With any office move or relocation, there’s a risk that items will break during transport. There’s no way to absolutely guarantee that every item will arrive at its new destination unscathed. After all, even the most professional office furniture movers are human and no human is perfect! You can minimize those risks, though.
Research office moving services very carefully and make sure you’re working with a well-established company.
Additionally, always verify that your office movers carry full insurance coverage and contact the insurer to verify that their coverage is still in force. Beyond these precautions, be aware of which items are most prone to breaking during an office move so you can take extra steps to protect them.
1. Glass Desktops
Many high-end desktops are covered by glass overlays to protect the wood beneath. Glass is the most vulnerable material to move because it is so fragile. Wrap glass desktops in bubble wrap, and then wrap them again with a moving blanket. Skilled office furniture movers should have special training on best practices for handling glass.
2. Conference Tables
Large conference tables are also vulnerable during an office move. They’re typically very large, which makes them unwieldy for officer movers to transport. Without precautions, wood tabletops can become dinged and marble and granite tabletops can become chipped or cracked. Like glass, conference tabletops should be bubble wrapped followed by blanket wrapped.
3. Artwork
Artwork and frames should be bubble wrapped, blanket wrapped and then secured in heavy-duty containers designed specifically to protect delicate artwork. Valuable artwork should be transported in a truck dedicated specifically to the task of safeguarding these often irreplaceable items.
4. Office Furniture
In many office moves, chairs, filing cabinets, credenzas, and other office furniture frequently become casualties of hasty office movers. There are many small pieces that have to be taken off and moved correctly or they can be lost or damaged.
Office furniture installers are specially trained in disassembling furniture, packing it securely, and reassembling it in your new space. If your move includes a large amount of furniture, it’s wise to hire office furniture movers specialists to oversee your move.
5. Electronics
Computers and other electronic equipment should be handled with an abundance of care. Make sure your office furniture movers have prior experience disconnecting, dismantling, and packing up computers and other electronics. Electronics are sensitive and can break if they’re mishandled. Sometimes, computer damage isn’t obvious and may not be detected until days after a move is completed. Mishandling equipment can jar internal components and render the entire device inoperative. Electronics should be wrapped in bubble wrap or a moving blanket and transported in machine carts rather than boxes. Cords should be removed, bundled together with zip ties or packing tape and stored with the main unit.
6. Plants
Plants and their pots round out the list of objects that frequently break during an office move. Plants’ pots and bases should be bubble and blanket wrapped. If your office move will include a large number of plants, it’s best to secure a truck dedicated solely to moving them and a crew familiar with transporting live plants.
Additional Tips to Help Ensure Your Office Move Goes Smoothly
- Make sure employees know to remove valuables from their desk drawers before the move and to lock their desk drawers before the movers arrive.
- Four- and five-drawer filing cabinets should be emptied before transport to avoid the lock mechanism being damaged during transport. (Two- and three-drawer cabinets can be moved while loaded. Just make sure the drawers are locked.)
- If your copier is leased, most copier leasing companies will coordinate and move your leased copiers and printers for you.
Hiring the right office movers who will take extra care when packing up your most vulnerable cargo is one way to minimize problems, and added expenses, for your office move.
If you’ll be overseeing an office move in the future, we encourage you to contact us at Houston Installation Services. We are office furniture movers with more than 35 years of experience. We’ll pack and move everything in your office and then we’ll skillfully reassemble your furniture for you. Even if you’re not in the Houston area, we can help you find the right team for you in your area.
