Moving a business is a big decision, and the company you choose for the office relocation can make all the difference between a hassle-free transfer and an expensive one.

One mistake many businesses make is simply choosing whatever fits the budget for moving their offices. The truth is that commercial removals are far more complicated, and there is a lot to learn before you make the final decision. Let’s understand what businesses should know before hiring an office relocation service.

Understand your requirements first

When it comes to finding the right office relocation service, there are several important things businesses need to know.

To begin with, take some time to develop a clear outlook before you contact office relocation companies. Each office is unique, and you’ll need to choose the provider that meets your needs.

Before contacting for quotes, consider the following:

  • How many employees and how many workstations need to be moved?
  • Do you have a server room or specialist IT equipment?
  • Do you have bulky or heavy equipment, including specially designed furniture, sofas or printers?
  • How far are the current and new office locations, and is there parking/loading at both locations?
  • Do you require packaging services, or will your employees do that?
  • When would you prefer to move? Do you require out-of-hours and weekend moving services?

When you have the answers to these questions, you will receive more accurate quotes and won’t be left with any extra surprises.

Know the difference between a general removal company and a commercial specialist

People often don’t understand the difference. General removal companies perform home removals every day and may also provide commercial removal services. A dedicated office relocation company specialises in relocating offices and understands the business relocation issues.

If you have a small office with a couple of desks, a general company might suffice. If it’s anything more than that, you need an office relocation service that moves offices regularly. Get office furniture removals service from a reputable company so that expensive sofas, tables, desks and chairs are not damaged.

Office moving costs

The pricing criteria might seem confusing at first, but you can always ask for a detailed breakdown.

Many companies calculate cost on a per-square-foot basis. This is because office relocation service providers are required to handle not just boxes but also systems, desks, chairs, meeting room equipment and furniture, server rooms, and much more. Consider office relocation as logistics, not just transportation. Estimating this way also helps determine the vehicle size, labour, and time required for the move.

Be sure to ask about the price breakdown. Some companies may require additional fees for packing materials, furniture, and IT disconnection & reassembly at the new location. Some of these are standard, while others are not. To assess the value, only like-for-like quotes can be compared.

Check insurance carefully

When looking for an office removals company, specifically inquire about the insurance cover they provide and what it entails. Questions for office removals service insurance:

  • Are goods in transit covered and up to what value?
  • Is there public liability insurance in place?
  • What are the consequences of damage, and how to claim?

Do not assume that something that looks professional means it has good insurance coverage in place. If necessary, request proof of insurance. Trustworthy office relocation services will have no problem providing this.

Make a separate plan for the IT side of the move

Many businesses go through an IT relocation without making it a priority, and then struggle in the first week as they have to get all the cables connected and find the tools they left at the previous location.

Before the moving day, check the following with the office relocation specialists:

  • Who will be responsible for the server and network disconnections and reconnections?
  • Will the internet connection be up and working at the new premises before staff arrive?
  • Do all cables have labels and photos before unplugging?
  • Does all important information have a backup before any movement?
  • Will the office relocation service work with the IT team?

This is the right way to go because your employees will be able to sit down and get to work from day one without waiting for things to be sorted out.

Always get a proper survey, not just a phone quote

If you are hiring a trustworthy office moving company, they will probably inspect your present workspace before presenting you with a final price.

During the survey, the office relocation service will do the following:

  • Take a tour of your office and determine the amount and nature of items that need to be transported.
  • Determine all possible access issues at the existing building or the building where you will shift.
  • Keep a list of items that require special attention or packing.
  • Give them an exact, detailed average cost to move an office in writing, of what they have observed.

If you get a fixed price without visiting the office, it’s a red flag. The cost of moving an office can vary widely depending on size, distance, and complexity, so you should be careful about unquestioningly accepting quotes, as their costs may change on the day of the move.

Conclusion

Selecting the appropriate office relocation service is important. The wrong selection costs you time, money and productivity. Get an estimate on office moving costs per square foot.

Arnold and Self have established a long history in office relocations and commercial removals of all scales. We provide professional service throughout from survey to eventual installation at your new location. Call them now for a genuine assessment and simple, transparent quote for your office relocation.