Office Moves Fail for Predictable Reasons
Most office relocations that go over budget or over schedule do so because of coordination failures, not moving failures. The freight elevator was not reserved. The building management at the new address requires a COI that nobody requested until the week before. The IT team's timeline for disconnecting servers did not align with the movers' arrival. These are preventable problems — but only if someone owns a coordinated plan from the beginning.
Around Town Movers has handled commercial relocations throughout Northern Virginia since 2006. This checklist reflects the coordination work that separates moves that go smoothly from ones that become expensive emergencies.
Eight to Twelve Weeks Before Move Day
- Confirm lease dates at both origin and destination — know your last day in the old space and your first day of access in the new one
- Conduct a walk-through of the new space with the moving company to assess layout, elevator access, loading dock, and any compliance requirements
- Notify building management at both locations and begin the COI request process — many buildings require certificates of insurance 30+ days in advance
- Assess furniture: what comes, what gets donated or sold, what needs replacement in the new space
Four to Six Weeks Before Move Day
- Confirm freight elevator reservations at both buildings
- Coordinate with your IT team on server shutdown, network disconnection, and reconnection schedule
- Order any new furniture or workstations that need to be in place before employees arrive
- Develop a labeling system for every desk, cabinet, and equipment piece — label with destination zone, not just origin location
- Notify vendors, clients, and the post office of your address change
One to Two Weeks Before Move Day
- Confirm parking permits or loading zone authorizations with the municipality if street access is involved
- Brief employees on their role in the move: what they pack personally, what the movers handle, and what the day-of schedule looks like
- Confirm final inventory with the moving company — any additions since the original estimate should be documented
Move Day
- Have a single point of contact on site at both origin and destination throughout the move
- Document the condition of the old space before the crew leaves — photos are useful for lease-end purposes
- Confirm every zone is complete before releasing the crew
Around Town Movers provides a project coordinator for commercial moves in Northern Virginia, so the checklist above does not fall entirely on your internal team. Contact us to discuss your office relocation timeline.
