Moving Tips
CAREFUL PLANNING IS THE KEY TO MAKING YOUR RELOCATION AN EASY AND SUCCESSFUL MOVING EXPERIENCE.
BY KAREN A. SUNDAY / COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE BROKER
Orange County, California is undergoing a boom in corporate relocations. Personnel who are often inexperienced in moving an entire company generally handle the burden of planning a move. Here are ten tips for planning a time-efficient as well as cost-effective move:
1. Plan a budget and itemize costs: A budget planned well in advance can identify hidden costs and highlight the financial
scope of your relocation
The budget should include the following:
  • Telecommunications purchase and installation
    Computer systems purchase and installation
  • Furniture purchase and/or lease
  • Alarm and Security System
  • Copier and Fax and office machines purchase or lease
  • Artwork leases or purchase
  • Stationery
  • Allowance for movers and packing
  • Employee overtime costs

2. Possible contributions to construction costs
Designate a staff person to coordinate the move: Appoint a person who acts as a liaison between your company and
the contractors, space planners, architects commercial real estate broker and various vendors. You may want to consider
hiring a relocation specialist or outside consultant to help organize and facilitate your entire move. No matter, you
should have an in-house moving coordinator to field the move for you. The costs will vary depending on the entire
scope of the move involved, location and size of premises. You may want to consider contacting a telecommunications,
business and computer consultant as well. These services can reduce the amount of move-related downtime. Your
goal is to ensure minimal work disruption and cost reduction, while ensuring maximum employee and customer
moving satisfaction.

3. Communicate with your entire staff: Your office personnel will make a smoother transition to the new space if they
are kept well informed of the details of the move. One way to keep the stream of information flowing is a series of
informational memoranda. Set up an Employee Advisory Group to assist. Arrange a packing demonstration two weeks
prior to the move to show how to correctly pack desks and personal items. This can help minimize a potentially
annoying aspect of the move.

4. The move-in date: The move-in date should be negotiated and established well in advance in order to organize the
move properly. If possible, schedule a walk-through of the suite for the employees a few days prior to relocation. The
physical move will be most efficient if scheduled on a Friday afternoon or a Saturday morning. This allows the weekend
to unpack and the telephones may be activated the afternoon prior to move-in. Not all moving companies work on the
weekend. however, and may charge additional fees for a weekend move.
5. Request a bid from three different vendors: Telecommunications, computers, office machines and moving services
should all be bid out to different vendors at least two months in advance of the move. It is important that the products
you will acquire will accommodate your future expansion needs. Be careful of the lowball bidder. Consider not only
the price, but quality. service and durability. Make sure your Purchasing Director meets with each bidder to understand
the details of the bid.
6. Notify clients, suppliers, prospects. and vendors of your relocation: Do this at least one month in advance so that
the necessary preparations may be made for special handling of delicate items. Note: Certain vendors such as copier,
telecommunications and computer companies require that they install, move and reinstall their own equipment. If you
do not adhere to their requirements, you risk violating a warranty agreement or service contract that could result in
substantial costs should the equipment be damaged during the move.
7. Keep “troubleshooters” at hand: If, for example, you are purchasing a new telephone system. insist that the
vendor provide a support person on site or readily available by telephone 24-hours-a-day to answer questions or
to repair malfunctions.
8. Monitor tenant improvements: This can be accomplished by regularly scheduled
meeting arranged by your firm’s move coordinator, real estate broker, or the
appropriate architects and contractors. Detailed notes of decisions made during
these meetings can help with the follow-up and implementation of the action
required. Walk through your new space during the build-out period co troubleshoot
any on-site problems noted. Try and avoid changes after the start of construction as
it may delay your move and become costly
9. Expect the unexpected: With every move. no matter how carefully planned,
circumstances beyond one’s control can create unexpected problems. One way to
reduce the impact of these unexpected problems is to provide back-up systems. If
you are switching from one computer system to another after the move. try and keep
your old system operational until you have completed the move and have the new one
up and running.
10. Coordination of the move and timing are two essential elements in an office
move: A thorough and detailed plan will allow for a controlled and timely relocation.
 
MOVING CHECKLIST

6 Months - 1 Year before Moving Day
____  Get office space
____  Communicate to employees
____  Identify major tenant improvement needs
____  Set budget
____  Choose the move day
____  Obtain necessary permits
____  Start contracting for major tenant improvements
____  Order new phone number
____  Order new fax number

3 - 6 Months before Moving Day
____  Design office space
____  Assign office space
____  Order chairs
____  Order desks
____  Order systems furniture
____  Hire movers
____  Evaluate server room needs
____  Evaluate computer networking needs
____  Order change of address labels for notification
____  Order new address labels for existing stationery and marketing materials
____  Order signage for new location
____  Identify phone system requirements
____  Order phone lines
____  Order Internet access
____  Order phone forwarding
____  Arrange internal/external maintenance service
____  Arrange for trash disposal
____  Set up cleaning service

1 - 3 Months before Moving Day
____  Get business insurance quote for new space
____  Arrange for copier move or buy new equipment
____  Order security system
____  Order keys and access cards
____  Arrange for beverage service
____  Send change of address to all vendors
____  Send change of address to all customers
____  Send change of address to all subscriptions
____  Notify all lessors of equipment move
____  Order checks with new address
____  Order long distance service
____  Transfer 800 numbers or order new numbers
____  Sell old equipment and furniture

1 Day to 1 Month before Moving Day
____  Install phone lines
____  Install phone systems
____  Assign new phone numbers and extensions
____  Order new stationery
____  Order new business cards
____  Order new business forms
____  Repair new office
____  Clean new office

____  Identify closest overnight drop-off boxes
____  Inventory existing computers
____  Inventory existing furniture by room
____  Order dumpster for purging
____  Purge old and obsolete materials
____  Create new office extension directory
____  Create new office layout map
____  Create new fax cover sheet
____  Create driving instructions
____  Get new shipping labels
____  Notify Post Office of change of address
____  Update website with new information
____  Add note inside mailbox about change of address/move
____  Obtain moving crates/cartons
____  Back up computers
____  Take down systems furniture
____  Pack up desks and personal spaces
____  Pack up common areas
____  Store property that will not be moved               
____  Tag furniture to be moved
____  Tag all wall items and move to central location
____  Install systems furniture
____  Distribute new keys and cards
____  Collect old keys and cards
____  Empty, defrost and clean refrigerator
____  Code new office space on a map for movers

Moving Day
____  Post coded signs in new office for movers
____  Protect main moving paths
____  Move plants

Post-Move
____  Get office art
____  Periodically visit old office to pick up mail
____  Schedule phone training
____  Schedule security training

Click here to download this Checklist

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