Insights
Office relocation: practical lessons from 10 years of moving businesses
What separates smooth office moves from weekend disasters.
Office moves are different from house moves. More machines, more IT, more tight deadlines, more stakeholders. Here's what we've learnt running them.
Project-manage it
One person owns the move end-to-end. Their job is not HR, not IT, not facilities — just the move. Without a single owner, decisions get stuck and dates slip.
Inventory first, quote second
Every desk, every monitor, every server. Count and tag. Quotes based on a proper inventory are 30% more accurate than quotes based on a walk-round.
IT separation
Servers, network gear, and anything with licence dongles should travel with IT, not movers. If the kit goes in the van, get IT to sign off on packing and handling.
Label everything at the rack with its destination port. Reduces re-cabling time by a lot.
Timing
Weekend or overnight moves if possible. A Monday relaunch of a new office beats a Thursday disaster by a long way.
Budget two days' downtime minimum even on the smoothest move. If you come under, you've got slack for next time.
Staff preparation
Brief staff two weeks out. Floor plan, desk assignments, parking, access cards, toilet locations — all the small things that derail the first day.
Give each person a clear box, a label, and responsibility for their own desk contents.
Day of
Movers arrive after staff have left.
Label every desk with its new location.
One person from your side supervises at each end.
Arrive at new office ahead of delivery to confirm the floor plan hasn't changed.
What we bring
Crates rather than boxes (easier to stack, cleaner to handle in lifts).
Dollies for bulk.
Trained crew used to office volumes.
Book
Two months' notice if possible. Weekend work has better availability with more lead time.
More from the blog
Keep reading
Moving house checklist UK: an 8-week countdown from Connor at Marley Moves
The 8-week UK moving house checklist Connor walks customers through on the phone — week-by-week, ticked off, no panic.
Read →When moves change at the last minute: what we can flex
Delayed completions, pushed-forward dates, route changes. What we can do and what we can't.
Read →A day in the life: what a Marley Moves crew actually does
Behind the scenes of a typical move day — 5am start, long lift, settle-in.
Read →Free fixed quote
Like the sound of us?
We send most quotes back within two working hours, fixed in writing before move day, with the insurance certificate in the same email. Pick whichever bit fits your pace.