Business relocations are daunting – there’s nothing simple about relocating an entire team of employees, hiring office movers, much less moving high-value equipment, electronics, or anything of that sort. No matter what it is, it’s still the equipment that makes your business money, even if we are talking about computers and desks only. And yes, the relocation of any size of the business is equally complex because the stakes are high in both cases.
So, what is the key to a successful office move? Planning and organization will ensure that your office move goes off without a hitch, so we’re here to help you coordinate the whole process and prevent any hiccups from happening along the way. This business moving checklist should help you plan a seamless and smooth move, and that nothing gets damaged along the way. Let’s start!
Review your lease for a current office before planning a move
Before you start planning your move and calling different office movers, you should read and review your current lease with your office space. The last thing you need when moving your business is to have some unexpected expenses that will make you feel stressed out. After all, moving can be quite expensive, so why wouldn’t you spare a couple of minutes to go through your lease to determine everything.
Check your terms carefully to find out if you are on the hook for a fee if something is damaged, chipped, scratched, or something like that. There might also be some information on how early should you let your management know about moving out. Do your best not to lose the security deposit, we all know these are not cheap. When it comes to moving, you can never be too cautious, so don’t skip any step.
Have a meeting with your employees to inform them about moving
The worst-case scenario is that your employees learn about moving after your local movers arrive. Just think about it, they will need some time to organize their private lives according to the new office address. They will need more or less time to drive to the workplace, or it might interrupt their responsibilities.
You should organize an all-staff meeting where you will present your employees with your moving plan and also let them know how the new office will look and where is it located. Let them ask you everything they would like to, and make sure to send a follow-up email that contains the bullet points.
Choose someone to be a project manager of this project
When planning a move, the more people you have involved, the more complex the organization will be. You will have help from your local movers, which is guaranteed, but it is best to have a person who is responsible to keep a track of all the things on your to-do list.
This person should be the one taking care that you are within the moving budget, call local movers to get quotes from them, and check if all the employees are ready to go. You can ask someone to volunteer with this task, or you can assign the project to someone responsible and well-organized.
Pick a date for your relocation
The first thing your professional movers will ask you is the moving date, so make sure you have selected the date before calling local movers. When moving an office, it might be tricky to select the moving date, because you don’t want to lose any profit due to the move. That is why it is important to start planning a move early before local movers get booked up, so you can pick the date that works for you and that is available at the moment.
You should know that local movers can help you with your move even on weekends, and some local moving companies might be as flexible to help you with the move even after hours. Check all of that with your chosen local movers, but still, you should go with the date that you can dedicate to the moving project.
Research local movers in your area
Now is the time for the most important task you will have – finding professional movers. If you think that this is as simple as typing local movers near me and hiring one of the first companies on the list, we will have to say that you are too optimistic. Finding local movers nowadays is not that simple because there are numerous local moving companies out there, and you will see it yourself. But don’t start panicking when you see dozens of names popping up when you type local movers near me. You will have to start your search now, so pick a couple of top names on Google and Yelp and read the reviews and visit their websites.
Learning more about your professional movers is crucial when planning a local move, so don’t skip this step. Before you call any local movers, put your wishes, requests, and details about your office on paper, so you can determine what type of service you need and how they can help you. Besides checking everything related to the prices and services that your local movers can offer, you should also check if they are licensed. Hiring licensed local movers is crucial if you would like to have a stress-free move because you will be covered no matter what.
So, make sure to invest some time in this task, because reliable local movers will help you have a wonderful move that will be done smoothly and efficiently. Once you find the most suitable local movers to use, you should hire them as soon as possible. Reliable local movers get booked up pretty fast, so don’t waste a lot of time thinking.
Determine a moving budget
When planning a commercial move, one of the most important things to determine is the moving budget. So, make sure to think of all the expenses you will have, from hiring local movers, preparing your new office for moving in, buying packing materials, etc. The more detailed your moving budget is, the less stressful the move will be. So try to come up with every single expense you will have and write it down.
Pack valuable documents on your own
No matter how reliable your local movers might be, you should always pack and move valuables and irreplaceable documents and items on your own. It’s better to be safe than sorry, especially since you will have just a box or two to take, and you can save yourself a lot of stress if you handle this on your own.
Don’t reschedule packing, start early
Procrastination is your worst enemy when it comes to packing. This is the most complex and the most time-consuming task you will have when planning a move. And don’t be too optimistic with thinking that the whole packing process can be done in a day or two because you will need some more time. You should always start with the least used items and continue towards those you are using all the time. This way, you will ensure that you are packed and ready to go when your local movers arrive.
Label the boxes
There are many ways to label your boxes properly, and you should find the way that is the most suitable for you. From color-coding, writing the content of the boxes, to number labeling – just pick the one that works the best. Don’t miss this step because your local movers will know where to put which box. Also, you should add notes for the boxes that contain fragile belongings, so your office movers could handle them safely. If you choose the number strategy, you will be sure that all of your belongings got to the new office safely.
Check with your office building if they have some special requests
Whenever you are moving from a commercial building or to one, your building management will probably have some requirements on their own. It’s no longer about you finding local movers that can meet all of your needs and wishes, but they also need to fulfill your building requirements.
They might be different, from your local movers providing a Certificate of insurance, protecting their building property, to moving in or out at a certain time. No matter what your building management requires, you should notify your local movers in time, because they need some time to provide you with everything your building requires.
Make a blueprint of your new office and prepare it for a moving
Before your local movers arrive with your furniture, you should visit your new office space to create a layout. This way, you won’t waste any time instructing your local movers where to put which piece of furniture. This will cause you to pay more to your office movers than you should. Also, once you are there, make sure to check if some last-minute repairs should be addressed.
Check if the painting should be done too. All of this should be done before your local movers bring in the furniture, so you don’t have to do the same job twice. Moving to your new office space is exciting, so make sure to come up with ways on how to make the space suitable for everyone once you move there.
Check with your local movers what methods of payment they take
Before you hire local movers, you should check what type of payment they take. Most local movers will need you to fill out a credit card authorization form if you are planning to pay with a company’s credit card. Also, most of the professional movers don’t take checks, so if this was a part of your plan, make sure to double-check if your team can take it.
The worst-case scenario is that your local move is done and you realize that your local movers don’t take the payment method that you were planning to use. Check this ahead, so you can be sure that you are prepared.
Tip your professional movers
Let’s clarify first, tipping local movers is not mandatory, it is a sign of goodwill and a good way to show appreciation to your local movers for exceptional service. You should do this if you are happy with the service. If you are wondering how much should you tip your local movers, that is completely up to you. There is no simple rule when it comes to tipping the professional movers, so follow your feeling and the level of satisfaction you feel after the move is done. Make sure to plan this when thinking of your moving budget.
This is not everything, we have you covered even if you are looking for the best local movers to help you out. Newtown Movers should be your number one choice when planning an office move because we are experienced with every type of move that comes to your mind, so we have you covered not only for the execution but also for planning as well. And that is the first step of a happy move, so reach out to us and our customer support department will have some questions for you.
After we learn more about your moving needs, our team will offer you a unique solution that is tailored for you and your needs. We approach every move differently because every move is different. After we agree on all the details, we will assign a team of dedicated and reliable local movers for your moving day. You don’t have to worry no matter the team that you get, because all of our local movers are carefully selected and trained to provide you with the moving service of the highest quality.
All of our professional movers have experience with handling office relocations, so don’t worry about a thing. Getting a quote is free of course, so don’t hesitate to reach out to us. We are expecting your call. And don’t worry, getting a quote is not obligatory, so feel free to reach out and learn more about our wonderful services.
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