Relocating an office to a new location requires much more than simply transporting boxes and office supplies. There is the work of disassembling workplace systems, the need to protect furniture during the move, the task of coordinating delivery times, the setup of office systems, and the challenge of getting everything ready for the employees as soon as possible.
Of course, there are many ways to organize an office move but if you choose to work with a provider that organizes office moves for a living, they can ensure a smooth transition to your new office and all the communication with all of the services required to set up your new office is handled for you.
In our series to aid businesses in planning a workplace relocation, this article discusses how office moving and furniture installation work together.
Why Office Moving Requires More Than Transportation
Most offices consist of different types of assets (such as furniture, equipment, etc.). Every type of asset requires a different approach to moving.
The move of furniture to the new workspace and the organization of furniture to form the workplace needs to be organized so that employees can start to work as soon as possible after the move.
Offices moving to newly constructed or remodeled buildings are another sector in which our Office Furniture Installation Service is a perfect fit, as it enables clients to have everything ready for business in no time.
The scope of the installation can vary depending on the company or work place, to include assembly of workstations, installation and placement of systems furniture, installation of furniture components, and final layout of installed furniture to reflect the floor plan of the intended workplace.
Office furniture installation is more than just setting up chairs and tables for an office. Installation of office furniture can involve full assembly of workstations as well as installation of components for systems furniture. Porter Services installs and reconfigures office furniture as part of the complete office moving services provided by
What Is Office Furniture Installation?
When considering Office Moving and Furniture Installation Toronto services for your office move, it’s generally best to seek the services of one reputable provider. They can coordinate and manage the entire relocation process.
As you prepare for your commercial relocation, a professional moving team will help you through all the different steps of preparation for the move, the move itself, and organization of your newly relocated office.
But, as most experts agree, there is more to commercial moving than throwing everything on a truck.
Ergonomic desks and office chairs, filing cabinets, conference tables, workstations, shelving units, technology equipment and other specialized office equipment will all require special care. Systems furniture requires the furniture to be taken apart prior to moving and then reassembled at the new location.
The Benefits of Combining Moving and Furniture Installation
Using a single provider to move and install furniture has a number of advantages to offer.
One Coordinated Project
One team can plan and coordinate your relocation and make sure everything reaches your new space on time.
Simplified Communication
All aspects of the moving and installation of furniture can be handled through a single contact, thus reducing the potential for misunderstandings and missing communications between different parties.
Better Scheduling
Schedules for the move and for the installation can be organized and planned by one party.
Reduced Disruption
A coordinated approach helps to make your office move as efficient as possible and means you can get into your new office space as quickly as possible.
Greater Accountability
Also when several steps of a project are provided by one provider, it is easier to identify who to contact in case of problems or changes.
Planning Your Furniture Before Moving Day
In planning an office relocation, a key component is determining where everything will go before you move it.
Create a Floor Plan Before Moving Day for Your Office Relocation.
The plan should identify the intended locations of:
- Employee workstations
- Desks
- Office chairs
- Meeting tables
- Conference-room furniture
- Storage cabinets
- Reception furniture
- Filing systems
- Other workplace equipment
By having a clear plan of where everything is going to, your movers and installers will know where each item will go before they arrive.
It also saves time to rearrange the furniture at the destination after the move.
Office Furniture Movers Need the Right Equipment
Many types of commercial office furniture are heavy, oversized, or just plain difficult to move.
These furniture items can be very large, bulky, and too heavy for a group of people to move. Professional office furniture movers in Toronto require specific tools and supplies for the job.
Help us protect your most valuable assets by preparing them properly for the move. Furniture can be damaged easily during a move but the right equipment can prevent this from happening to your property and the property of others in the surrounding area.
Protecting Furniture During an Office Move
Office furniture can represent a significant investment.
Damage to the furniture itself can also end up costing a lot of money to repair or even replace, especially when the furniture was very expensive to begin with.
Furniture can be prepared and protected before it is moved by the furniture movers in Toronto.
Furthermore, each type of furniture will need different kinds of protection for example: desks, glass surfaces, office chairs, file cabinets and systems furniture all need to be taken care of in different ways in preparation for the move.
Professional movers can also work to protect your offices’ walls, floors, elevators, doors, etc. during the time they are in your building to complete your move. As mentioned previously, property management in many commercial buildings has very specific rules regarding moves that take place within their building.
Typically, property management in commercial buildings has strict requirements and guidelines to follow for activities such as moving furniture and goods throughout the building.
Systems Furniture and Workstations
Many modern offices use modular or systems-based furniture.
While these types of workstations and furniture solutions are very functional in the workspace, they must be carefully taken apart, moved, and then reassembled at the new location.
The process can involve:
- Identifying each workstation
- Documenting its location
- Disassembling components
- Labeling parts
- Protecting components for transportation
- Transporting them to the new location
- Reassembling the workstation
- Positioning it according to the floor plan
- Checking the finished installation
Furniture Reconfiguration After a Move
The new office will possibly not be organized in exactly the same manner as the office from which you are moving.
A relocation can be a great chance to rethink the way a space is set up and how employees will use the new area.
Businesses may want to:
- Create larger collaborative areas
- Add private workspaces
- Reconfigure employee stations
- Improve meeting-room layouts
- Increase storage efficiency
- Adapt workspaces for hybrid employees
- Create new reception or waiting areas
Furniture reconfiguration is also a service that we offer as part of our office moving services, to re-arrange your furniture and create a new workplace within your new office.
The same work can be done by Porter’s office moving services as listed here, in terms of furniture reconfiguration. (goporter.com)
Coordinate With Building Management
Toronto office buildings typically have very specific procedures when it comes to commercial moves conducted within their building.
Before the move, confirm requirements involving:
- Loading docks
- Freight elevators
- Elevator reservations
- Moving hours
- Parking
- Building access
- Security
- Floor protection
- Insurance documentation
- Loading and unloading areas
These details should be included in the moving schedule.
Additionally, a delay due to an unavailable elevator or restricted loading area can have serious repercussions on the rest of the move.
It is essential that a reputable moving company, such as an experienced Office Movers Toronto, knows how to plan and coordinate all these details and incorporate them into the moving schedule.
Plan Around Your Business Schedule
A business cannot always stop operating while its office is relocated.
If your company is too large to halt production completely and you can only move on a weekend, during a holiday, late at night, etc. Porter can assist in implementing a staged move to ensure that there is adequate time to correctly move and install all equipment and furnishings.
Our goal is to minimize the disruption to your business and provide the moving and installation teams with the time they need to complete the move to the highest standard.
Porter emphasizes minimizing downtime and disruption during corporate relocations and provides dedicated project management for its moving projects. (goporter.com)
Your relocation coordinator can assist in planning how your relocation will translate into the transportation and installation of your office furniture and supplies, and subsequent scheduling.
What Should Employees Do Before the Move?
Employees can also help in the move.
Before moving day, provide clear instructions about:
- Packing personal desk items
- Removing unnecessary belongings
- Labeling boxes
- Securing sensitive documents
- Preparing computers
- Taking personal items home
- Following department-specific instructions
This can help prevent any hold-ups on the moving day and will enable the employees to contribute effectively to the successful relocation of their offices.
Helping to avoid delays and enable movers to work efficiently is key to a smooth office move and clear communication is key to this.
Office Moving and Technology
Technology requires additional planning during an office relocation.
Typically, computers, monitors, printers, servers, as well as a lot of networking and communications equipment will need to be taken apart and packed up by your employees before the movers arrive.
Coordinate with your IT team to establish responsibilities.
Determine:
- Who disconnects equipment
- How equipment will be packed
- What requires specialized handling
- Where equipment will be installed
- When systems need to be operational
- Who will test everything after installation
The planning of technology should occur in concert with the planning of furniture and the move rather than as a separate after thought.
What to Look for in an Office Moving Company
Note that not all moving companies can handle the size and complexity of a commercial relocation.
Many Office Relocation Companies offer a variety of services so look for a specific listing for an “Office Moving Company in Toronto”.
Important factors may include:
- Corporate moving experience
- Professional moving crews
- Furniture installation
- Furniture reconfiguration
- Project management
- Specialized equipment
- Moving supplies
- Storage options
- Commercial building experience
- Clear communication
Porter Services specializes in corporate relocation, as well as furniture installation, storage, and project management using specialized moving equipment and supplies.
When Should You Start Planning?
The earlier you can start planning for your move, the better you will be able to identify any potential problems before they arise.
Depending on the size of the office or amount of furniture to be moved, larger office relocations require even more planning and organization than smaller moves.
Start with your anticipated move date and work backwards to create key milestones for you to hit along the way.
Your planning timeline should account for:
- Moving company selection
- Building approvals
- Inventory
- Furniture planning
- Employee communication
- Technology preparation
- Packing
- Transportation
- Installation
- Final inspection
Should You Replace or Reuse Your Office Furniture?
A relocation is an excellent time to consider reusing parts of your existing furniture.
Not everything necessarily needs to be replaced.
There are many existing workstations, desks, chairs and storage facilities that are in good condition to be relocated to the new workplace instead of throwing them away to incur unnecessary expenses while the company can utilize the saved funds to furnish other areas of the new office.
However, furniture needs to be evaluated for the new space.
A workstation that functioned well in the old office may not be suitable for the new office after a redesign.
Have your office furniture assessed by a professional to decide whether to move, reconfigure, replace or even store furniture and office equipment.
What Happens After Furniture Is Installed?
The completion of the furniture installation and move of your office furniture to your new space constitutes an excellent time to do a complete walkthrough of the office.
Check that:
- Furniture is in the correct location
- Workstations match the floor plan
- Desks and chairs are properly positioned
- Storage units are accessible
- Meeting rooms are correctly furnished
- Components are properly assembled
- Any installation issues are documented
The post-installation walkthrough will allow us to determine if any problems have occurred before you return to work.
A Practical Office Moving Checklist
Before your Toronto office relocation begins, make sure you have considered:
Planning
- Confirm the relocation date
- Select your moving provider
- Assign an internal project lead
- Establish a relocation timeline
Furniture
- Create an inventory
- Decide what will be reused
- Identify items for storage or disposal
- Create a furniture floor plan
- Determine installation requirements
**Building**
- Reserve elevators
- Confirm loading dock access
- Review building moving requirements
- Confirm parking and access procedures
Employees
- Communicate the relocation schedule
- Provide packing instructions
- Label workstations and boxes
- Explain new-office procedures
Technology
- Coordinate with IT
- Prepare computers and equipment
- Plan equipment installation
- Schedule post-move testing
Final Move
- Confirm moving-day contacts
- *Complete the inventory check
- Complete furniture installation
- *Conduct a final walkthrough
Making Your Office Transition More Efficient
Relocating an office provides a great chance to re-organize and make your workplace even more efficient. This however requires much coordination.
There is a lot that must be coordinated for an office relocation. The transportation, installation, configuration of workspaces, building access, IT needs and communication with employees all have to come together.
It’s therefore highly desirable to work with a single service provider who can coordinate the requirements of all elements of the relocation and provide your business with one relocation plan, executed by one team of experts.
Porter Services is a leading provider of corporate moving solutions to corporations and companies with offices in the Toronto area. Porter Services provides office moving, furniture installation, office reconfiguration, storage, equipment and project management services to corporations. See Porter Services’ transportation services page at goporter.com/transportation.
For the companies who are planning Office Moving and Furniture Installation Toronto, it is worth to discuss the needs of their corporate relocation with the commercial moving companies who can help to plan the whole relocation project in advance.
Final Thoughts
The relocation of your office to a new location needs more than just moving furniture from one location to the other.
Many elements must fall into place to ensure the successful transition of your organization to new premises.
By organizing the new furniture in your new home and preparing your employees for the change, coordinating access to your new building and safeguarding your assets in the transition, you can create a smooth and organized transition to your new home.
An office relocation does not matter if you have a small professional office or a large corporate workplace. We can help you plan the transportation, furniture installation, storage, etc. required for your office move.
Planning an office move? Contact Porter Services to discuss your relocation and furniture installation requirements.