Any kind of relocation is a lot of work and this is especially true with moving offices. The most important thing when moving offices is to hire the right office removal company. There are many office removal companies around but knowing how to choose the right one is vitally important.

Read on to find out more about what’s involved in an office removal, the factors that affect the cost, how to hire the right people and some of the best ways to save money.

Office Furniture

Office Furniture

What’s involved in an office removal?

  1. Planning

The first step when moving office is to plan. Although domestic moves require planning too, it’s especially important with an office since it can disrupt the business quite significantly if it isn’t planned properly.

The first thing you should do is create a planning committee. This will allow you to assign specific roles to each person, whether it’s budgeting, opportunity identification or communicating about the move with other staff.

The next step is to create a specific timeline for the move. What this looks like and how long it takes will depend on the size of the business. Large moves should allow at least 6 months in order to minimise disruption to the business and give you enough time to prepare.

  1. Contact office removal company

It’s a good idea to contact an office removal company early on in the process. They will visit the office and conduct a full survey, including the estimated amount of packing materials required. They will also give you a quote for the cost of the move. It’s always recommended to get quotes from more than one company so you can make an informed decision and get the best price possible.

  1. Packing

When you’re ready to make the move, the removal company will pack the items in the office. Usually smaller items and personal effects are placed in smaller crates, with larger crates being used for equipment such as monitors and printers.

A good office removal company will be able to remove the equipment from your office in the safest way possible. This is very important with office removals since there’s usually very expensive and easily damaged equipment to be moved.

How much does an office removal cost?

If your company is relocating to a new office, then you’re likely wondering just how much it will cost to hire a removal company.

Some of the main things that affect the cost of an office removal are –

  • The size of the office – Office removal companies usually charge per square foot. This means, the larger your office, the more you can expect to pay. The exact rate varies from one company to the next but it’s usually somewhere between £20-60 per square foot.
  • Premises survey – Some office removal companies will provide a survey of the premises free of charge but this isn’t always the case, especially for larger offices where a survey might take a considerable amount of time.
  • Storage – Another thing that can add to the cost is if you require storage. Depending on the size of the office and number of items to be moved, it might be better to do it gradually. In this case, it’s very useful to have someone secure to store any items before moving them to the new office. Most removal companies will be able to provide this service at an additional cost.

Hiring the right office removals company 

Below are some of the most important things to consider when hiring an office moving company.

  • Services offered – One of the first things to find out when you’re researching office removal companies is the services they offer. Any good removal company will be able to assist with office removals but the services they offer can vary a lot. If you require additional services, such as cleaning, packing, storage etc. then it’s important to find out upfront which companies offer this so you can narrow them down.
  • Availability – Availability will always be one of the first things you need to find out from any office removal companies you contact. Office removals tend to require a lot of planning, so provided you contact companies early in the process, you shouldn’t have any trouble finding ones that are available at the time you need.
  • Professionalism – Professionalism is a very important factor to consider when looking for an office removal company. You can judge the professionalism of a company in numerous ways, from your first conversation with them on the telephone to their website and how they carry out the survey of your office.
  • Experience – Experience is a big thing to take into account too. Since you’ll need to trust the valuable equipment in your office to the company you hire, you want to be sure that they have the right experience and equipment to transport it safely.

Saving money when moving offices 

Hiring an office removal company can be quite expensive, so it’s a good idea to take any steps you can to save money when moving offices. Below are some of the best ways to do this.

  • Get quotes from several companies – One of the best ways to save money when you’re moving offices is to get quotes from several different removal companies. Having multiple quotes will allow you to easily assess what each company is offering and make an informed decision on which one to pick.
  • Declutter your current office – Another way you can save money is by decluttering your current office as much as possible. Getting rid of unwanted or unneeded equipment will help to reduce the overall volume of items that need to be moved when you relocate.
  • Plan ahead – Planning ahead is always important with any type of move, especially so for an office move. You need to think about the timeline of the move as well as researching office removal companies. Planning the move will almost certainly save you money since you can think about how to do it in a way that will cause the least disruption to the business.
  • Book a moving company early – The earlier you book a removal company, the better. Not only does this give you plenty of time to properly plan and prepare but it also means you’ll save money compared to if you booked at the last minute.
  • Negotiate – Depending on the size of your move and the company you speak to, you may be able to negotiate a better price, particularly if you have a cheaper quote from a competing removal company.
  • Plan the move for an off-peak time – If the date of the relocation is in your hands, then it’s a good idea to plan it for an off-peak time if at all possible. Most removals, both domestic and commercial, take place in the spring and summer months. This makes sense due to the more favourable weather conditions and longer daylight hours. However, if you can plan it outside these times, then you could save a considerable amount of money.

Summary

An office move can be a stressful time. There’s a lot of planning needed to ensure you cause the minimum amount of disruption. Hiring a good office removal company is a huge part of a successful office move and hopefully, you’re not better equipped to find the right one.