Office Relocation: Step-by-Step Plan, Checklist and Budget Calculation

To organise an office relocation, set the date when work will begin at the new premises, appoint a coordinator, check that the space and communications are ready, prepare an inventory and agree the move with the management companies of both buildings. Then allocate tasks to staff and contractors, approve the budget and test workstations before the team arrives.

A useful starting point is the first full working day at the new address. By then, each employee should be able to enter the building, find their desk, connect to the systems they need and complete a routine task. This is the outcome your relocation plan should specify.

Below is a preparation process for a company moving office within the same city. The timetable and budget are examples: adapt them to the size of your team, the condition of the new premises and the access arrangements.

Where to Start Preparing for an Office Move

First, define what the move is intended to achieve. Is the company expanding its workforce, bringing several departments together, changing its working model or creating a permanent headquarters? The answer will determine the layout, the order in which teams move and the requirements for starting work.

Record five starting conditions:

1. The number of employees who need to work in the new office from day one.
2. Critical functions: sales, support, payment processing, document workflows and meetings.
3. The acceptable downtime for each function.
4. The date the new premises will be ready and the agreed deadline for vacating the old office.
5. The spending limit and available cash contingency.

If you are still choosing the new premises, compare the options against this list. Read our separate guide to how to choose an office in Moscow City. It will help you check the key features of a property before making a decision.

Ask the person responsible for the current lease to review its termination terms straight away. The working timetable should include specific notice, vacation and handover dates confirmed for your circumstances.

Who Is Responsible for Organising an Office Relocation

Appoint a coordinator to bring the overall timetable together and make day-to-day decisions within the approved budget. They should have contact details for department heads, the removals company, IT specialists and representatives of both buildings.

Allocate responsibility by outcome:

• The administration team arranges access, the inventory, the seating plan, coordination with the removals company and the handover of the premises.
• IT specialists are responsible for communications, data, equipment, the shutdown sequence and testing systems after reconnection.
• Department heads set their teams’ priorities and confirm that staff can carry out their work.
• The finance officer maintains the cost estimate and payment schedule, and coordinates approval of additional costs.
• The removals company carries out the agreed work involving the company’s property and records its handover.

In a small company, one person may take on several roles. However, representatives are needed at both addresses while loading and unloading take place at the same time: the coordinator cannot make decisions in person at two buildings simultaneously.

Record all changes in a single plan. If a department orders extra cabinets, this must be reflected in the inventory, the volume to be moved and the seating plan. A message in a separate chat can easily go unnoticed by people whose work depends on it.

How to Build an Office Relocation Timeline

Preparation time depends on the work that must be completed before operations can begin. For an office with a finished interior, the main constraints may be connecting communications, delivering furniture and agreeing access. If the premises require construction and building services installation, first draw up a separate schedule for the office fit-out.

Below is an example of preparation over six weeks, assuming the new premises have already been chosen and do not need major alterations. This is a working framework to adjust after checking lead times with all contractors.

If equipment has an eight-week delivery lead time, shift this timetable or arrange a temporary replacement. Confirm the moving date only after checking these dependencies.

It is also useful to agree a contingency plan in advance: part of the team may work remotely for a while, one department may move later, or agreed access to the old premises may be retained. Check that each option is feasible before moving day.

How Much Does an Office Move Cost? An Example Calculation

The cost of an office relocation includes preparing the items to be moved, transporting them, setting up workstations again and associated costs arising from the change of premises. To compare quotes, you need estimates covering the same scope of work.

An Illustrative Budget for a Team of 30

Suppose a company is moving within Moscow to a ready-to-use office. No new furniture or refurbishment is needed. Regular rent for the new premises is already included in the company’s operating budget, while the old office is retained for an additional ten days.

The table uses illustrative amounts to demonstrate the calculation. For an actual project, replace them with final contractor quotes.

The additional rent in this example is calculated as follows: ₽450,000 per month ÷ 30 days × 10 days = ₽150,000. Dividing by 30 is an assumption in this example; for an actual budget, use the calculation method specified in your lease.

The 15% contingency is also an illustrative figure. Set its size according to the remaining uncertainties: possible extra trips, changes in the volume of items to be moved and equipment configuration. Actual costs may be below the limit.

If you are discussing rent-free periods for an office lease, include the agreed exemption from specific charges in the payment schedule. A rent-free period alone does not establish what costs the company will incur while preparing the premises.

Distinguishing Costs from Cash Requirements

It is useful to divide relocation payments into three groups: project costs, the new office’s regular running costs, and funds temporarily tied up as security for obligations.

Suppose a separate security deposit of ₽600,000 is required. If all the tasks listed need funding at the same time, you will need to provide ₽1,106,500: the ₽506,500 relocation limit plus the security deposit. The deposit should not automatically be included in the final cost of the move.

Schedule the return of the deposit under the old lease using confirmed dates. Until the money arrives, it cannot be used to pay a contractor.

Regular office operating costs should be included in the budget for running the new premises. Show one-off move-in charges separately so that no amount is counted twice.

How to Choose a Removals Company and Compare Quotes

Send every contractor the same brief: addresses, floors, an inventory, photographs of awkward items, lift and passage dimensions, the distance from the vehicle to the entrance, permitted working hours and the required completion date.

Clarify what each line of the quote covers. For example, “moving workstations” may include different sets of tasks. Ask for separate confirmation of dismantling, packing, carrying items inside, reassembly, positioning and removal of used packaging.

Compare the following particularly carefully:

• minimum billable time and terms for extensions;
• waiting charges caused by delays in access or lift availability;
• the number of vehicles, trips and workers;
• preparation of heavy, fragile and non-standard items;
• procedures for recording the condition of items and accepting delivery;
• rules for approving additional work.

For example, a ₽120,000 quote with reassembly charged separately cannot be compared directly with a ₽145,000 quote that already includes it. First add the missing work so that both calculations cover the same outcome.

Set a clear rule: a designated company representative must approve additional work before it is carried out. This helps avoid a situation where one employee asks for a cabinet to be dismantled, another orders an extra trip, and the total only becomes known after the move.

How to Prepare Furniture, Equipment and Documents

A spreadsheet is a convenient way to maintain the inventory. For each item, record an identifier, quantity, current location, destination, condition and the person responsible. Add an asset or serial number for equipment and a package number for boxes.

Decide what to do with each item as you check it. If desks do not fit the new seating plan, exclude them from the main move in advance. Storage, sale or removal will require a separate decision, with an assigned contractor and deadline.

Labelling by Destination

You can use a simple system: B-12-03, where B is a zone in the new office, 12 is the workstation and 03 is the box number. This is an example of an internal reference; the key is to use the same system in the inventory, on the packaging and on the floor plan.

Keep details of boxes containing restricted-access material in an inventory available only to authorised staff. A neutral code is sufficient on the outside. Record the handover of these boxes separately, naming both the sender and the recipient.

Group cables and components by device or workstation. Label furniture fittings with the number of the corresponding item. This lets the assembler find the right set without opening dozens of boxes.

What to Check Before Packing

Compare the dimensions of large items with the entire carrying route: doorways, corners, lifts and the entrance to the new office unit. The contractor should decide whether dismantling is needed after assessing the construction.

Agree how equipment will be prepared with the IT team and in line with the manufacturer’s requirements. A server, printing equipment, a large screen and an ordinary chair need different handling methods.

List separately any items needed until the end of the last working day. Agree in advance when they will be disconnected, packed and delivered so that the overall timetable does not interrupt a department’s work earlier than planned.

How to Move IT Infrastructure and Reduce Downtime

Before the move, list the systems the company cannot operate without: telephony, email, CRM, accounting software, file storage and remote access. Assign someone to test each one.

Describe each test through an employee’s actions. “The internet is connected” is too broad. A more useful outcome is that an employee has logged into the CRM from the new network, opened a work document, made a test call and joined a video meeting.

Test these actions in advance, taking account of the company’s permissions and settings. If the new address requires changes by the provider or to the corporate network, the IT team will still have time to configure them.

Before equipment is disconnected, specialists should confirm that up-to-date backups exist and the required data can be restored. For critical systems, agree in advance what to do if the restart fails and how long the issue may take to resolve.

For example, if the sales team needs to handle enquiries from 9:00 on Monday, schedule tests of telephony and CRM before staff arrive. If the tests fail, the manager activates the temporary working arrangements prepared in advance. These must also be tested: simply agreeing to “work remotely” does not provide access to the systems.

Moving department by department works only if the remaining team can actually continue working. If both departments depend on a single server that is being moved, splitting employees into two groups will not remove that dependency.

What to Agree When Moving into a Business Centre or Moscow City

Obtain the current working procedures for each building. Check the rules for goods vehicle access, the unloading location, passes, use of the goods lift and moving items through common areas.

Include the information required by the management company in the access request. Confirm the deadlines for submitting and amending it: a replacement vehicle or crew member may require the details to be updated.

Also agree how finishes along the route will be protected, where packaging will be stored, cleaning arrangements and a building representative’s contact details for the work. Include these conditions in the removals brief so that they are reflected in the time and cost estimates.

For a high-rise building, it is useful to check the capacity of the entire route. If a vehicle arrives before the lift is available, the items cannot simply be unloaded into a common area. The sequence of trips must match the agreed unloading capacity.

Send employees separate information about the entrance and parking in Moscow City. Check the visitor route and the goods vehicle route for their respective purposes. Always confirm the specific rules for the chosen tower and the date of the work.

How to Check the Office Is Ready Before the Move

Schedule a final readiness check before equipment is disconnected on a large scale. Based on the results, the coordinator either confirms the main plan or activates the agreed contingency option.

Classify all issues by their effect on the start of operations. A disconnected system used to receive customer enquiries must be dealt with before the old site is shut down. Replacing a decorative feature can remain on the list of work to complete after moving in.

Instead of a status such as “almost ready”, record the specific issue, the person responsible and the deadline. This enables the manager to assess the consequences and make a decision based on verified conditions.

Moving Day and the First Working Week

At the old address, a company representative checks the items being handed over against the inventory. At the new address, they check the number of packages, their visible condition and delivery to the correct areas. Record discrepancies immediately, while it is still possible to establish which load contained the item and who received it.

Agree the delivery order with the assembly and start-up plan. Sometimes furniture for a critical department is needed first; in other cases, pre-configured network equipment takes priority. Determine a single sequence based on the dependencies of the particular office.

After assembly, the IT team checks connections and department representatives carry out the agreed test tasks. The message telling employees to attend the new address should be based on the results of these checks.

Include the address, entrance, pass collection procedure, working area and a contact for help in the team’s briefing note. Give customers, couriers and suppliers the information they need to deal with the company. Assign updates to address details in documents to a responsible employee after checking which changes are required.

During the first week, maintain a shared issue list recording the problem, its effect on work, the person responsible, the deadline and the verification result. This is easier than handling the same requests in several chats.

Close out the old site separately: complete the agreed work, record the condition of the premises, hand over keys and passes, and prepare the necessary documents. Then reconcile actual costs against the estimate and settle confirmed obligations.

Office Relocation Checklist for the Coordinator

• The start date and the company’s critical functions have been defined.
• Responsible staff and representatives at both addresses have been appointed.
• Conditions for vacating the old office and accessing the new one have been checked.
• The seating plan, inventory and consistent labelling system have been approved.
• The removals company’s scope of work and additional charging arrangements have been confirmed.
• The budget includes associated costs and the payment schedule.
• Passes, goods vehicles, unloading and lifts have been agreed.
• Work systems and the recovery of required data have been tested.
• Temporary working arrangements are ready in case the start is delayed.
• Employees have received a briefing note with the address and arrival instructions.
• Items have been accepted against the inventory and critical workstations have been tested.
• The handover of the old premises and final settlements are complete.

If the move is part of creating a permanent headquarters, discuss the technical preparation of the future premises during the viewing. You can explore the features of the office penthouse in Federation Tower and arrange a viewing on F-375. The layout, building services capabilities and access arrangements will help you assess how the property fits the company’s requirements and timetable.

Frequently Asked Questions

How far in advance should you start preparing for an office move?

Determine the timeline after checking the readiness of the premises, communications connections, furniture delivery and move-out conditions. The six-week timetable in this article is an example for a selected office that does not need major alterations. If essential work takes longer, start preparing earlier.

Can an office be moved over a weekend?

This is possible if the volume of items, the readiness of the premises and the access rules allow transport, assembly and system checks to be completed in the available time. Before confirming the date, agree the work estimate with the contractors and provide a contingency arrangement for critical functions.

What should an office relocation budget include?

Include packing, furniture handling, loading, transport, unloading, equipment configuration, preparing premises for handover and agreed additional costs. Account separately for the period when both offices are used, the cash contingency and the security deposit payment schedule.

Who should be responsible for an office move?

An appointed coordinator maintains the overall timetable. The administration team is responsible for access and property, IT specialists for data and systems, and department heads for their teams’ readiness. Representatives are needed at both addresses while loading and unloading happen simultaneously.

How can you reduce employee downtime during a move?

Identify critical functions in advance, test the required systems at the new address and agree how they will be switched over. Prepare and test temporary working arrangements. Moving department by department only helps if the remaining team retains access to the shared resources its work depends on.

What if the new office is not ready by the moving date?

Assess which shortcomings prevent work and revise the main plan before shutting down the old site. Possible solutions include an agreed extension of access to the old office, temporary remote working or postponing individual stages. Storage provides a place for belongings, but does not enable employees to work.

What information does a removals company need to prepare a quote?

Provide the addresses, floors, inventory, photographs of non-standard items, lift and passage dimensions, the distance from the vehicle to the entrance and permitted working hours. Specify the required services and completion deadline, including assembly and positioning.

When can an office move be considered complete?

When items have been checked against the inventory, essential work systems have been tested, departments have confirmed that work has started and critical issues have been resolved. Closing the project also requires completion of the old premises’ handover, documentation and final settlements.