Office move checklist: from 90 days out to 30 days after

Boxes and preparations for an office move

A successful office move is won before moving day. Here is the complete checklist, from 90 days out to 30 days after, calibrated on real market timescales: teams of 15 to 50 desks take 8 weeks on average to decide, so you need to start earlier than you think.

90 days out: set the scope (the phase everyone cuts short, wrongly)

  • Check your current contract: end date, notice period (1 to 3 months for flexible offices, 6 months under a lease), handover conditions.
  • Write the brief: actual headcount and projected headcount at 1 year, hybrid policy, budget, neighbourhoods. Use our requirements brief template.
  • Get decision-makers aligned on the must-haves and the no-gos BEFORE looking at listings.
  • Launch the search: for flexible offices, the first shortlist arrives within 24-72 hours through a broker.

60 days out: choose

  • View 3 to 4 targeted listings (asking the right questions).
  • Negotiate: term, rent, notice period, services. The average gap between list price and signed price is around 15%.
  • Give notice on your current space as soon as the new one is signed.
  • Inform your insurer and your bank (address, cover).

30 days out: organise

  • Choose a removals firm (3 quotes; budget anywhere from a few thousand euros for 20 desks to much more depending on volume and floors), or plan for the bare minimum if you're moving into a turnkey office: in a managed office or coworking space, furniture and IT are already on site, so the van is often reduced to personal boxes and servers.
  • Plan the IT: line transfer, mail redirection, DNS/phone system, printing.
  • Communicate: with your teams (date, access, house rules at the new site), and with clients and partners (email signatures, Google listings/directories).
  • Update your legal notices, your Kbis company registration (if you are transferring your registered office) and your supplier contracts.

Moving day: execute

  • Appoint someone in charge at each site: one person at the old office (loading, exit inspection, handing back the keys) and one at the new one (receiving the van, placing the boxes, access). For the day's surprises, a single channel is enough: a dedicated WhatsApp or Slack group.
  • A documented exit inspection (with photos): it determines whether you get your deposit back.
  • A full IT test before the teams arrive: Wi-Fi, video calls, printing, access badges.

30 days after: bed in

  • Gather the teams' pain points (acoustics, rooms, temperature) and deal with them.
  • Check the first invoice: does it match the negotiated contract and the options actually used?
  • Recover the security deposit on your previous space.

The shortcut: go turnkey

Half of this checklist disappears if you're moving into a turnkey office: no fit-out works, no furniture to buy or move, IT already in place. The project comes down to choosing the right space and managing your exit from the old one.

How far ahead should you plan an office move?
90 days is a good benchmark for an SME on a flexible contract. Allow more if a lease with 6 months' notice or fit-out works are involved, and 4 to 6 months of decision-making above 50 desks.
How much does an office move cost?
It varies widely: from a few thousand euros for 20 desks (transport, boxes) to much more with furniture and IT. A turnkey office cuts the bill sharply, since everything is already on site.
Who should you notify first?
Your current landlord or operator (written notice), your insurer, your bank, then clients and partners. Legal notices and the Kbis follow if you transfer your registered office.
How do you avoid paying two rents at once?
By timing the new signing to match the notice period on the old one. Flexible offices, available immediately, make that timing far easier than when building works are involved.

Shall we map out your timeline?

Give us your deadline: we'll work backwards to build the schedule and find the space. Let us find your office or explore the listings.

Find the ideal office,
without wasting time.

From the first viewing to signing your contract, Desk to Desk supports you every step of the way to ensure a smooth move for your team.

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