Office Moving near you

Work backward from the day the new space has to be open, and put one person in charge of the whole move. Start early enough to compare quotes, since office movers generally want to see both addresses before they price the job.

Computers are where an office move can do the most harm, and not only to the hardware. Before moving day, back up all data and confirm that the backup can actually be restored, document how the network, servers and phones are connected, and label every cable at both ends. Shut systems down properly rather than pulling the plug, and pack them in their original boxes or anti-static materials.

Decide in advance who reconnects everything at the new address and in what order, usually the internet connection and network first, then servers and shared storage, then workstations and printers. Movers carry and protect the equipment; setting it up again is normally a job for your own staff or an outside IT provider, who should be booked for both ends of the move.

Files and devices holding personal information are most exposed when they're in boxes, in a hallway or on a truck. The Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada says that when an organization is planning a move, personal information should be securely safeguarded or safely disposed of, in conformity with applicable retention requirements.

Commercial buildings tend to control moves more tightly than residential ones. Many allow moves only in the evening or on weekends, require the freight elevator and loading dock to be booked through property management, and ask for the mover's certificate of insurance before granting access. Some also want building staff or security on site, protection in corridors and elevators, and hallways kept clear during business hours.

Get the rules for both buildings in writing and share them with the mover early. An evening or weekend move keeps your team and clients from losing a working day, but it may cost more, so weigh one against the other. If the truck has to park on the street, city rules apply; in Montreal, for example, a temporary permit to occupy the public domain is required when a professional moving company is hired.

Modular workstations, sit-stand desks, boardroom tables and shelving units usually have to come apart to leave the building and go back together at the new address. Ask whether the moving crew does this and has the tools, or whether an installer is needed, especially for systems furniture with panels and built-in wiring channels.

A move is the best time to clear out, but old computers, printers and phones don't belong in the trash. In Ontario, the Electrical and Electronic Equipment Regulation makes producers responsible for collecting and recycling information technology, telecommunications and audio-visual equipment, and the Resource Productivity and Recovery Authority publishes a map of where to recycle it. In Quebec, ARPE-Québec's Recycler mes électroniques program runs official drop-off points and reminds users that protecting their personal data before drop-off is their own responsibility.

Deleting files isn't enough. The Privacy Commissioner's guidance on retention and disposal says the goal is to irreversibly destroy the media that stores personal information so it can't be reconstructed or recovered, that all associated copies and backup files should be destroyed too, and that an organization that contracts out disposal remains responsible for the information. Ask any recycler or shredding service how it destroys data, and keep its confirmation on file. Usable furniture can often be sold or donated rather than moved.

A home office usually moves with the household, but it's worth treating as its own small project. Pack and label business equipment and files separately from household boxes, move client records and backup drives yourself, and ask your insurer whether your home policy covers business equipment and stock in transit, since coverage for business property can be limited. If your work depends on the internet, book installation at the new home for the earliest date you can.

For a small shop or an office with a handful of people, a residential mover with commercial experience may be all you need. An office with systems furniture, a server closet or strict building rules is better served by a commercial mover used to after-hours work and certificates of insurance.