8–12 weeks before: plan and measure
Most delays on London office moves come from decisions made too late, not from the move day itself. Lock the scope early.
- Confirm the move date and lease dates. Check the overlap between old and new leases so you have time for reinstatement works.
- Appoint an internal move lead. One decision-maker for approvals, access and headcount changes keeps the programme moving.
- Get an accurate furniture inventory. Count desks, pedestals, storage, pods, screens and chairs - and mark what is being reused, replaced or disposed of.
- Agree the new floor plan. Desk positions, power and data spines, meeting rooms and pod locations should be signed off before anything is ordered.
- Check goods lift and loading bay rules. Many Central London buildings restrict deliveries to out-of-hours windows and require lift bookings weeks ahead.
4–6 weeks before: bookings and approvals
This is the phase where building management, contractors and suppliers need to be aligned in writing.
- Submit method statements and RAMS. Building managers usually require RAMS and insurance certificates before installers are allowed on site.
- Book out-of-hours access. Evening or weekend windows are common for occupied buildings and reduce disruption to neighbouring tenants.
- Confirm IT and comms cutover. Broadband, phone lines and comms cabinet works should complete before desks are installed, not after.
- Order furniture with realistic lead times. Confirm delivery dates in writing and ask whether delivery is kerbside or to floor level.
- Plan waste and recycling. Book removal of redundant furniture and packaging; London buildings rarely allow site storage of waste.
1–2 weeks before: prepare the teams
Staff readiness is what makes day one feel calm rather than chaotic.
- Label everything by destination. Crate and desk labels should reference the new floor plan position, not the old one.
- Issue crates and packing guidance. Personal items, monitors and cables go in labelled crates; leave the dismantle work to installers.
- Brief staff on the first morning. Send the new address, access route, desk allocations and who to contact on the day.
- Protect floors and lifts. Agree who supplies floor protection and lift padding - it is often a building requirement.
- Confirm parking and dispensations. Loading restrictions and congestion or ULEZ charges should be factored into the plan.
Move day: dismantle, transport, reinstall
The setup and assembly phase is where most of the risk sits - and where a specialist install team earns its place.
- Dismantle in a controlled sequence. Keep fixings bagged and labelled per item so reassembly is fast and nothing is scrapped by accident.
- Reinstall to the signed-off plan. Desks, benches, screens and storage are built and positioned exactly to the drawing, with levels checked.
- Reconnect power and data at desk level. Cable management, power modules and monitor arms should be tidy and tested before sign-off.
- Rebuild pods and acoustic booths correctly. Pods need square, level bases and correct ventilation and electrical connection - this is not a general removals task.
- Snag and sign off floor by floor. Walk the floor with the installer, list defects, and agree fixes before the team leaves site.
First week after: settle and tidy up
A short follow-up pass turns a technically complete move into a workplace people actually like using.
- Run a snagging revisit. Adjust chairs, doors, drawer alignment and any items reported by staff in the first days.
- Clear packaging and crates. Book collection so corridors and fire routes are clear.
- Update asset records. Record what was reused, replaced and disposed of for finance and sustainability reporting.
- Collect staff feedback. Small reconfigurations in week one are cheap; the same change six months later is not.
Where Movir London fits in
We are not a general removals firm. We cover the setup and assembly phase of a relocation: dismantling existing desks, benches, storage and pods, reinstalling them to your signed-off plan at the new site, managing cabling at desk level, and snagging floor by floor before sign-off. We work out of hours where buildings require it, and we supply porter labour when furniture arrives kerbside.
Frequently Asked Questions
How far in advance should we plan an office move in London?
Allow 8 to 12 weeks for a typical 20 to 100 desk move. The constraint is rarely the removal itself - it is building access approvals, goods lift bookings, furniture lead times and IT cutover dates.
Do removals companies reinstall office furniture?
Not always to installation standard. Many removals teams transport and place items, but dismantling and rebuilding desk systems, bench runs, storage walls and acoustic pods is specialist work. Movir London handles the dismantle, reinstall and snagging phase.
Can the work be done out of hours?
Yes. Most of our London installations run evenings or weekends so your team returns to a finished floor. Out-of-hours access usually needs to be booked with building management in advance.
What causes most office move delays?
Late floor plan sign-off, missing RAMS or insurance paperwork for building access, and furniture delivered kerbside with no labour booked to move it to floor level.