When a business moves, it can be a very complex endeavor. If you are planning to move a small office, a large corporation, or even multiple locations, the process can be very time consuming and require a great deal of planning and organization. Many businesses even have specialized work places that require very specific moves.
Unlike residential moves, the volume of an office move can be quite large (furniture, technology, equipment, etc.). Often an office move will conflict with employees who need to continue to work at your company’s new location and with customers who expect service from your company at the new location.
Even when comparing different commercial moving services in Toronto it’s important to look for more than just the lowest cost of transportation. What services will you need? How long will the move take? What kind of experience does the company have with commercial moves of similar size and scope? Do they have the right equipment to handle your furniture?
What Makes Commercial Moving Different?
Commercial moves have different requirements from residential relocations.
Hundreds of different furniture pieces such as filing cabinets, and business equipment will need to be carefully packed and moved for a commercial relocation. In addition to office furniture, there are also computers, telephones, printers, and copiers which also need to be safely relocated.
These can also include restrictions placed by a building, the need to reserve an elevator and a loading dock, and other factors. There are many different things to take into consideration when it comes to a business moving to a new location.
A business’s relocation needs to be planned in conformity with their business’ operational needs during their move to new premises.
As a commercial moving provider, we are familiar with the objectives of a commercial relocation, namely to move a business from one location to another.
1. Look for Experience With Business Relocations
One of the key considerations for selecting a moving company is their experience in completing commercial moves.
Ask whether the company regularly handles:
- Office relocations
- Corporate moves
- Multi-floor offices
- Business expansions
- Workplace consolidations
- Furniture installations
- Internal office moves
- Commercial decommissioning
As opposed to residential relocations that typically need to be planned within a short time span, commercial relocations require much more time for planning and organization and can not be executed with the typical residential moving equipment.
Porter Services, a company specialized in corporate relocations, will be able to help you with an office moving, providing a full range of services such as office relocation, office moving, office furniture installation, warehousing services and corporate relocation and decommissioning services.
2. Consider the Full Scope of Services
A commercial relocation can involve many separate tasks.
If different companies are required for transportation, installation, storage, etc., then it will be required to coordinate the different schedules of the various service providers, dealing with different contact persons.
Likewise, having one moving provider handle several services can make for a very smooth relocation and serve as the basis for one comprehensive relocation plan.
Instead, consider whether your moving provider can handle several stages of the project and see if they offer the following commercial moving services: office relocation, internal office moves, furniture installation and reconfiguration, storage, corporate decommissioning and architectural wall installation.
Having access to all of the above services enables you to develop a single relocation plan.
3. Ask About Dedicated Project Management
A big commercial move can involve lots of people who need to communicate with each other.
Your moving company may need to coordinate with:
- Company management
- Employees
- IT teams
- Building managers
- Property owners
- Furniture suppliers
- Contractors
- Moving crews
- Installation teams
Without good project coordination, small problems with scheduling can rapidly propagate to other parts of the move and cause big problems.
Porter provides dedicated project management for corporate relocations. Our project managers work with the operations team to coordinate resources, scheduling and changes throughout the project.
This type of support is particularly vital for larger and more complex office relocations.
4. Specialized Equipment for Your Company
Much office furniture as well as commercial equipment like server rooms and archives is too heavy, too big, too fragile or too unusual to be moved properly by your regular removalists.
A professional commercial mover will have the right equipment to move your office.
Depending on the relocation, this may include:
- Moving carts
- Dollies
- Protective materials
- Specialized lifting equipment
- Moving bins
- Furniture protection
- Computer protection supplies
- Other commercial moving equipment
As mentioned earlier, Porter’s professional movers use specialized equipment in order to safely move a corporate client’s contents and the company also supplies a wide range of moving supplies for corporate relocations.
The right piece of equipment can ensure your move is completed efficiently and that all of your assets are protected while in transit.
5. Ask About Office Furniture Installation
Moving furniture and the installation of the furniture are two separate activities.
In addition to transporting furniture to a new office, there is also the matter of installing the desks and workstations, either partially or fully assembled, in accordance with a given floor plan for a number of employees.
This is especially important for customers that use so called modular or systems furniture and need help with installation and reconfiguration of their offices.
Porter Services provides office furniture installation and reconfiguration services, including systems furniture and drawings for installation of office furniture.
In regards to the questions you asked above, it would be wise to ask potential office furniture movers in Toronto if they offer office furniture installation and if they can set up the office for you and coordinate all the transportation for you as well.
6. Find Out How Inventory Is Managed
Inventory management is another important consideration.
Before you know what you did with it on moving day, you should have a clear understanding of what is being moved, where it is going to and if any of the items are to be put into storage, disposed of or even replaced.
A detailed inventory can provide relief when objects seem to disappear during the move and it lists all missing items.
Porter provides inventory management to enable clients to see the assets that Porter has in stock, as well as real-time status of all items that are being relocated. (goporter.com)
For larger organizations, Porter can utilize a structured inventory to provide the client with visibility to all aspects of the relocation.
7. Ask About Storage Options
The time between when you need to remove the excess furniture from your old location and when you will need it at your new location could be some time. In the meantime it may be stored at your new office.
This could be temporary or even long-term in one of our Commercial Storage facilities – secured and climate controlled, for the best protection of your assets.
Whether temporary or long-term commercial storage is needed for excess office furniture that will not immediately find a home in the new office.
8. Understand How the Company Handles Building Logistics
Commercial buildings often have strict requirements for moving.
For example, a building may require movers to:
- Reserve freight elevators
- Use designated loading areas
- Move only during specific hours
- Protect floors and walls
- Provide insurance documentation
- Follow security procedures
- Coordinate with building management
The moving company must comply with the requirements of the building where the company is relocating.
This is especially important for Toronto businesses moving into new buildings or out of busy commercial buildings with limited loading dock and elevator access.
Plannning ahead to prevent unexpected delays.
9. Ask How Downtime Will Be Minimized
Business downtime can be costly.
If employees are moved from their workstations and not given access to computers, phones etc. until later in the day, there can be huge losses in productivity.
When looking for moving companies for business, make sure they are able to minimize downtime to complete the move. This would include the physical relocation of equipment and supplies to the new location.
Porter’s project management approach will coordinate all the necessary resources and schedules to minimize downtime and ensure your employees can return to work as soon as possible.
The move may take place over a weekend, after business hours, on a holiday or in stages, depending on your requirements.
10. Consider the Company’s Geographic Coverage
As mentioned previously, a company with multiple locations would require a moving company with the capability of moving between locations of the company.
They can serve your company at all locations and provide a consistent service to aid your relocation.
Porter provides moving and transportation services for customers with offices located in Toronto, Mississauga, and the Golden Horseshoe, and throughout the rest of Canada. (goporter.com)
Thus, when comparing the commercial moving services in GTA that you can hire for your business’s relocation, the corporation’s geographic coverage is something you should look into as well.
11. Ask About Corporate Decommissioning
There is often more to a business relocation than just moving to an empty office.
Additionally, there are often assets of value that a company is looking to remove from the decommissioned location.
Decommissioning services and, where appropriate, support from environmental partners, can then be used to recycle or donate the redundant furniture and equipment from the decommissioned areas of your old workplace.
Porter provides corporate decommissioning services and works with a variety of environmental partners to assist with recycling/donating unwanted office furniture and equipment. (goporter.com)
This could be useful in certain cases when a company is downsizing or is relocating to a consolidate location or even is closing down a location.
12. Evaluate Communication
Communication with and among team members is perhaps one of the most important elements of a move of this nature.
Who is your primary contact for the project? How will you be updated regarding the progress of the relocation?
Ask potential movers:
- Who manages the project?
- How often will we receive updates?
- Who coordinates with building management?
- How are schedule changes handled?
- Who is responsible for furniture installation?
- How are unexpected issues addressed?
A clear communication process is key to keeping a project organized from start to finish.
13. Compare Quotes Carefully
Of course, price is important but lowest quote is not always best quote.
Remember to compare all what is included when comparing estimates for your relocation project.
A proposal may or may not include:
- Packing
- Moving supplies
- Furniture disassembly
- Furniture installation
- Storage
- Transportation
- Project management
- Equipment
- Additional labour
- Special handling
An initially lower offer can become more expensive when important services are excluded from it.
Remember that a lower initial quote may end up being more expensive when all of the important services that were omitted are added back in. When reviewing bids for proposed moves, compare apples to apples and make sure that you are comparing the complete scope of work for the proposed move instead of just focusing on the low bid number.
14. Ask About Specialized Moving Needs
Not every office has the same requirements.
There are many companies with unusual moves i.e. equipment, sensitive documents, medical equipment, technology, etc. that need to be moved with care.
Explain what you need to move – equipment, documents, medical supplies, etc. – and get a quote based on this inventory.
Having detailed inventory of items that will be moved early on in the relocation process allows the company to ascertain what equipment, labor, protective measures, and scheduling needs to be allocated to ensure a successful move.
Additionally, be transparent about your inventory early on to establish a more accurate project plan.
15. Look for Professional Training and Safety Practices
Moving a business to a new location is a complex process that requires heavy lifting, patience and a great deal of caution when it comes to the many commodities that will be transported in order to outfit a new space.
The point of Professional Training and the appropriate Safety Procedures for Commercial Moving.
Porter states that its movers are professionally trained and utilize specialized equipment to perform the corporate relocation. (goporter.com)
Incorporate these critical elements into your evaluation of a potential moving company: the moving crew’s experience and training and the measures the company will take to protect your employees and property during your relocation.
Office Movers in Toronto: Questions to Ask Before Hiring
Are you looking for the best Office Movers in Toronto? Go through the following questions that you must ask before making a final decision.
- How much experience does the moving company have with commercial office moves?
- Can you provide a dedicated project manager?
- Do you provide furniture disassembly and installation?
- Can you handle systems furniture?
- Do you provide packing and moving supplies?
- Do you offer short- or long-term storage?
- Can you work with building management?
- How do you minimize business downtime?
- How are office assets inventoried?
- What happens if the project schedule changes?
- Do you provide commercial decommissioning?
- What is included in the quoted price?
Evaluating the capabilities of a moving company before hiring them for your relocation is important to ensure that their services will meet your needs.
Office Moves Should Be Planned Around Your Business
Every company has different priorities.
Each business is unique with different priorities to be considered. A law office may require document-security for their relocation, a technology company may have a lot of equipment and networking devices that need to be set up in their new space and a retail head office may have a large amount of furniture and inventory that needs to be moved and set up.
A commercial moving strategy can be tailored to a company’s unique needs.
When choosing a company for your corporate relocation, make sure to plan ahead and discuss the necessary adaptability of their standard moving package in detail to meet your specific business needs.
Why Toronto Businesses Choose Professional Commercial Movers
Professional commercial movers can provide more than transportation.
A full-service relocation company like ours plans out every detail of your relocation. We keep track of your whole inventory, we transport it for you, we set up your furniture, we provide you with storage space, and more.
Porter Services is a full service corporate relocation company, using professional movers and providing a wide array of services and solutions to support their clients’ moves. They offer a full range of commercial moving services including porter services and offer storage and furniture installation services. (goporter.com)
For businesses who are relocating to a Toronto office, it is essential to have all of the services that a business needs in one place to facilitate an organized move.
A Commercial Moving Checklist
Don’t choose a moving company before reading this checklist!
Experience
- Corporate relocation experience
- Commercial building experience
- Experienced moving crews
Services
- Office transportation
- Furniture disassembly and installation
- Furniture reconfiguration
- Storage
- Packing supplies
- Decommissioning
Project Management
- Dedicated project manager
- Clear communication process
- Detailed moving schedule
- Inventory management
Logistics
- Building access coordination
- Elevator scheduling
- Loading dock planning
- Specialized equipment
- Protection for furniture and property
Business Continuity
- Downtime reduction strategy
- Employee communication
- Technology coordination
- Post-move walkthrough
Choosing a Commercial Moving Partner for Your GTA Business
The right commercial mover is one who can understand your business’ specific needs and create a relocation plan to fit your business’ needs.
From small, local moves (e.g. moving a small office across the city) to larger, more complex corporate relocations (e.g. moves across the GTA), careful planning and strategic coordination can make all the difference.
Porter Services is a full-service commercial moving company that can move your Toronto business and provides expert furniture installation services, short- and long-term storage facilities, decommissioning services and has all specialized equipment required for a complete move. Porter Services’ dedicated project managers will coordinate all aspects of your move. At Porter we provides commercial moving services for businesses of all sizes for relocations within Toronto and the surrounding GTA communities. Contact us today for a moving quote.
If you’re planning a commercial move in Toronto or the GTA and would like to discuss the needs of your workplace for your next move, we’d be pleased to assess your requirements and provide you with a free, no-obligation moving proposal.
Need help moving your office, warehouse, plant or home in Toronto or the rest of the GTA? Get in touch with us to review your needs and discuss your possible relocation needs. Find out what we can do for you.