How to plan an office relocation

Don’t underestimate the challenges that come with moving offices. The process can be physically demanding and very time-consuming, with lots of bulky furniture, IT equipment and mountains of paperwork to transfer to your new address. At Darvills, we can assist with office removals in Halifax and Bradford, providing a professional service you can rely on. Read on to find out how to plan an office relocation.

Start planning early 

Don’t leave planning an office relocation to the last minute. There’s a lot to sort out, including who will be doing what tasks, how they’ll be doing them and when they’ll be doing them. The last thing you want is to be scrambling the day before the move, throwing things into boxes and trying to figure out how to pack up your expensive IT equipment so it’s not damaged during transit. You’ll also need to plan where things will go in your new office space. You don’t want to arrive there without any idea where your desks will be placed! You need to create a plan of action early if you want the moving day to go smoothly. 

Identify a move manager 

Appointing a single person to be in charge of the move is highly recommended. It could be you or someone else working in your company. This individual will project manage the move, organising everyone and making important decisions when required. Appointing a move manager can help to ensure that the move progresses as it should, reducing stress come moving day. 

Request that everyone packs up their own desk

Getting your staff to take care of packing up their desks can be a big help on moving day. Let them know when to have their desks packed up and try to get them to do it in advance. That way everyone’s not rushing at the last minute. Consider giving your team a few hours off their usual work tasks so that they can get their desks sorted. Clear desks will make life a lot easier for your removals company on moving day.

Label your boxes carefully

Whilst this may sound obvious, it’s so important when it comes to how to plan an office relocation. Knowing which box contains the printer paper, ink or other vital supplies can keep your business operations running as smoothly as possible during and after the move. It can ensure that downtime is kept to a minimum. Labelling every box carefully with the contents and location will ensure that you know what’s in it and where it will go once you arrive at your new office.

Find out the building rules 

Unless your business owns the building you’re moving out of or into, you’ll need to establish the rules surrounding relocating. Although you might assume that you can move in or out at a time that suits you, this isn’t always the case. You may only be allowed to move offices outside of business hours. Or perhaps you need to request to use the service lift to move your furniture out of the building. 

Consult with the building manager as soon as possible so you can start thinking about the logistics of your move. Most removals companies will provide a pre-move survey where they can establish a plan of action for moving furniture out of the building, so it’s important to have this information on hand to share with them.  

Book professional office removals in Halifax or Bradford

Whatever you do, don’t try to carry out the move yourself. Although it can be tempting if you want to save money, it’s important to share the load. Many businesses choose to hire a company that specialises in office removals in Halifax or Bradford. Since an office move can be so demanding, it makes sense to hire a specialist firm to assist you.

At Darvills, we regularly assist with office moves throughout West Yorkshire. We’ve been helping businesses of all sizes move offices for many years, building a fantastic reputation for our services. We’re very experienced in moving bulky office furniture like desks and chairs as well as IT equipment such as computers and photocopiers. We can ensure that all your items are transported safely and securely to your new address. 

Consider storage services

Many businesses choose to use storage services when moving offices. Storage might be useful for you if you can’t move into your new office right away but everything needs to be removed from your old office. This is a common reason to use storage solutions. Another reason is if you want to ensure that all the desks, chairs and other furniture are in the right place before you start installing computers and organising cables. This becomes a much easier task if the furniture is already set up and there are no boxes of documents and other obstacles in the way. 

Many removals companies in the area offer storage services. This is something that we do at Darvills. We have storage units in various sizes and they’re suitable for storing a wide range of items, from furniture and electronics to confidential documents. All out units are monitored 24/7 by CCVT, ensuring that your belongings are fully secure at all times. 

Contact us 

Now that you know how to plan an office relocation, you may be looking to hire professional office removals in Halifax or Bradford. If so, don’t hesitate to contact Darvills – the leading removals firm in West Yorkshire. Call us on 01274 963 057 or 01422 747 036 to discuss your requirements with one of our friendly team. If you would prefer to send us a message instead, you can do this via the contact form on our website.