Business continuity is the key to success, and you will need to work with the best commercial movers to protect your sensitive financial records and ensure every piece of furniture and equipment, from pencils to desktop computers or even lab equipment, is handled with the utmost care during the move.
Here is your insider’s guide to the differences between residential and commercial relocations and some helpful tips to prevent disruptions to your business operations while finding a qualified commercial moving company:
What Does Commercial Moving Involve?
The first few steps of the process resemble a traditional residential move in several ways.
For example, you must evaluate moving companies and determine a proposed move-in date. The key differences end there because once you find a reliable commercial moving company, the race is on to relocate your space to prevent any workflow disruptions that can negatively impact your bottom line.
Here are the necessary steps required to plan a successful commercial relocation:
- Plan ahead by researching moving companies and determining your packing and storage needs.
- Create a preliminary layout to determine if and how your current office furniture and office equipment will fit in the space.
- Create security protocols to transfer sensitive materials to your new office space.
- Help employees prepare for the move.
- Contact clients and stakeholders and give them your new address and estimated move-in date.
Residential and Commercial Moves: What’s the Difference?
All moves are created equal, right? Although many commercial moving companies offer residential moving services, there are several distinctions between the two that you, as the consumer, need to understand.
Residential Moving Companies
If you have ever moved from a home or apartment, you worked with a residential moving company.
The size, scale, scope, and timeline are a few of the significant differences between commercial and residential moves.
Residential relocation is typically not as complicated, does not require any specialized equipment, and is complete within a matter of days.
Professional residential movers will also charge less for packing materials, labor, and the cost of actually relocating furnishings and boxes.
Commercial Movers
Commercial movers focus on the planning of your office or business relocation first. Careful planning is the key to continuity, ensuring your workflow is as uninterrupted as possible.
Depending on the industry, size, and complexity of commercial moves, it could take several weeks for moving, packing, and unpacking services to complete the job.
To ensure a quick turnover, work with skilled, experienced Houston movers who not only understand the logistics of planning a commercial move but also have the tools and specialized equipment necessary to complete the task, from hand trucks and toe jacks to heavy equipment.
The Types of Commercial Moves
Much like no two residential moves are alike, the same holds true for commercial moves.
Luckily, the team at Hercules Movers & Packers specializes in several different types of commercial moves, including:
Warehouse Moves
Moving the contents of a warehouse, whether you are storing toys, clothes, or vending machines, is a monumental undertaking that requires expert planning and organization.
The moving process starts with an inventory, and of course, because of the size and volume, the relocation requires specialized equipment and training.
Our crew has the manpower, equipment, and expertise to plan your warehouse move and ensure your inventory and items safely arrive at your new destination location.
Office Moves
Moving office equipment, computers, office furniture, and other odds and ends might seem straightforward, but once you go further into the process, you will quickly realize the undertaking is very complex.
Relocating office equipment, employee paperwork, numerous workstations, and sensitive materials starts with downsizing and decluttering.
For example, did you know that uploading your documents, files, and sensitive materials to the cloud will lessen your dependence on paper products and save you money on your office relocation?
Whether you are moving a small office on short notice or require decluttering and specialized packing services, Hercules Movers & Packers is the best commercial mover for the job!
Storefront Moves
Your small business is thriving, leaving you with no option but to relocate to a larger commercial property.
This is an exciting time, and in addition to finding the business moving companies near me, you need to consider the financial implications of upsizing, especially in this turbulent economy.
Find a space that meets your requirements and consider the cost of rent and utilities.
Once your dream location is secured, let the commercial movers at Hercules handle the heavy lifting!
What to Search Before Hiring Commercial Movers in Houston
With so many available commercial movers in the greater Houston area, how do you find the right pros to handle your relocation? Do you require specialized equipment or want to plan weekend moves? What if you need to relocate your business operations ASAP?
Follow this quick guide guaranteed to help you find professional, qualified commercial movers in Houston:
An Active License in Texas
All commercial and residential moving companies operating in Texas must carry licenses through the Texas Department of Transportation and through the U.S. Department of Transportation.
This moving company lookup through the Texas DMV allows you to determine if your commercial moving company carries an up-to-date license.
Work with movers who perform background checks on their employees and have a reputation for excellence.
Certificate of Insurance
Ask for a certificate of insurance, which reputable commercial movers will gladly provide. At a minimum, commercial movers who relocate bulky items and operate business equipment should carry the following types of insurance:
- General liability insurance
- Commercial automotive insurance
- Commercial property insurance
Walkthrough Based Moving Quotes
A representative will visit your commercial property to take a preliminary walkthrough of your business and inventory everything, from electronic equipment to office furniture and every other item you want safely relocated.
The estimated weight of your items and the mileage are used to create a free walkthrough-based moving quote. Be wary of commercial movers who offer a quote over the phone without performing an in-depth evaluation of your inventory or discussing your needs.
Don’t be afraid to ask questions during this initial walkthrough, including:
- What types of valuation insurance do you offer?
- What is your cancellation policy?
- Do you plan last-minute relocations?
- What licenses do you carry?
- How long have you been in business?
- Can you provide business references?
Commercial Moving Company References
References are an integral part of the vetting process. The best source of professional references are your peers and fellow business owners.
Check online forums and rating websites, including the Better Business Bureau, for fantastic moving and storage professionals.
How Much Do Professional Commercial Movers in Houston Charge?
Moving prices are constantly fluctuating. The final costs are based on several factors, including:
Key Factors Commercial Moving Companies Calculate By
Want to know what factors commercial movers use to calculate your final cost?
Commercial quotes are often similar to residential ones, but subtle differences exist.
Local or Long-Distance Move
Local movers charge by the hour. Long-distance movers charge by the estimated weight and mileage.
If you are moving large equipment, you will be charged an additional fee.
Size of Your Business
The larger your business and the more items you move, the more you will pay for commercial moving services.
Larger businesses with more items and inventory require additional trucks, time, and crew to pack, load, and unpack your business.
The Number of Trucks and Movers Required
Commercial moving companies will consider your needs and provide the necessary number of trucks and a large enough crew to relocate your commercial business ASAP.
At Hercules Movers & Packers, we understand that time is money and will always go the extra mile to ensure your business suffers minimal disruptions.
Specialty Services Required
Moving a warehouse, factory, office space, or lab equipment requires more planning and specialized services.
In addition to packing, unpacking, and storage, you might require personalized services to plan a successful commercial move, including heavy equipment moving.
If you have specialty items, don’t worry because the pros at Hercules will help you create a comprehensive strategy to relocate your entire business to a new location safely.
Packing and/or Unpacking Services Needed
The main objective of your commercial move is to not only relocate your business safely and quickly but also cause as little disruption as possible to your daily operations.
Instead of enlisting your employees, let the moving packers take on this daunting task.
Our expert packers will arrive with all the necessary packing materials to protect your business assets.
Commercial Moving Tips
Congratulations! Your business is expanding beyond the four walls of your current space, and it is time to upgrade.
We are familiar with the stress associated with moving and are prepared to help you through every step of the process, from the initial quote to unpacking the final box. Follow these simple tips and tricks to plan a stress-free commercial move:
Plan Ahead
Successfully relocating businesses doesn’t happen overnight.
You wouldn’t dream of waiting until the last minute to hire residential moving services or to start planning the move out of your home or apartment.
Relocating business operations can take several weeks or months, so don’t wait; start planning your move ASAP.
Clarify Your Timeline
Creating a strict timeline and sticking to it is the key to a successful move. Follow this simple timeline and adjust the time frame as necessary to meet the unique needs and challenges of your business:
- 6 to 8 months before your moving date: Formulate a budget, start vetting moving companies, obtain at least three moving quotes, assign a move coordinator, and take a preliminary inventory of your business equipment and assets.
- 3 to 5 months before your moving date: Finalize your moving date, downsize and declutter to save on moving costs, cancel your current lease, and inform employees and clients about the impending move.
- 1 to 2 months before your moving date: Finalize your new lease, work with packing services, assign tasks to employees, transfer utilities and other services, purchase new equipment or office furniture, and create a new floor plan.
- One week before your moving date: Finish all the packing and ask for employee keys or keycards, relocate sensitive materials, and tour the new office space or location one final time.
- Moving day: Coordinate with the movers and perform a final walkthrough with your current landlord or property manager.
Assign a Move Coordinator to Work with Professional Commercial Movers
Hire an independent party or assign a senior employee to act as a move coordinator. A moving coordinator handles the day-to-day logistics of your move and works directly with professional commercial movers, including:
- Gather moving quotes
- Coordinate with the moving company.
- Arrange shipping services for large equipment and bulky items.
- Buy all necessary packing supplies.
- Work with utilities to cancel and start services.
- Maintain your inventory
- Hire a maintenance crew to clean the old office space.
Research Commercial Movers Cost
The cost of commercial moves can vary wildly, so take some time to research costs based on past comparable business and office moves. Professional movers near me, including the team at Hercules, will discuss the costs associated with moving to ensure you remain on budget.
Hercules Movers & Packers: Commercial Moving Services on a Different Level!
Hercules Movers & Packers has been helping our commercial and residential customers plan a stress-free relocation for years, and we can do the same for your business.
Whether you are moving a small, home-based business across town or your entire operation across the country, our Houston movers have the skills, tools, knowledge, and know-how to plan and coordinate any commercial move.
We go above and beyond, including:
- Storing and protecting your furniture in climate-controlled storage facilities: Our storage facility is massive, secure, and the perfect place to store your electronic equipment, office furniture, and client files while you wait for your new space to become available.
- Disassemble and reassemble office furniture: Don’t waste precious time and resources taking apart your furniture and reassembling it. Instead, please leave it to our team, who will expertly disassemble and reassemble all your furniture faster than you thought possible!
- Protect your bottom line: Losing time means losing revenue, and instead of planning a costly and arduous DIY commercial move, let the team at Hercules take on this task for you.
- Junk removal: Downsizing saves money, so instead of hiring another contractor to eliminate unwanted furniture, files, and other office waste, the pros at Hercules offer comprehensive junk removal services.
