Commercial Moving Timeline: What to Expect

The pre-planning phase begins the moment you know you are moving. For most businesses, this is when a new lease is signed or a lease renewal is declined. The first step is a free onsite visit. One of our crew members comes to your office to walk the space, assess the scope of the project, and identify anything that needs special handling. The visit typically takes 30 to 60 minutes. After the walkthrough, we put together a detailed quote and get it to you within the week. Commercial moves are priced one of two ways:

• Hourly pricing — works well for smaller moves or moves with a lot of variables
• Flat rate pricing — gives you a fixed number upfront, often preferred for larger moves where budget certainty matters

We walk through both options during the estimate so you can choose what fits your situation. Once the quote is accepted, we lock in your move date. Peak moving season on the Eastside runs from May through September, so booking early gives you the best access to weekend and after-hours availability. Our commercial moving services on the Eastside include a pre-move walkthrough and a written estimate for every relocation.

The week or two before the move is about getting the physical space ready so move day runs without delays. Building logistics checklist:

• Reserve the freight elevator for move day at both the origin and destination buildings
• Confirm loading dock availability and any restrictions on move hours — many commercial buildings in Bellevue, Redmond, and Kirkland only allow moves on weekends or after business hours
• Check what size trucks can access the loading dock at both locations
• Confirm whether the building requires a certificate of insurance from the moving company (we provide this on request)

Packing and labeling checklist:

• Complete all remaining packing — every item not needed for daily operations should be packed before move day
• Label all boxes and furniture with the destination room number so the crew knows exactly where everything goes
• Set aside anything that is not moving (donations, disposal, separate storage) so the crew does not load it by mistake

The day before the move, the move coordinator should do a final walkthrough of both buildings to confirm access, elevator reservations, and any building-specific requirements.

Move day is where the quality of the preceding preparation becomes apparent. A well-prepared move day feels organized and controlled. The crew arrives at the agreed time and does a quick walkthrough of the space before loading begins. This confirms the scope, identifies any last-minute changes, and gives the crew lead a chance to ask questions before work starts. How we run move day:

• Loading dock is secured and freight elevator is confirmed before the first item moves
• Furniture is wrapped and protected before it leaves the floor
• Large items are broken down where possible and reassembled at the destination
• The crew works room by room so nothing gets left behind
• A representative from your team should be present at both locations throughout the move

At the current office, your representative confirms that every item is loaded and that the space is left in the condition required by the lease. At the new office, they guide the crew through the floor plan and handle any questions about item placement. After the last item is unloaded, conduct a final walkthrough to confirm nothing was left behind. Photograph the old space before leaving in case any pre-existing damages are disputed during the lease-end reconciliation. Our office moving team provides a dedicated project manager for every commercial relocation who coordinates directly with your team throughout move day.

Most commercial move problems are predictable. They occur at the same points in the timeline and for the same reasons. The three most common failures:

• Inadequate building logistics planning. Discovering freight elevator restrictions, loading dock windows, and COI requirements at the two-week mark instead of the eight-week mark creates scheduling conflicts that are difficult to resolve without paying premium rates or rescheduling the move.
• Insufficient employee communication. Employees who do not know what to expect on move day are more likely to leave personal items unpacked, arrive at the wrong location, or be unproductive during the transition. Three to four communications over the planning period, each with increasing specificity, is the right cadence for a move of 20 to 100 employees.
• Treating the move as a one-day event. The physical move is one day. The project is 12 weeks. Businesses that assign the move to an already-overloaded employee and expect it to manage itself will experience the consequences on move day.

For a full checklist of every task in the planning process, see our office relocation checklist.