The short version
- Start planning an office move six to twelve months out. Lease notice periods and fit-out lead times set the real deadline.
- Size the new space from attendance data, not headcount, or you will pay for desks nobody uses.
- Rebuild desks, rooms and floor plans in your booking system before day one, so people can book the new office on the first morning.
- Run a snag list for the first two weeks and keep one owner for every open issue.
An office move touches everything: the lease, IT, furniture, security, suppliers and every person who works there. Most problems come from things nobody owned, not from things that were hard. A shared checklist with a named owner for each line fixes most of that.
This office move checklist is written for facilities, workplace and HR teams. Use it as a timeline, copy the tables into your own tracker, and give every row an owner and a date.
6 to 12 months before the move
| Task | Why it matters |
|---|
| Check your lease end date, notice period and any break clause | Sets the latest date you can give notice and the date you must be out |
| Name a move lead and a small project team | One person accountable, with IT, HR, finance and facilities represented |
| Set the budget, including fit-out, furniture, IT, removals and overlap rent | Overlap months and dilapidations are the costs most often missed |
| Pull attendance and booking data for at least a quarter | Shows how many desks and rooms you really need on the busiest normal day |
| Agree the brief for the new space: desks, rooms, quiet space, parking | Turns data into a requirement agents and landlords can quote against |
| Shortlist and view buildings | Check transport, access, lifts, parking and hours, not just the floor area |
For sizing, the office space calculator turns peak attendance into a desk and room count. The office space planning checklist covers the wider requirement.
3 to 6 months before the move
| Task | Why it matters |
|---|
| Sign the new lease and give notice on the old one | Locks in dates for everything that follows |
| Appoint fit-out, furniture and removals suppliers | Lead times for furniture and fit-out are often longer than expected |
| Agree the new layout and a stack plan | Decides which teams sit on which floor and in which neighbourhood |
| Book IT: internet lines, Wi-Fi survey, network, AV and phones | New lines can take months to install |
| Plan access control, alarms and CCTV | People need working passes on day one |
| Start a staff communication plan | Early, regular updates reduce rumours and questions |
1 to 3 months before the move
| Task | Why it matters |
|---|
| Tell customers, suppliers, banks and insurers the new address | Post, deliveries and invoices keep flowing |
| Update the address on your website, email signatures and legal registrations | Avoids visitors and couriers going to the old office |
| Build the new floor plans in your desk and room booking system | Staff can see and book the new office before they arrive |
| Name and label desks and meeting rooms | Room names and codes should match the signs on the doors |
| Plan the clear-out: archive, shred, recycle or sell | Moving things you will throw away costs money |
| Update fire safety, first aid and evacuation plans for the new site | Required before people work in the building |
Name rooms once, in both places. Use the same room names and codes on the door signs and in the booking system. Our guide to
conference room names has a simple naming system and 150+ ideas.
2 to 4 weeks before the move
| Task | Why it matters |
|---|
| Send each team its move-day instructions and new seating | People know where to go and what to pack |
| Issue packing crates and labels by team and desk | Labels that match the floor plan speed up unpacking |
| Test IT, Wi-Fi, printers and meeting room AV in the new office | Problems found before the move do not stop work after it |
| Register visitors and deliveries for the new address | Reception knows who is arriving from the first day |
| Confirm parking and building access for every person | Avoids a queue at the door on day one |
Move week and the first day
| Task | Why it matters |
|---|
| Back up data and shut down equipment in order | Protects files and speeds up reconnection |
| Have a person on site at both offices | Someone can answer the removal team’s questions at each end |
| Open desk and room bookings for the new office | People book a desk before they travel in |
| Walk the building for safety and signage | Checks fire exits, first aid kits and wayfinding |
| Run a welcome and a short tour | Helps people find kitchens, rooms and quiet space fast |
After the move
| Task | Why it matters |
|---|
| Keep a snag list for two weeks, with one owner per item | Small faults get fixed instead of ignored |
| Hand back the old office to the lease terms | Protects your deposit and limits dilapidation costs |
| Cancel old utilities, contracts and redirect post | Stops paying for a building you have left |
| Review desk and room use after the first month | Shows whether the layout matches how people actually use it |
| Ask staff what works and what does not | Quick fixes early build trust in the new space |
Common office move mistakes
- Sizing for headcount instead of attendance. In a hybrid office, not everyone is in on the same day. Measure the busiest normal day first.
- Leaving IT too late. Internet lines and network work have long lead times. Book them as soon as the lease is signed.
- No single owner. Every line on the checklist needs one name next to it.
- Forgetting the booking system. If the new floor plan is not ready, day one becomes a desk scramble. The new office setup checklist covers desks, rooms, visitors and parking for the first morning.
- Stopping at move day. The first month shows what needs to change. Plan time for it.
For larger programmes with many moves a year, see move management and moves, adds and changes.
Making the move easier with HybridHero
HybridHero helps before and after the move. Booking and check-in data from your current office shows how much space you really use, and analytics breaks it down by day, team and location. For the new office, you set up interactive floor plans, team neighbourhoods and meeting room booking before day one, and visitor management handles guests at the new reception.
Common questions
How far in advance should you plan an office move?
Six to twelve months for most offices. Your lease notice period and the lead times for fit-out, furniture and internet lines usually set the real deadline.
Who should manage an office move?
One named move lead, usually from facilities, operations or the office manager role, supported by IT, HR and finance. The lead owns the checklist and chases every open item.
How do you tell employees about an office move?
Early and often. Share the reason, the date and the new location as soon as the lease is signed, then send practical details closer to the move: seating, travel, parking, packing and day-one instructions.
What is often forgotten in an office move?
Address changes with suppliers and registrations, redirecting post, updating evacuation plans, and setting up the booking system for the new office. Put all of them on the checklist with an owner.