Most businesses don't realise how late they are until the internet isn't connected, the furniture doesn't fit and the lease on the old place is still costing them rent. We see it regularly — a company signs a new lease, assumes the move will sort itself out, and then scrambles through the last three weeks trying to coordinate removalists, IT, furniture and fitout trades all at once.
It doesn't need to be like that. Ninety days is the minimum lead time for a straightforward commercial move. If your new space needs fitout work, plan for four to six months. This checklist breaks the process into three phases so nothing falls through the cracks.
What actually goes wrong (and what it costs)
We've walked into enough post-move offices to know the pattern. The problems are predictable, and they're almost always traceable to something that should have been sorted two months earlier:
- No internet for days because nobody ordered business-grade fibre in time — Melbourne lead times run four to eight weeks
- Furniture that doesn't fit the new layout, leading to emergency purchases at retail prices instead of planned procurement
- Lease overlap running $5,000–$15,000+ a month because vacating the old site took longer than expected
- Staff sitting at makeshift desks because the ergonomic chairs arrived three weeks after move day
- Compliance problems — fire exits blocked by boxes, workstations that don't meet Australian Standards, no emergency signage
A structured timeline prevents all of this. Here's what to do and when.
Phase 1: Days 90–60 — Lock in the decisions everything else depends on
Lease and legal
- Confirm your new lease start date and access conditions for pre-move works
- Review your current lease for make-good obligations — what must you restore before vacating?
- Engage a solicitor or lease advisor if make-good clauses are ambiguous
Space planning and fitout
- Commission a professional space plan for the new site — measure the space and map team adjacencies, meeting rooms, quiet zones and circulation paths
- Decide now whether the new space needs fitout work (partitions, electrical, data, flooring, joinery) and get quotes in this phase, not month two
- Audit the furniture you already own — identify items that are damaged, non-compliant or won't suit the new layout
- Consider hiring furniture for the transition period rather than buying new pieces outright, especially if your fitout timeline is tight
IT and communications
- Brief your IT provider on the move date and new site address immediately
- Order internet and phone connections for the new premises now — business-grade fibre in Melbourne takes four to eight weeks, and missing this window is the single most common cause of post-move disruption
- Plan data cabling and power outlet placement based on the space plan, not as an afterthought
Budget
- Build a move budget covering: removalists, make-good costs, new fitout works, furniture (purchase or hire), IT setup, insurance, signage and a 10–15% contingency
- Get at least three removalist quotes — commercial movers vary widely in capability and pricing
Phase 2: Days 60–30 — Logistics and coordination
Strategy is locked in. This phase is about making sure every moving part has a date, an owner and a backup plan.
Furniture and equipment
- Confirm which items are relocating, which are being disposed of and which need replacing
- Order new furniture early — lead times for commercial desks and ergonomic chairs run three to six weeks from Australian suppliers
- If you need temporary desks, chairs or partitions during the transition, reserve furniture hire now so stock is allocated
- For chairs worth keeping but showing wear, book a chair assessment before the move — repairing gas lifts, armrests or mechanisms now is cheaper than discovering problems after everyone has settled in
Removalist coordination
- Confirm the moving date, access hours for both buildings and any loading dock or lift booking requirements
- Label everything clearly — use a colour-coded system by department or floor if the new space spans multiple levels
- Create a floor plan showing exactly where each department's furniture and boxes go at the new site. Hand this to the removalists and pin a copy at every entry point on move day.
Staff communication
- Brief all staff on the move date, timeline and what they need to do (pack personal items, label equipment, confirm new seating)
- Distribute the new address, parking details, public transport options and building access procedures
- Assign a move coordinator per team — one person who owns questions and tracks packing progress for their group
Compliance and safety
- Confirm the new site meets Building Code of Australia requirements for your occupancy class
- Book any required inspections (fire safety, electrical compliance, accessibility)
- Plan emergency exit signage and first-aid station placement for the new layout
Phase 3: Days 30–0 — Execution and handover
The final month is confirmation and physical execution. If you've done Phases 1 and 2 properly, this phase should feel like ticking boxes rather than solving problems.
Pre-move checks (Days 30–7)
- Walk the new site to confirm fitout works are complete and the space matches the approved plan
- Test all IT connections, phones and internet at the new premises
- Confirm removalist booking, insurance cover and access arrangements for both sites
- Send a final staff communication with the move-day schedule, contact numbers and contingency plan
- Pack non-essential items early — archive boxes, seasonal stock, rarely used equipment
Move week (Days 7–1)
- Final audit of the old premises — nothing critical left behind, make-good obligations on track
- Set up workstations at the new site: desks, chairs, monitors, phones, power and data connections
- Place directional signage in the new building so staff can find their way on day one
- Stock the kitchen, bathrooms and first-aid station
Day one and beyond
- Have your move coordinator and IT support on-site for the first full day
- Run a quick check: every workstation has power, data, a working phone and a functioning chair
- Collect feedback from staff in the first week — small fixes early prevent weeks of frustration
- Update your business address with the ATO, banks, insurers, clients, suppliers and Google Business Profile
- Arrange professional cleaning of the old site to meet make-good requirements
How long does an office move actually take?
| Move complexity | Typical lead time | Key driver | |—|—|—| | Simple move (same suburb, existing fitout) | 6–8 weeks | Removalist and IT lead times | | Mid-range (new fitout required) | 10–16 weeks | Fitout construction plus furniture procurement | | Large or multi-floor | 16–24 weeks | Staged moves, complex IT migration, compliance |
Melbourne businesses moving within the CBD should factor in building management requirements — many commercial buildings restrict lift access for moves to weekends or after-hours, which affects your removalist schedule and cost.
The three decisions that save the most money
These are the calls that have the biggest impact on total move cost, and they all need to happen in Phase 1:
1. Get the space plan right before you commit to anything else. A professional layout avoids buying furniture that doesn't fit or discovering you need more partitions after the lease starts. A free design consultation before committing to a layout pays for itself many times over.
2. Audit your furniture before the move, not after. Moving broken chairs and worn desks to a new office just creates the same problems in a different postcode. Decide what to repair, replace, hire or dispose of before the removalists arrive.
3. Order IT and data cabling with the fitout, not separately. When electrical and data work is done as part of the fitout project, it's faster and cheaper than retrofitting after walls and floors are finished.
When to bring in a fitout partner
If your new space needs any construction or refurbishment — partitions, electrical upgrades, flooring, joinery, painting — engage a commercial fitout partner early in Phase 1. Trying to coordinate trades independently while also managing a move is where timelines blow out and costs spiral.
A fitout partner who also handles furniture supply and installation means one point of contact instead of four or five separate vendors, which makes a real difference when you're juggling a move timeline.
Melbourne and Geelong considerations
- CBD moves usually require after-hours or weekend access due to building management rules — confirm this before signing your removalist contract
- Geelong relocations often have longer lead times for specialised trades travelling from Melbourne — book early
- Suburban office parks in areas like Dandenong, Moorabbin or Tullamarine have simpler access but limited public transport, which affects staff commute planning
- Heritage buildings in inner Melbourne may have restrictions on permitted fitout work — check with your landlord and local council before signing off on any construction scope
Your next step
If you're planning an office move in Melbourne or Geelong, we'll walk the new space with you, map the layout to your team's needs and give you a clear scope and timeline — including when the honest answer is that a simple furniture refresh is enough and you don't need a full fitout.
Book a free consultation with The Agile Office or call 03 9088 8040.
