Office move IT checklist
An office move runs on dates: the lease, the build-out, the internet install, and move day. Use this timeline to keep the technology side on schedule, and adjust it to your lease dates and the size of your team.
At a glance
- When to start
- As soon as you're choosing a space, ideally 90 days or more before move day.
- Often the longest wait
- New internet service at the new address. Order it as early as you can.
- Who it's for
- Office managers, operations leads, and IT teams planning a move or a new office.
Timeline
What to do, and when
90 days or more before
- Ask the landlord or broker what cabling, network closet space, and power the new space already has, and what you're allowed to reuse.
- Walk the new space and note where desks, printers, displays, and Wi-Fi access points will go.
- Check which internet providers serve the new address and order service. New business service can take weeks to install, and longer if construction is needed.
- List everything that moves: computers, monitors, docks, printers, phones, network equipment, and conference-room gear.
- Decide what to replace instead of moving, such as aging switches, Wi-Fi, or printers.
- Name one person who owns the technology decisions for the move.
60 days before
- Finalize the floor plan and mark where every network connection goes, plus a few spares.
- Schedule cabling with your contractor and furniture installer so the work doesn't collide.
- Plan the network: where the internet line enters, the firewall, switches, Wi-Fi coverage, and how many ports you need.
- If you're keeping your phone numbers, ask your phone provider how to move them and how long it takes.
- Plan each conference room: displays, video calls, and connections at the table.
- Get the building's vendor rules: work hours, elevator and loading dock bookings, and insurance certificates.
30 days before
- Confirm the internet install date, and arrange a temporary connection in case it slips.
- Order new equipment so it arrives before move week.
- Label every computer, monitor, dock, and phone with its new desk or room number.
- Back up important files and confirm everyone can reach email and shared files from anywhere.
- Send employees a move guide: what to pack, what IT handles, and when to shut down.
2 weeks before
- Test and label the new cabling, and get a map of where each connection goes.
- Set up the network closet: rack, power, and the equipment it will hold.
- Install and test the firewall, switches, and Wi-Fi once the internet service is live.
- Test printers and phones in the new space where you can.
Move week
- Shut down and disconnect equipment in a planned order, and pack network equipment last.
- Keep cables, power supplies, and small parts bagged with the device they belong to.
- Reconnect each desk to its labeled connection and test every computer, printer, display, and phone.
- Walk the space: Wi-Fi in every room, conference rooms working, printers reachable.
First morning and after
- Have someone on site as people arrive to fix sign-in, printing, and display issues.
- Keep one list of open problems and who is fixing each one.
- Get the closeout documents: connection map, closet photos, equipment list, and anything still to fix.
- Restore the old space as the lease requires, return provider equipment, and cancel old services once the new ones work.
This is general guidance. Your building, contractor, and service providers may have their own requirements and lead times.
Want the technology side handled for you?
Red Cap Systems handles office moves across Southern and Northern California, from the first walkthrough to the first morning in the new space. Share your address and move date to get started.