Complete Office Move Guide By Moving Butlers

If you’re a working professional, chances are you know how important it is to have a dedicated space to get work done. When it’s time for your office move, ensure the process is quick and easy by following these helpful tips from the pros.

Office relocation is often more stressful than house moving, as there are more factors to consider and keep track of. You need to plan and prepare carefully to have a successful office move.

Moving your business to a new location is always exciting. Getting an office bigger and more excellent than the last one means that your company is doing well and that your employees will be happy with their working conditions.

Before achieving any of these goals, the office must successfully relocate. Doing sure the business is uninterrupted is crucial, despite an ongoing office move. Hire professional movers in Maple Ridge with commercial moving experience to ensure a smooth transition.

Before your commercial relocation, creating a commercial moving checklist is essential, no matter how close or far the distance. This will help alleviate many potential problems during the office move.

This post will be your guide to ensure a smooth office move. Below is a list of items that should be included in your plan.

Office Moving Checklist

Having a moving checklist for your upcoming office relocation gives you a sense of security and control.

Moving is difficult enough, so be sure to make a checklist of everything you need to do in order, including an inventory of your office belongings, casting aside non-essentials, setting up a relocation committee, arranging with interior designers, and contacting cross-country moving companies.

1. Develop a Timeline

The most critical dates on the business calendar should be when you plan your relocation. Write down and remember all of the deadlines related to the moving timeline. You should also consider the expiration date of your current lease agreement.

The manager in charge of the property should be aware of the upcoming moving date. Also, inform all employees and suppliers about this scheduled date.

2. Assign Tasks and Set up a Relocation Committee – Optional

Having your staff’s input is crucial for a successful commercial move. The relocation committee will not only make sure employees are comfortable with the transition, but they will also assist you in planning and executing your office move.

Oversee the tasks and assignments assigned to each committee member as the relocation progresses. Assign some of the tasks to your employees and add them to the list.

3. Announce the Relocation

Depending on the number of employees in your office, you can deliver news of the office move through a presentation at town hall, detailed email, short video, or newsletter segment.

Regardless of what method you choose to relay your announcements, do so in detail. Your employees must know all the required information for an upcoming office move. Thoroughly communicating with them will make it easier to plan and execute each phase of the office move.

As you create your timeline for the announcement, include any required items. For example, if you tell your employees they will receive an office moving checklist before your office move, creating and distributing a moving checklist must be on the timeline.

Below is a checklist for your relocation announcement:

• Name and address of the new office
• Relocation date/dates
• The new office features that matter
• Reasons why the relocation is necessary
• Employees’ roles during the move (if any)
• Any relevant information employees will receive regarding the upcoming relocation.

Prepare an Internal and External Communication Plan

During a commercial relocation, it is key to maintain communication lines by furnishing employees will all the information they need to do their jobs, and informing customers, clients, and suppliers of what changes are coming.

As the announcement date nears, reach out to employees and get their feedback on different aspects of relocating or the new office space. This way, you can see what easily manageable factors you can include in your moving planning process, such as:

• To change your workspace, you’ll need some essentials: privacy screens, standing desks, lamps, and more.
• Equipment such as replacements for cracked screens and broken keyboards, among others.
• Some employees have requested a change to the sit order so we will change it.
• How they prefer to work if given multiple options
• Preferred office design or recommendations
• Learn more about the weight and relocation restrictions before your big move.

Communication can be done in many ways, such as:

• Through departmental or divisional managers
• Through survey
• Direct meeting if it’s a small company
• Through the company’s email
• Through the company’s internal Facebook group

Develop a plan to send more information out after the initial communication. Your office move might require you to send information monthly before the moving day. To ensure timely information delivery, enlist the help of your company’s internal communication team (if one exists).

Visit the New Space

Visiting the new office space is crucial before making your office move. If painting is needed, hire a professional painter in advance.

Manage the construction of your partitions, office desks, and cubicles carefully. Hire a carpenter to handle any changes to the wall or flooring. Make sure to identify where electrical outlets will be positioned.

Use this opportunity to also figure out how much furniture each space can hold, like the lobby or reception. Not only that, but decide where you will place the furniture in these areas.

Create an Inventory List and get rid of Unnecessary Items

For a successful office relocation, it is important to eliminate any items that will not be useful in the new space. This may include broken furniture, shelves, and décor that cannot be used or repurposed. You can donate or discard these items before moving to your new office.

After you are finished using official documents, don’t just throw them away- shred them. You can also donate any extra office equipment to charities. This way, you can keep track of your belongings as you move by creating a checklist.

Make a comprehensive list of all company furniture and assets employees use before relocating, and keep a physical copy for the business.

1. Hire Professional Movers and Packers as required

Hiring a good moving company in Maple Ridge should be one of your top priorities after taking inventory of your items. Ask one of your employees to develop a list of 5 Maple Ridge moving companies and conduct thorough research before making a final decision.

Before you hire a professional moving company:

• Be sure to request moving quotes from several companies.
• Determine your budget.
• Understand the services each company offers.

Consider hiring professional packers if your relocation budget allows for it.

This will make packing easier for you, as Maple Ridge professional packers handle those fragile and heavy items. You can also have each employee pack their desks or offices so they can discard items they are no longer using.

2. Prepare the New Space

Businesses that are situated near other companies that are relocating may be heavily affected, especially if the offices block driveways or parking garages during the process.

If your business will temporarily obstruct driveways, it is only courteous to notify the companies in the surrounding area beforehand. You’ll want operations to start as soon as your employees arrive.

Before your office move day, set up utilities like gas, electricity, phone and water. Also, schedule waste management services and make arrangements with utility companies for any needed installations or connections.

Make sure it’s easy to access the loading and unloading zones at your current and new offices before moving day.

Moving companies in Maple Ridge will have an easier time if they can access emergency exits, elevators, or loading docks. Request access from building management before your office move.

3. Choose a Moving Out Cleaning Service

If your relocation company still needs to send someone to do the cleaning, you’ll need to unless your building management will handle it.

If you’re unsure about the building’s cleaning policy, double-check with management to avoid being charged—you don’t want to end up paying for services you didn’t receive or that were unnecessary.

4. Mark-Out the Boxes to ensure each Item goes to the Right Place

To make your life–and the lives of your potential office move–easier, it is advised that you label each box with where it should go in the new office. You can use any labelling system you want if the labels on each box match the corresponding areas in the new office.

For example, you can give each employee a number and each team a colour. Then, every office section should have tape corresponding with the team’s colour and employee spaces marked with their number. Lastly, give employees labels, including their colour and number, to put on their moving boxes.

5. Meet with the Moving Company to Review Your Office Move

As the day of your office move draws nearer, stay in close communication with your Maple Ridge moving company. Schedule a time to review the floor plans and furniture placement with them so that everyone knows what to expect on moving day. Waiting until the day of will only result in frustration for all involved.

Hold a walk-through of the office space with your employees before or on the day you move in so that they feel comfortable in their new work environment. Address any questions or concerns they might have.

What Does It Cost To Move An Office?

We all need to save money when possible, including during something as expensive as moving an office. Having a budget handy will help ensure that you spend your money wisely on your office move.

Understanding the related costs and managing a budget is critical for success when moving an office.

The cost of relocating your office depends on several factors, such as the new location, market conditions, and preferred office space.

To budget accurately for your office move, you must be up-to-date on the latest information regarding office rents, service charges, and business rates.

Details of Office Moving Costs Estimate

Knowing where each potential cost comes from is crucial, as you already understand the factors that affect your pricing. Although not every expense relates to your office move; however, most of them could include the following:

• Ultimately, it will cost you somewhere between $750 to $4,500 to move an office space that is 1,500 square feet large. Several factors, such as furniture, materials, and disassembly, come into play when deciding how much the total cost will be.
• It would cost an office space of 3,000 square feet, about $1,500 to $9,000, to relocate based on the furniture and files.
• The cost of relocating an office space with about 10,000 square feet could be as low as $5,000 or as high as $30,000 based on the number of employees and workstations. The average cost per employee is estimated to fall between $50 and $250.

You will be charged extra for services such as carrying boxes through elevators, data lines, packing, and relocating cable, computer, or phone cables. Tipping your relocation Maple Ridge movers is also appreciated.

The cost of new furniture for each employee sits at around $200 to $2,000, with a computer running you about $300 to $3,000, while phones are relatively cheaper, costing only $100 to $1,000. It would be best if you also considered packing expenses that cost anywhere from$.75 up to $1 – $2 per square foot for office relocation.

Packing can be done in two ways: hire professional Maple Ridge packers to do it after hours or have your employees do it during work hours. The first option won’t interfere with your business operations, but hiring a professional packing service in Maple Ridge will cost money – here are some average prices.

Office Move based on the Truckload Average

The price for loading services will depend on multiple factors, such as the number of workers needed, the time it takes to load, and the difficulty level. On average, this service costs $500-$1,500 per load.

It will cost an average of $100 per hour for three movers or $150 for two trucks with four movers. It will cost between $50 and $250 – or more – for an office relocation based on the number of employees.

Packing Office Supplies

You can make packing and relocation easy for your business by having a proper plan, putting safety and organization first, and hiring a professional mover and commercial storage when required.

Use the tips below to make your commercial move go as smoothly as possible:

1. Get good packing supplies:

Moving your business to a new location requires careful planning and coordination to ensure that all your expensive equipment and supplies arrive safely.

To protect your possessions and keep them tidy, you must invest in quality packing materials before office moving.

You’ll need essential packing supplies for your business relocation, including bubble wrap, clear zip-locked bags, heavy-duty packing tape, permanent markers, and strong cardboard boxes. Be sure also to have plenty of labels and pens for easy labelling.

2. Labelling:

Organization is key when you’re packing for a move. Labelling each box will help you keep track of your belongings as you pack and make it easier to find items when you’re setting up at the new office.

A label-based numbering system is key when working with a Maple Ridge moving company, as this will ensure that your belongings are safe during the move.

It will be easier to file a claim for lost or damaged belongings if you number your boxes with a short description of the items inside them. You can also number each employee’s workstation, so their stuff is always in the right place.

3. Tips for Packing Your Computers and Cables:

Computers are expensive and easily broken, so handle them carefully during your company move. Following these packing instructions and using the proper materials can protect your computers from damage during your office move.

Cover your computers with heavy blankets and use packing tape to ensure they’re securely in place. Avoid stacking them on top of or underneath other objects.

Always read warning labels and instructions to follow the proper way to relocate. You might damage your belongings or violate the warranty agreement if you don’t.

4. Prevent damage to monitors:

To avoid damage to your computer monitors:

• Wrap each individually in moving blankets, bubble wrap, or tape.
• Avoid placing monitors in boxes, as they can break if there is too much space around them.
• Don’t let the monitor come into contact with the tape itself, as this could damage the screen.

5. Keep your data secure:

The data stored on your computer is valuable, and there are many ways to protect it. The best way to protect the hard drives is by parking them, which physically prevents damage by lifting the head of the hard drive from the disk platters.

The best way to store your data is either on an external storage device or in a cloud database as a backup before you move.

6. Depending on their size and fragility, some cables may require extra attention during the move.

Remove all cables from your computers before commercial moving to avoid frustration, time-wasting, and possible damage.

To stay organized, put each labelled cord in a zip-locked bag, so it’s easy to find when you arrive at your destination.

7. Office Chairs:

Office chairs are often in abnormal shape, which makes them difficult to pack. Disassemble your office chairs and wrap the fragile parts in bubble wrap or thick blankets. This will save you space and help avoid breakage.

8. Storage:

Before packing up file cabinets and shelving units, take inventory of the items inside and decide what you need to keep or get rid of. Once you’ve decluttered, consider removing shelves (if possible) to make more space for other things. To avoid having drawers fall open during your office move, be sure to tape them shut securely.

9. Work surfaces:

Before stacking desks and other work surfaces into the relocation truck, remove everything that can be taken out, like drawers. Also, avoid placing items on glass surfaces or protect them by packing them individually. If some drawers cannot be removed, tape them shut.

10. Insure and invest:

Accidents can always happen regardless of how carefully you pack and relocate your office. Invest in insurance coverage to protect your belongings in case of an unexpected accident. If you rent a moving truck, get rental insurance as well.

Hire a reliable and professional moving company with insurance for your belongings. Check if your possessions are under any warranty, as this will safeguard your investment in case of an accident.

Conclusion: Office Moving Maple Ridge

Partnering with a professional moving company in Maple Ridge and effective communicating are keys to reducing the stress and risk associated with relocating your office. 

Planning ahead is the best way to ensure everything goes smoothly on moving days. Before you move into your new space, you will need to talk to utility companies in advance to set up things like electricity, water, and gas.