Tips from Your Relocation Company: Planning an Office Move

Moving your place of business can be complicated, even if you are a sole proprietorship or a small family office. You do not need to be a complex multinational organization to potentially face a litany of decisions, beyond selecting your relocation company. And the process begins well before any boxes are packed or any new furniture is bought.

Allied Thailand are the Careful Movers for residential and office moves. As a professional relocation company, we would like to offer some tips when moving your business. This list is by no means complete, but it offers you a good indication of the planning and preparation that is ahead of you.

Some things to do as you plan your move

Once you finally decide that you need a new location, whether it is for downsizing, expansion, or a better deal, there are a few things you need to consider. These cover your current location as well as your new office address, and you should start early. Twelve months before moving is highly recommended. These are all things you should be doing before or while you are getting estimates from moving companies for your relocation.

Get help from your team

Assuming all your staff and colleagues will be moving with you, it may help smooth the process if you get them involved in the process as soon as possible. But before you make announcements and start handing out packing peanuts and boxes, you may want to recruit a responsible few to help you with the initial process. Consider who would be most suitable to take on certain responsibilities, from being the point person with the relocation company to the one in charge of furnishing and decorating the new office. If the move is small enough, you may be able to handle it all yourself, but if there is any chance of getting overwhelmed, you may want to consider asking for help early on.

Check your current lease obligations

Before you confirm your new location, you should know what is expected of you when you leave your old location. If you are breaking your lease, is there a chance you can recoup some of your deposit? What are the notice requirements? Are you contractually responsible for repainting or refurbishing after you leave? What about any damages? Or does your lease allow for a certain amount of “wear and tear”? You may be leaving this property, but you may still have obligations.

What are you leaving behind?

Your lease may specify certain things you need to do, such as replace any fixtures you may have changed or restore the offices to their original condition, but there are other details you need to think about, beyond the requirements in the lease. For example, there may be cables, signs, furniture, and such that you do not need in your new location. You will need a plan as to what you will do with them. Can they be donated (possibly as a write-off)? Should they be thrown away? You can discuss this with your internal moving team as well as your relocation company to make sure whatever you are not taking with you is disposed of properly.

What will you be taking with you?

To furnish your new location, you may need new furniture and equipment. Or, you may want to take some, or all, of your current things with you. If anything is leased, you will need to check your contracts to see if you need to notify anyone about your move so as not to breach any terms of your agreements. If you have equipment under warranty or service contracts, you should also check those to see what needs to be done to ensure those stay in place.

This also includes services such as internet, communications, and even coffee machines. You should ensure that when the time comes, your teams can hit the ground running in your new location, even as they are unpacking and settling in. And if you need to move servers or any business-critical materials, you will want to make sure that those things are prepared, removed, and relocated as seamlessly as possible to avoid any disruptions in your operations.

How much will you spend?

Some of the decisions involving your move may come down to your budget. You may have a set amount or range that you are willing or able to spend, and there is no need to test those limits if you do not have to. Once you know what repairs, renovations, or restorations are required for the location you are leaving, you may want to get estimates for that work as soon as possible. When contemplating the equipment you are leaving behind, are there any that require special handling due to heavy metals or other corrosive materials?

One thing to always keep in mind is that you should have a good buffer in case of unexpected issues, such as delays, breakages, and other unforeseeable circumstances. You may think that this would be hard to plan for, but a good project manager consulting a professional moving expert, such as Allied, should be able to anticipate as many setbacks or possible added costs as possible. And if all goes well, you have will extra money that you could spend on your new offices!

Allied is your office relocation company

This article covers only some of the main matters involved in planning an office move. Other articles will cover other aspects, including what to consider when hiring a moving company. But if you want an in-depth consultation with a professional relocation company that can help you go through all the nuances and details required for your move, contact Allied. With literally centuries of experience behind us and the latest innovations and technologies at our fingertips, we offer comprehensive office relocation services, from moving within Bangkok or to anywhere in the world through our global network of moving experts. Contact us today to find out more about Allied, the Careful Movers.