10 Biggest Mistakes When Moving Offices (And How To Avoid Them)

rebeccai3
Jun 17
9 min read

Streamline your office move: Planning ahead can prevent mistakes and reduce stress, leaving clutter and broken pencils behind.

Moving offices sounds simple enough, right? Pack some boxes, hire a van, and Bob's your new landlord.

Except… not quite.

Whether you're upgrading to a swanky new space in Canary Wharf or downsizing to cut costs after a tough year, there's a lot that can go wrong. And when it does, it tends to cost time, money, and more than a few headaches.

We've been helping London businesses navigate office relocations for over 45 years, and trust us, we've seen every mistake in the book (and helped clean up the aftermath).

So before you book that removal van or send out the new address change emails, let's go over the biggest office moving mistakes, and more importantly, how to steer clear of them entirely.

The Biggest Moving Office Mistakes

1. Underestimating the Time It Takes To Move

One of the most common mistakes business owners and office managers make is assuming it'll all be done in a day or two. But the reality? There's planning, packing, IT moves, furniture disassembly, staff coordination, insurance notifications, supplier updates, lease negotiations… and that's before you even unlock the door at your new place.

The knock-on effects are brutal. We've seen businesses lose weeks of productivity because they thought a Thursday-to-Monday move would be enough time. Staff end up working from coffee shops (if they're lucky), clients can't reach them, and that crucial presentation to the stakeholders gets delayed because the projector is buried somewhere in box 47 of 73.

How to avoid it:

Start planning at least 3–6 months in advance for a medium-sized office. For larger operations or complex moves involving multiple floors or locations, give yourself even longer. Create a detailed timeline with buffer time built in, and don't leave critical things like broadband setups, furniture installations, or security system transfers until the last minute.

Want to make your office move even easier? Download our ultimate office move checklist — it breaks down every task by timeframe, so nothing falls through the cracks.

2. Thinking DIY Is Cheaper (Sorry, It Usually Isn't)

Look, we get it. You've got a few strong folks on the team, your mate Dave said you can borrow his transit van, and a "how hard can it be?" attitude that's served you well in business. But here's the thing: moving offices is a bit of a logistical puzzle, and trying to do it yourself usually leads to delays, damage, or the internet going down at 8:58 Monday morning.

The hidden costs add up fast. There's van hire, fuel, insurance, packing materials, time off for your staff, potential damage to expensive equipment, and the opportunity cost of having your entire team focused on boxes instead of business. We've had clients call us mid-DIY move, completely overwhelmed, having already spent more on their "budget" approach than our full-service quote would have cost.

How to avoid it:

Get a proper quote from professional commercial movers who understand the complexities of business relocations. A reputable moving company will often save you money in the long run by keeping your business up and running with minimal disruption. That includes things like weekend relocations (so you don't lose business days), secure storage solutions, project management, and even sorting your IT setup, all without turning your office into a war zone that requires therapy for your poor receptionist.

3. Not Involving Your IT Team Early

We've seen it too many times: the office is moved, the desks are perfectly positioned, the motivational posters are hung with precision… and no one can send an email. Or print a document. Or access the server. Or, in one memorable case, turn on the lights because everything was connected to a smart system that nobody remembered the password for.

IT systems are often the last thing people think about until they grind your entire business to a halt. If you've got servers, VoIP phone systems, printers, security systems, or anything cloud-related (which, let's face it, is everything these days), you need an IT plan that's more sophisticated than "unplug it here, plug it in there."

The complexity multiplies in London offices where you might be dealing with heritage buildings that have quirky electrical systems, or moving between different commercial areas with varying internet infrastructure. Your zippy fibre connection in Shoreditch might not translate to the same speeds in your new digs in Bermondsey.

How to avoid it:

Loop your IT team (or external IT support) in at the very start of your planning process. They'll help audit what needs moving, what can be upgraded during the transition, how to set up temporary systems to minimise downtime, and crucially, how to test everything before you desperately need it to work. If you don't have internal IT support, make sure your moving company can handle tech relocation too, or bring in specialists who understand commercial IT infrastructure.

4. Failing to Label and Organise Everything

You will forget which cable goes with which monitor. You will lose someone's favourite ergonomic chair. And yes, you will absolutely wish you'd labelled those 47 identical boxes currently stacked in your new reception area like a particularly frustrating game of Tetris.

Unmarked or mismatched items cause complete chaos when you're trying to get back to business. We've seen offices where it took weeks to reunite printers with their power cables, staff with their personal belongings, and managers with their sanity. And it's completely avoidable with a bit of organisation upfront.

How to avoid it:

Get label-happy. And we mean really go to town on this. Colour-code by department, mark fragile items clearly (and then mark them again), photograph complex setups before dismantling them, and keep a master inventory list that would make a museum curator proud. Create a simple system: each box gets a number, each number goes on your master list with contents and destination. Take photos of your desk setups, especially complex ones with multiple monitors or specialist equipment. Your future self will thank you when you're trying to recreate everything in the new space.

Our commercial packing checklist is a brilliant place to start and will save you hours of "what's in this box?" games.

5. No Clear Plan for Staff Communication

Surprise moves might work on reality TV shows, but in the real world, they just cause confusion, resentment, and a spike in your HR department's stress levels. If your team doesn't know when or how the move is happening, what's expected of them, or where they're supposed to be on moving day, that's a recipe for lost productivity, damaged morale, and potentially some very awkward conversations.

We've witnessed the aftermath of poor communication: staff turning up to the old office on moving day, important team members being unreachable during critical phases, and departments accidentally packing each other's equipment. It's like a comedy of errors, except nobody's laughing and your business is grinding to a halt.

How to avoid it:

Create a comprehensive communications plan and stick to it. Send regular updates with specific timelines, assign clear responsibilities to different team members, create a FAQ document addressing common concerns, and hold a pre-move briefing so your team feels involved and prepared rather than ambushed. Consider appointing "move champions" in each department who can field questions and keep communication flowing smoothly.

Transparency goes a long way in keeping everyone calm, engaged, and actually helpful rather than accidentally obstructive.

6. Forgetting About Storage and Overflow Space

Here's a truth bomb: not everything needs to come with you on Day One. Those archived files from 2019, the surplus stock gathering dust, the spare desks "just in case," the broken printer you keep meaning to fix, all takes up valuable space in your shiny new office and makes it feel cramped before you've even settled in.

This mistake is particularly common in London, where commercial space comes at a premium and every square foot counts. We've seen businesses move everything from their old space, only to realise their new office feels dysfunctional because they brought along years of accumulated stuff they didn't actually need.

How to avoid it:

Be ruthless in your pre-move declutter. Sort everything into "essential," "useful," and "why do we still have this?" categories. Temporary commercial storage can be a lifesaver here as it buys you time to sort through what you really need while preventing clutter from overwhelming your new space. You can gradually bring items back as needed, or better yet, discover you never needed them at all.

7. Inadequate Insurance and Risk Assessment

Business insurance and moving don't always play nicely together. Your standard office insurance might not cover items in transit, damage during the move, or temporary storage. Meanwhile, basic removal insurance often covers far less than you'd expect; sometimes just 50p per kilogram, which doesn't go far when your £3,000 server takes a tumble.

We've seen businesses face massive unexpected costs when valuable equipment gets damaged during a move and they discover their insurance coverage has more holes than a colander. In London's busy commercial areas, with narrow streets and multiple-story buildings, the risk factors multiply significantly.

How to avoid it:

Review your insurance coverage well before moving day. Check what your business insurance covers during relocation, understand your removal company's insurance limits, and consider additional cover for high-value items. A reputable moving company should be able to advise on appropriate coverage levels and help coordinate with your existing insurers.

8. Not Planning for Business Continuity (The "What If" Scenarios)

What happens if the broadband installation gets delayed by a week? Or the old landlord suddenly changes the move-out date? Or your beautiful new desks don't fit through the door because nobody measured properly? Or there's a transport strike on moving day? (This is London, after all.)

Stuff happens. Murphy's Law seems to particularly enjoy office moves. And without a Plan B (or C, or D), stuff grinds to a painful, expensive halt while you scramble to find solutions under pressure.

How to avoid it:

Build contingency time into your move timeline (and we mean proper buffer time, not just an extra afternoon). Identify critical systems that could run remotely if needed, establish temporary communication methods, and have backup options for key suppliers and services.

Our guide on moving with minimal downtime covers this in detail and could save your business from costly disruptions.

9. Ignoring Local Regulations and Building Requirements

London's commercial buildings come with their own quirks and requirements. Heritage buildings might have restrictions on moving times or methods. Some areas require parking permits for removal vehicles. Certain buildings mandate specific insurance levels or certified moving companies. Loading bays might have size restrictions or booking requirements.

Discovering these requirements on moving day is like finding out you need a visa at the airport; fixable, but expensive and stressful.

How to avoid it:

Research the requirements for both your old and new buildings well in advance. Check parking restrictions, loading bay requirements, insurance mandates, and any building-specific rules. Your moving company should be familiar with London commercial buildings and able to handle these logistics, but it's worth confirming early in the planning process.

10. Choosing Based on Price Alone

The cheapest quote isn't always the best value, especially when it comes to commercial moves. We've rescued countless office relocations that started with a budget provider and ended up costing far more than our original quote would have been, once you factor in delays, damage, additional services, and the stress of dealing with unreliable contractors.

In the commercial moving world, you truly get what you pay for. Professional movers bring experience, proper equipment, insurance, project management skills, and crucially, accountability. When something goes wrong (and something always goes wrong), you want a company that stands behind its work.

How to avoid it:

Get detailed quotes from several reputable companies, but look beyond the bottom line. Consider their experience with commercial moves, insurance coverage, additional services offered, and reviews from similar businesses. A slightly higher upfront cost often saves significant money and stress in the long run.

The Bottom Line: A Smooth Office Move Isn't Just Luck

It's planning. It's preparation. And sometimes, it's about asking for help from the right people.

We have been helping London businesses move successfully for over 45 years with everything from initial project planning to final unpacking, weekend relocations to complex IT relocations, temporary storage to complete office fit-outs. We offer a comprehensive, start-to-finish service that takes the stress off your plate and puts everything exactly where it needs to be, when it needs to be there.

The difference between a smooth move and a disaster often comes down to experience, proper planning, and having the right team handling the logistics while you focus on running your business.

Ready to move like a pro?

Whether you're just starting to think about relocating or already drowning in removal quotes, we're here to help you avoid these common pitfalls and execute a move that actually enhances your business rather than disrupting it.

Contact us for a no-obligation consultation where we'll assess your specific requirements and provide a detailed plan tailored to your business.

Don't let your office move become a cautionary tale. With proper planning and the right support, it can be the smooth transition your business deserves.