So you just signed the lease for your brand new office space! Congratulations! Now it’s time to move your office.

Where do you start?

Moving your office to a new location can be a daunting task, but with the right guide and a good timeline, you should be able to take things step by step and it will be less painful than you think.

Give Notice to Your Current Landlord

It is crucial that you get in touch with your current landlord about 60 days before you move so as to avoid any additional fees. Your current lease may have a specified date that requires you to give notice, so it is important to double check the lease as well. If not, 60 days will give your current landlord ample time to find new tenants and make a smooth transition. It is important to leave on good terms as you may need them as a reference if you intend to rent elsewhere at a later date. You are also likely going to have to send in a list of damaged items, and 60 days gives you ample time to assign this task to a team.

Double Check Your Move in Date

This may seem like an obvious one, but it is of utmost importance that you double check the date before you schedule movers. Time and time again we have seen scenarios where movers were scheduled and preparations in place only to find out that the current tenant had yet to move out.

Questions About the Big Day

• While conducting the check for current damaged items, does your landlord need to be there?
• What is the earliest time I can pick up my keys?
• Are there limited hours for move in?
• Is there easy access to the office or will we have to make arrangements for moving supplies up stairs?
• Do employees need to have parking passes?
• What utilities will we be responsible for setting up?
• Are there any important security policies in place you need to be aware of for the move in date?
• What Utilities will already be in place? (gas, electricity, water, internet, trash?)

Notifying Employees

When it comes to notifying employees, it is important that there is already a rough idea of who will do what to ensure that chaos does not ensue. The best thing to assign one person (typically from the HR department) to oversee the operation and allow them to assign a few other leaders. It is important to not be overly involved in the process and make sure that nobody is being micromanaged. There are too many tasks that need to be completed to have any time for micromanaging.

Hire a Moving Company

Once you have decided on a leader in charge of the move, it is important that he or she gets in touch with a moving company. There are an overwhelming number of office moving companies and it can be tempting to just pick the cheapest quote, but we have a better system for doing this.

• Check Testimonials and reviews
• Ask the company if they have done similar jobs
• Take note of response time and company policies

Here are some important questions about the move

• Do the proposals describe everything that will be covered?
• Will any of the work be subcontracted?
• Can they offer you a fixed fee for the whole move?
• Are there any hidden charges you are unaware of?

Now you know everything that goes into moving from one office to another. It is important to follow these steps and give yourself ample time to carry out each step so as not to stress yourself or your employees whenit comes time to move your office.