Office Relocation Project Plan: A Step-by-Step Template for Keeping IT Running Through the Move
Ask anyone who has managed an office relocation what nearly derailed it, and the answer is rarely the removals van. It is the IT: the broadband line that was not live on day one, the phone number that went silent, the server nobody remembered to schedule, the meeting-room screens that arrived without cables. Furniture can be shifted in a weekend, but a business that cannot send an email on Monday morning loses money by the hour.
This article sets out a practical, phase-by-phase template for planning the technology side of a move, written for project managers who may not be IT specialists. You can adapt it to your own tooling, whether that is a Gantt chart, a Kanban board or a spreadsheet. Where specialist knowledge is needed, such as network design or data migration, it is usually worth involving a provider with proven office move IT services experience early, rather than treating IT as a late-stage work package.
Phase 1: Scope and governance (12 to 16 weeks out)
Start by agreeing what "success" means in measurable terms. A good target is something like "all staff can work at full capacity by 8.30am on the first working day at the new site", with any exceptions named in advance. Then define who owns what. A simple RACI chart (responsible, accountable, consulted, informed) covering IT, facilities, finance, HR and your external suppliers prevents the classic problem where everyone assumes someone else is chasing the broadband order.
Build a baseline asset register at this point: every PC, laptop, printer, phone, server, network switch and peripheral, with its age, warranty status and whether it is moving, being replaced or retired. The register becomes your move manifest, your insurance record and your disposal list in one document.
Phase 2: Long-lead items (10 to 12 weeks out)
Connectivity is the item most likely to threaten your move date. Lead times for new broadband and leased lines are largely outside your control and can stretch to weeks or months when engineering work is needed, so orders belong on the critical path from the first week. Many project managers ask an IT provider such as Computerlink to survey the new premises before the lease is signed or fit-out begins, checking cabling routes, comms-room space, power and the circuits actually available at the address. The long-lead list usually looks like this:
Internet circuits, ideally with a second, independent backup connection
Telephony, including number porting and handset or softphone rollout
Structured cabling and Wi-Fi design, including the site survey
Hardware orders, such as laptops, switches, access points and meeting-room equipment
Security and access systems, such as door entry and CCTV integration
Telephony deserves special attention in the UK. The traditional analogue phone network is being retired, with the switch-off scheduled for January 2027, so a new site should be set up with internet-based voice rather than new copper lines. Check early whether you can keep your existing numbers: porting geographic numbers can be restricted if you move to a different dialling area, and your provider will need notice.
Phase 3: Design and risk (6 to 8 weeks out)
With the site surveyed, finalise the network design: where the comms cabinet sits, how many network points each room needs, how Wi-Fi coverage will work, and how the firewall and guest network will be configured. Document the design, because it becomes the acceptance test later. Then build a risk register. A starter version might look like this:
Risk | Likelihood | Impact | Mitigation |
Internet circuit not live by move date | Medium | High | Order early; arrange temporary 4G/5G failover |
Phone numbers unavailable at new site | Medium | High | Confirm porting eligibility; set up call diversions |
Equipment damaged or lost in transit | Low | High | Verified backups; insured, itemised transport |
Staff unable to connect on day one | Medium | Medium | Pre-configure devices; issue a simple Wi-Fi guide |
Equipment missing or mislabelled | Medium | Medium | Asset tags; packing list signed at both ends |
Review the register weekly. A risk that sits unchanged for a month usually means nobody owns it. Alongside it, hold a contingency of 10 to 15 per cent of the IT budget, because cabling issues and last-minute hardware needs almost always appear once the team is on site.
Phase 4: Migration and communications (2 to 4 weeks out)
Decide what moves, what is replaced and what goes to the cloud. Servers and on-site storage need the most careful sequencing: take a full backup, test that you can actually restore from it, and agree a cutover plan with a rollback option. Wherever possible, run critical services from the cloud or a temporary location during the move so that staff are not dependent on a server that is sitting in a van.
Data protection does not pause for a relocation. Under UK GDPR you must keep personal data secure while equipment is being moved, so use encrypted devices, keep a chain-of-custody log for anything holding data, and never leave boxes of equipment unattended. Communicate in stages: a four-week notice with the plan, a one-week reminder covering what to pack and label, and a day-before message with new-site access, Wi-Fi details and who to contact for help.
Phase 5: Move weekend and go-live checklist
Use a written checklist and sign off every item with a name and a time. At a minimum:
Internet and Wi-Fi tested in every room
Inbound and outbound calls tested on a sample of handsets, with diversions confirmed
Printers, scanners and meeting-room screens working
Servers, file shares and line-of-business applications reachable
Backups running at the new site
Door entry, alarm and CCTV connected
Staff devices connecting successfully on first login
Have a named IT contact on site for the first morning, with a visible help point for staff. Most day-one problems are small, such as a printer driver or a missed Wi-Fi password, but they pile up quickly if nobody is there to fix them.
Phase 6: After the move
Do not close the project on the day the last box is unpacked. Schedule a one-week review to capture snags and a 30-day review to confirm the new environment performs as designed. Decommissioning the old site is part of the project too: wipe data-bearing devices using a recognised method and keep the certificates, dispose of old equipment in line with WEEE regulations, return leased kit and cancel old circuits so you stop paying for services you no longer use.
Finally, update your address everywhere it appears: Companies House registered office, HMRC, your website, Google Business Profile, email signatures, supplier accounts, insurers and invoice templates. These are admin tasks, but missing them causes confusion for months afterwards.
Key takeaways
Treat IT as a critical-path workstream from the first planning meeting, not a late addition. Order connectivity and telephony first because their lead times are the hardest to compress. Use a RACI chart and a live risk register to keep ownership clear, test backups and connections before declaring anything done, and close out the old site as carefully as you opened the new one. A move that is planned in phases, with clear owners and a signed-off go-live checklist, is far more likely to end with staff simply getting on with their work on Monday morning.
