects of the relocation process while you continue with your business operations.
Agarwal Packers and Movers Australia provide commercial relocations services including office moving, packing, transportation, unpacking and storage services.
Want to relocate your office? Contact Agarwal Packers and Movers for your personalized quotation.
