Office Move Options: DIY, Labor Only or Full Service

What are the three main ways to move an office

An office relocation breaks down into three distinct service levels, and the right choice depends on your budget, your team’s time and the complexity of the equipment. In a self-move, you rent a truck, pack everything with your own staff, and handle the driving, loading, and unloading. A labor-only move adds a professional crew for the heavy lifting, but you still supply and drive the rental truck. A full-service move hands the entire project to a moving company, from packing and disassembly through transport to setup at the new location.

Each level shifts a different amount of risk and physical work away from your business. Match the service to the type of office you have. A small open plan office with lightweight furniture can work well with a simpler approach, while a space with cubicle systems, server racks or heavy filing cabinets almost always needs professional handling.

Self move: you rent a truck, buy packing materials and use your own employees to pack, load, drive and unload. No outside labor is involved.
Labor only: you rent the truck and provide packing supplies, then hire a crew for a set number of hours to load at the origin and unload at the destination.
Full service: the moving company supplies the truck, materials and crew, packs and labels everything, disassembles and reassembles furniture, and places items according to your floor plan.
Partial packing add on: some companies let you pack non fragile items yourself and have the crew handle desks, electronics and breakables within a full service contract.
Specialized IT handling: a full service mover can disconnect, transport and reconnect servers and network hardware, which a labor only crew typically will not touch.
Storage in transit: full service moves can include short term storage if your new office is not ready, keeping your shipment secure until delivery day.

How much does each office move option typically cost

A DIY office move costs you truck rental, fuel, mileage, packing supplies and your team's time. The rental fee is usually a daily base rate plus a per-mile charge after a set allowance. Boxes, bubble wrap, tape, and furniture blankets for a multi-room office add up to a supply bill that surprises many first-timers.

Labor-only moves charge an hourly rate per crew member, typically with a minimum of two or three hours. The clock starts when the crew arrives and runs until they finish, so a well-organized loading dock and pre-labeled boxes keep the total down. You still supply the truck, the packing materials and someone to direct the crew.

Full-service office moves bundle everything into a single contract. The price reflects the crew, the truck, all packing materials, disassembly and reassembly of workstations, and a move coordinator who manages the timeline. The total weight or volume of goods, the distance between locations, and any specialty items like server racks or large conference tables drive the cost.

How do I keep business downtime to a minimum

You can control downtime during an office move with the right schedule. Your strategy depends on whether you are doing the move yourself, hiring labor only, or paying for a full-service crew. Each approach has a different rhythm, and the goal is always to have desks and phones ready by the time your team walks in on Monday morning.

For a self move, load everything into a rented truck on Friday evening and unload at the new space on Saturday. Reserve Sunday for setting up workstations, reconnecting computers and testing the network before anyone arrives. A labor only move follows the same calendar, but you save hours by having a crew load the truck while your team unpacks and stages boxes by department at the destination.

A full-service crew can compress the entire move into a single weekend or even one overnight window. They arrive Friday after close, disassemble furniture, wrap electronics, load trucks and transport everything to the new office. By Sunday afternoon they have reassembled desks, placed furniture according to your floor plan and removed packing debris. The only thing left for your IT team is to plug in and test.

Book the move for a Friday evening or Saturday morning, never midweek
Label every box and piece of furniture with the destination room and desk number
Stage packed boxes in one zone so loaders do not walk through the whole floor
Assign one person per department to direct the crew at the new location
Schedule IT staff to arrive two hours before employees on Monday for final checks

What does a full service office move actually include

A full service move covers every step from your current office to a fully functional new space, with the moving company acting as a single point of responsibility. The scope typically begins with a pre-move survey. A project manager visits both locations, measures doorways and elevators, and builds a floor plan that assigns every desk and cabinet to its new spot before a single box is packed.

The crew handles all packing of workstations, filing cabinets and common areas, labels every item by destination, disassembles modular furniture and reassembles it at the new site. IT equipment such as servers, monitors and cabling is packed in anti static materials and transported in padded containers, often with a separate truck or locked section for sensitive hardware. After unloading, the team removes all packing debris and hauls away materials that cannot be reused.

Some companies add optional services that reduce your internal workload further. These vary by provider, so confirm what is standard and what costs extra before you sign.

Disconnecting and reconnecting workstations, monitors and peripherals, though network configuration usually stays with your IT team.
Specialty crating for large monitors, whiteboards, art and conference room AV equipment.
Short term storage if your new lease starts after the old one ends.
Secure document shredding or archive transfer for files that must stay confidential.
Post move walkthrough where the crew lead checks every room with you and fixes anything out of place on the spot.

When does it make sense to move the office yourself

A DIY move fits a specific profile. The office is small, typically under ten people, and the furniture is mostly modular desks and chairs rather than heavy built-in cabinetry or specialized lab equipment. You need a lease that gives you at least a week of overlap between the old and new spaces, so the move can happen in stages instead of one frantic day.

You also need a team that agrees to the plan in advance. If employees are willing to pack their own workstations on a Friday and set them up by Monday morning, you avoid the biggest cost of an office move: paid labor during business hours. The company supplies boxes, tape, a rented van or truck, and a clear floor plan for the new space so nobody is guessing where things go.

This approach only stays practical when IT is simple. A handful of laptops and one shared printer can be transported by staff. The moment you have a server room, dozens of wired workstations, or a phone system that needs reconfiguration, the risk of extended downtime outweighs any savings from skipping professional help.

What questions should I ask before hiring any moving crew

A short list of direct questions reveals whether a crew is prepared for a commercial job or only handles residential moves. Ask these before you sign anything.

Can you send a certificate of insurance with our company named as an additional insured? The policy should cover general liability, workers’ compensation, and cargo. A residential mover who hesitates here is a red flag.
How many office moves of our size have you completed in the last twelve months? Ask for a recent reference from a business with a similar square footage and furniture type.
What do you use to protect finished floors, elevator walls, and narrow corridors? The answer should mention Masonite sheets for flooring, padded blankets for elevator cabs, and corner guards for door frames.
What is your cancellation or rescheduling policy? Office lease dates slip often. You need a written answer that covers notice periods and whether the deposit is refundable.
Do you provide a binding estimate after an on site walkthrough? A binding estimate locks in the price after the foreman inspects the office. Avoid any crew that offers only a non binding hourly rate with no ceiling.

FAQ

Can I move IT equipment with regular office furniture

Yes, but it requires extra care. Servers, desktops and networking gear need anti static wrapping and should be transported in climate controlled vehicles if possible. A full service mover will often crate sensitive hardware separately and coordinate with your IT staff to reconnect everything at the new location.

How far in advance should I book an office move

For a full service move, book four to eight weeks ahead, especially during summer or at month end when demand peaks. A labor only crew can sometimes be booked with two weeks' notice, but you will have more options if you plan earlier. A self move only requires a truck reservation, which you should still make at least two weeks out.

What is the biggest mistake companies make during an office move

Underestimating the time it takes to pack. Even a small office has years of accumulated files, supplies and personal items. Start packing non essential areas at least two weeks before the move date and label every box with its destination room to avoid chaos on moving day.

Do moving companies offer insurance for office equipment

Most licensed movers provide basic valuation coverage at no extra charge, but it pays only a fraction of the item's value. For full replacement protection, ask about additional insurance options. This is especially important for high value electronics, custom furniture or sensitive client records.