Office Relocation: Here Is Your Removal Checklist

Is your office starting to feel a little pokey, or maybe it’s lost its sheen, and workers aren’t feeling the love about the space they work in anymore?

A workplace can be like being in a relationship, and like any relationship, things can get a little familiar over time. You must ensure you care and nurture the people involved in making the business function so people stay happy and engaged.

You might be interested to know that after about seven years, an office starts to show signs of growing tired and old, which is when workplace morale and engagement can dive.

That’s why it’s essential to spice things up to retain a healthy and engaged workplace, so it might be the time to sit down and talk seriously about your workplace's future. And how to keep it flourishing.

In this article, we share everything you need to know about office removal in one handy checklist, so you can prepare for everything required to make the process go smoothly and give those workplace/worker relationships the good shake-up it deserves.

Here is your office removal checklist to help you relocate, so you don’t need to run around looking for all the answers.

Item 1: Why Does Your Business Need to Relocate?

When you relocate offices, it’s a huge undertaking, so getting all your ducks in a row is essential. At the same time, it’s also worthwhile to take stock of the needs of your business and consider why your business needs to relocate. 

Taking this time to understand the reason for the relocation and the strategic direction the business is heading will inevitably make your decision to relocate more manageable.

Understanding the ‘why’ helps visualise whether the move will boost morale and worker productivity. An office relocation can improve the perception of a business, making it more attractive to potential talent and clients. If increasing your business profile is part of your strategic business plan, then relocating should be a consideration.

Item 2: The Plan of Attack

You need a plan; with one, it will likely go much more smoothly. A carefully considered plan is the best way to make a move easy.

Some of the things to consider in your plan are as follows:

• Scheduling - what are the milestone dates, i.e. moving day and technology and systems disruption?
• Mapping of the new office layout - where will things go, what will the office installation look like, and what infrastructure is required?
• Disruptions - will the move create any troubles for existing work projects? If so, how will these disruptions be mitigated?
• Assets - what do you need to keep and what needs to go?

With a carefully executed plan, the relocation will go smoothly, reduce risks, and continue ongoing work with minimal disruption.

Item 3: Budget

You're probably not ready to move if you haven’t budgeted for your office relocation.

Like everything in this checklist, having a plan is critical to it going smoothly, so you need to allocate enough money appropriately to the relocation, so it goes to plan.

Moving is like any other project you would work on within a business, and as such, this project needs funding for it to go smoothly.

To wrap your head around what costs you will likely need to consider for your relocation budget, we’ve provided a list of some of the moving costs associated below:

• Rent - including deposit and break fee costs from the current lease;
• Administrative costs;
• Security;
• Removal company/relocation suppliers;
• Storage fees;
• Insurance;
• Office Installation;
• Refurbishment; and
• Utilities

Item 4: Make a List and Check it Twice

When you have walked through these considerations, take the time to review what needs to happen and discuss them with the relevant stakeholders and suppliers to ensure everything is in hand.

It’s not the end of the world if you have missed something throughout this process, but it can delay things, and with a lot of moving, you want to minimise your risk of leaving things out.

Time is money, and the longer your business is offline, the longer it will take to get operational again, so it’s best to be thorough.

It’s essential to be organised from a business perspective when it comes to your move, and you could manage all of this yourself, but there are more efficient ways to make the process easier for yourself.

Why not engage the help of a professional to help with your office relocation and installation services?

How Can Sustainable Office Solutions Help You Relocate Your Office?

We’ve relocated, moved and installed offices so often at Sustainable Office Solutions that what we work on has become an art form. But don’t take our word for it; we have repeat clients in the Melbourne CBD, including Multiplex, JLL and CarSales.com.au, who choose to turn to us to do business.

Our projects minimise the impact on surrounding businesses and buildings so that you can rest assured that things will go without a hiccup.

Our office relocation and installation service offers:

• Workstation relocation with restructuring services available
• Protection and Packaging for safe transportation
• Office Chairs, Storage Cabinets and Other loose items
• Full Audit of furniture removed
• Recycling of excess furniture through the Sustainable office Solutions Earth Program
• Short-term storage between relocations
• Standard exit clean

• Acquire a detailed floor plan of your new office space
• Organise electrical disconnection if required (we can organise this for a fee)
• Create an inventory of existing office furniture
• Book loading docks for the entire removal and installation
• Sign/complete any official paperwork and permits.
• Draft a list of site contact numbers involved in the move and facility management.

We can help make your move into a new site much easier, so you can focus on the things that matter. 

What’s Your Next Move?

When you have started the process of relocating, or are considering your next office relocation or installation, be sure to take the time to carefully research what is required to make it successful and easy on you and your business.

Making a smooth transition into a new workplace has the potential to engage and innovate how you do business as well as delight your customers. Why not book a consultation with our office installation services team at 03 9312 6341 or email your inquiry and contact details to info@sustainableofficefurniture.com.au to see how we can help?