When it comes to office relocations, planning is key. Fortunately, you’re on Sirelo and just below we have a breakdown of office removal costs and a great office relocation checklist. Furthermore, you can even request free office removal quotes to start getting accurate price estimates for your office relocation! So, keep reading and start your office relocation on the right foot.
Whether the company is growing and needs a bigger office or downsizing, the budget will be of concern. Nobody wants an office removal to break the bank! Thus, it’s a good idea to get a grasp of office removal costs before setting a budget otherwise you might risk only moving half the office.
In general, it costs around £100 per member of staff when it comes to office relocations. However, each office is unique and so are their office removal costs. Below, we also give a breakdown of the costs for different sized offices:
Office size | Estimated price |
1,500-square foot (140 m2) office | £1,000 – £3,500 |
3,000-square foot (280 m2) office | £3,000 – £8,000 |
5,000-square foot (460 m2) office | £5,500 – £12,000 |
10,000-square foot (930 m2) office | £8,000 – £25,000 |
As you might be wondering why our price ranges are so broad, there’s a reason for that. Notably, several factors influence office relocation costs. Below, you can find the major factors along with a brief description:
Whether it’s a big or small office removal, finding an office relocation company is necessary to make the whole experience smoother and less stressful. While there’s an office full of workers, it’s certainly easier to have professionals do the hard work!
However, finding an office relocation company can be a little time-consuming, there are so many office removal companies to choose from! That’s where Sirelo comes in. We can help you find up to 5 office removal quotes with the push of a button, perfect for comparing office relocation companies and picking the best company for your budget. Just click below.
Understandably, more office removal costs might be the last thing that you want. However, there are some valuable services that you really should consider when planning your office removal. While they are by no means obligatory, they will help make your office relocation a much less stressful experience:
While you might have thought the office removal costs were where the list of costs would end, we’re sorry to disappoint. There are other office relocation costs that will result in a higher rate for your office removal. These costs are placed here as they are not charged by the office removal company, but by other services that you may require when moving office or the government.
It’s important to not forget that Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDTL) needs to be paid on non-residential leases. Honestly, it’s easy to forget and a little confusing to calculate like many bureaucratic tasks. However, it’s necessary and you can learn everything you need to know on the UK government’s page on SDLT for non-residential leases.
When choosing an office, it’s good to be mindful of whether or not VAT will be charged. Owners can elect to not have VAT charged on their property and this is useful for companies that are unable to recover VAT. Thus, think carefully as to whether the ability to recover VAT is important.
Depending on whether the old office lease was Full Repairing and Insuring (FRI) or Internal Repairing and Insuring (IRI) lease, you may have certain obligations. Under FRI, you are required to leave the office in the same conditions as it was initially rented. While under IRI, that is mostly the responsibility of the landlord as long as you haven’t caused serious damage!
If you happen to be responsible for maintenance, the cost of repairs can run from £5-£20 per ft2 of the office depending on the condition.
Before you move into the office, there might be some changes that you would like to make to the layout of the office to suit your company’s needs. Naturally, you’ll need to factor this into the office relocation costs and acquire approval from the landlord before you make some drastic changes!
On average, the costs of refurbishment can cost between £10-£70 per ft2 of office that you would like to customise.
Prior to filling the office with precious and expensive equipment, it might be wise to have a survey of the premise. This survey will detect any potential structural or maintenance issues. This is a great way to prevent damage from a surprise leak and is extremely important with an FRI. Fix the issues before they become a problem!
As for the costs, surveys range from £1,000-£5,000 depending on the size of the office. If any major issues are revealed, be sure to collect some photographic evidence for the landlord.
While a solicitor is not legally required, it’s highly recommended to hire one for navigating the legal contracts of a commercial lease. Of course, it does add to your office relocation costs, anywhere from £2,000-£10,000 depending on the office size and structure of the lease.
To find a property to lease, you’ll likely use a letting agent. Unsurprisingly, they will charge a commission on the value of the lease. Thus, ask the letting agent about their rate, as it does vary, and set aside an appropriate amount.
When it comes to planning an office move, having a checklist will go a long way to making the process much simpler. Knowing what must be done is half the challenge! Thus, if you want to make your company’s office removal go smoothly then keep reading.
This first step, and arguably the most important task to get office removals off on a good footing is to select a removal coordinator. Like all projects, it’s best to have one person overseeing and delegating tasks, too many cooks spoil the broth.
With office removals, like any move, planning will be key. For a successful office removal, you’ll need to carefully plan when the move will occur. It would be optimal to pick a period when an office removal will prove least disruptive. Additional, planning office removals takes time, it’s best to allow for at least 2 months before the move.
Another important aspect is planning the layout of the new office. Knowing where each team will go and how best to configure the office. Since this takes time, especially if modifications are needed, finalising the plan early will be for the best.
As your office removal comes closer to reality, ensure that the entire company knows. When it comes time to move, you’ll need their help with the task of packing away personal items and maybe even having a small group of volunteers to help coordinate the office move on the day.
Furthermore, planning ahead for after office removals is wise. There’ll be a need to reprint business cards, inform partners, and update the business credentials for tax, legal reasons, and more. To help get you on the right track, here is a list of some of the companies and organisations that you will want to inform about a change of address when moving office:
Government institutions: | Utility companies: | Other: |
Company House | Electricity | Financial services (bank, accountant, etc.) |
HM Revenue and Customs | Water | Insurance company |
Corporation Tax Office | Gas | Marketing, PR, and SEO agencies |
Valuation Office Agency | Phone and internet provider | Solicitor |
Royal Mail | Server host | Security company and suppliers |
As with any move, time and space are money. Creating an inventory can help with both. When creating the list of inventory for the office removal, all the furniture can be reviewed to decide if it’s in good condition or whether it’s worth keeping. No office can escape the plague of electronic waste! Trimming the useless and broken items will save on the cost of office removals.
In addition, having an inventory of the items allows for better planning of a move as the items can be assigned to certain rooms through labelling or colour coding. This will save time on the day as the furniture will be placed in the area it’s needed.
When it comes to packing for office removals, organisation is key, as you might have guessed. Items should be packed based on which room they are destined for. The colour coding or labelling will be essential for that. However, there are some other tasks to prepare.
Cables are trouble enough in an office, but office removals will add an entirely new layer of complexity. In this case, it’s advisable to purchase cable ties to keep them in check. Furthermore, you should take a picture of any cable connections to ensure that they can be easily recreated without the need to puzzle through putting the electronics back together.
Additionally, be sure to acquire removal boxes before the move. Often, boxes can be acquired through an office relocation company that will also be able to accurately access how many boxes will be needed for an office relocation. Naturally, the boxes can start being filled in advance of the move.
On moving day there are still a few important tasks to complete before you can celebrate a successful office relocation. Before moving into the new office, ensure the office is in good condition and photograph any potential issues.
Next, allow the office relocation company to do their job and guide them when necessary for the move to be completed smoothly. Then, survey the old office to verify that nothing has been left behind, it has been cleaned and that there was no damage.
Finally, it’s time to celebrate a job well done! Hold an office party and enjoy. It’s a great way for the team to become familiar with their new office.
Well, you’ve reached the end. By now, you’re well on your way to planning an effective office relocation. Just don’t forget to book your office relocation company! Otherwise, we believe you’re your office relocation should go off without a hitch! So, thank you for reading and success with your office relocation!