Office Moving – FAQ

At Professional Movers.com we are in business to help move your business. We have completed thousands of successful relocations. Below you will find a list of frequently asked questions regarding our office moving services. Please feel free to review them and if you have any questions, please contact one of our Certified Office Moving Consultants at 248-926-9999.

FAQ – Office Moving

1. When is the best time to move my company or business?
2. This is my first move, how can Professional Movers.com help me plan?
3. How long has Professional Movers.com been in business?
4. When do I start planning my office move?
5. What size office moves can Professional Movers.com handle?
6. How does Professional Movers.com ensure the right number of movers & trucks?
7. How will Professional Movers.com load the furniture onto the moving truck?
8. Our company is moving from two or more locations: How do we coordinate the move?
9. How do you handle last minute changes?
10. How does Professional Movers.com handle a move with a long walk to/from the truck?
11. Can I be sure Professional Movers.com will finish the move on time?
12. Does Professional Movers.com have supervisors on the job?
13. Are packing and unpacking services provided?
14. How should our company prepare for move day?
15. How and when should we use separate color labels?
16. What should be packed in boxes and what should be labeled for carts?
17. Do we have to empty and pack our desks?
18. Do you have storage facilities?
19. How does Professional Movers.com handle cubicles and partitions?
20. We are buying furniture, what is to be done with the existing furniture?
21. How does Professional Movers.com protect fragile inventory or machinery?
22. Does Professional Movers.com dissemble and reassemble furniture?
23. How do we prepare desktop computers to be moved?
24. We recently purchased a number of flat screen monitors, can you handle them safely?
25. Can Professional Movers.com relocate our data center/server room?
26. What special precautions should be taken to move specialized office equipment?
27. How do I prepare copiers to be moved?
28. How do I pack and prepare bookcases?
29. Are the floors protected during the move?
30. How are items organized during the office relocation?
31. Does Professional Movers.com move offices within the same building?
32. Where can I get materials for a commercial move?
33. Do we have to pack the contents of file cabinets?
34. How will Professional Movers.com transport our lateral file cabinets and desks?
35. We have classified material to move, how do you deal with secure files?
36. Does Professional Movers.com have the resources to move my office out of state?
37. Can Professional Movers.com relocate after hours or over the weekend?
38. Is it more expensive to move after-hours or on the weekends?
39. Will Professional Movers.com talk to Building Management about the move?
40. Does Professional Movers.com provide insurance coverage for my inventory?
41. Why should I care about a mover’s liability insurance?
42. What should I know about general liability insurance?
43. Are there any additional requirements my building might request for the move?
44. Does Professional Movers.com provide building insurance?
45. We are moving from or to a downtown area, how do I get a parking permit?
46. Is Professional Movers.com insured and licensed?
47. Will Professional Movers.com furnish a list of your last five office moves?
48. Do you provide 30 days billing for a move job?
49. What type of payment do you accept for office moving services?
50. Where does Professional Movers.com get their labor? Are they trained?
51. What’s Professional Movers.com opinion on “mass walk-through”?

1. When is the best time to move my company or business?

A: When considering the best time, plan around your business hours to save money. Either move after hours or during the weekend to optimize your business operations, ease of the move and the cost.

2. This is my first move, how can Professional Movers.com help me plan?

A: Professional Movers.com will assign an experienced Certified Office Moving Consultant to work with you and your staff throughout the planning and operations stages of the project. In meetings prior to the actual moving, our Certified Office Moving Consultant will help plan all aspects of the project in detail and educate your personnel as to their roles.

3. How long has Professional Movers.com been in business?

A: More than 30 years. Professional Movers, Inc. (Professional Movers.com) was incorporated in 1978.

4. When do I start planning my office move?

A: It is never too early to start planning for a successful office relocation!  Establishing space requirements, furniture needs, and phone system modifications are just a few of the beginning steps in order to get prepared for the move.  Intense pre-move planning should start NO later than 90 days prior to the relocation date, depending on the size and scope of the relocation.  Final planning and move plans should be in place and started within 30 days of the move.

5. What size office moves can Professional Movers.com handle?

A: Professional Movers.com can handle any size office relocation.  Most of the office relocations we plan are for companies who have between 10 – 500 employees.

6. How does Professional Movers.com ensure there is the right number of movers and trucks for the move?

A: Professional Movers.com utilizes a time and motion study combined with many years of experience in commercial moving with relocations of all sizes. We first have our Certified Office Moving Consultant visit your space to determine your needs. We then prepare a comprehensive proposal detailing what we will do, when we will do it, and the cost. We are able to accurately estimate crew and van sizes based on scope of work, constraints of the building and the time frame required to perform the project. All of this information will be included in your proposal. Our Certified Office Moving Consultant will present the proposal to you and answer any questions.

7. How will Professional Movers.com load the furniture onto the moving truck?

A: At Professional Movers.com we use the fast, safe and efficient “floating” method for loading furniture onto the trucks, as opposed to the risky “stacking” method. The floating method keeps the furniture on a dolly on the moving truck floor during transport. Movers who use the slower, labor-intensive stacking method unload the furniture from the dolly, then stack it floor to ceiling, which can result in considerable crushing damage to anything at the bottom of the pile.

8. Our company or business is moving from two or more locations: How do we coordinate the move?

A: Check with our Certified Office Moving Consultant and they will coordinate a cost effective move plan. To move your company or business from more than one location into more then one location is possible. Dependent on the size of the move and the locations you’re moving from and to, we may send several crews at the same time to your business location; or we simply split the move into a few days, each day we will move to a different location.

9. How do you handle last minute changes?

A: Change is inevitable. Professional Movers.com ability to deal with change is determined by our level of flexibility. The experience of our Certified Office Moving Consultants, coupled with our strength of resources, allows us to respond to challenges both quickly and efficiently with a minimum of disruption to the move schedule.

10. How does Professional Movers.com handle a move with a long walk to/from the truck?

A: Professional Movers.com uses carts, dollies and four wheelers for a quicker, more efficient move. In some cases, we also add more movers to the crew.

11. Can I be sure Professional Movers.com will finish the move on time?

A: Yes, once Professional Movers.com determines the scope of the overall project, we will provide a guaranteed completion time.

12. Does Professional Movers.com have supervisors on the job?

A: Professional Movers.com has at least 1 trained supervisor on every office moving job. Our supervisors are trained and experienced in making non-programmed decisions that help them foresee potential problems.

13. Are packing and unpacking services provided?

A: Professional Movers.com offers complete packing and unpacking services for any commercial relocation depending on your needs. Our Certified Office Moving Consultant will fully discuss packing, explain your responsibility, our responsibilities, and the materials, equipment and procedures involved. We also outline our labeling system: discussing color-coding, room diagrams, directional placards, preparing sensitive or fragile items for shipment, and identifying personal property. Written packing and labeling instructions are provided to aid in our on-site demonstrations.

14. How should our company prepare for move day?

A: Moves happen very quickly, often completed with many movers. For this reason it is not advisable to plan to have one of your employees stand at the entrance of your new office and try to direct traffic.

To prepare for the move, you should work with our Certified Office Moving Consultant to devise a labeling system that is related to the seating plan at your new office. Each person and location is then assigned a move number. To create a labeling system for your move, we will start with a copy of your new floor plan. Each office, workstation, conference room, supply room, file area, etc., is assigned a move number. The numbers should be assigned in sequential order so that area number 1 is next to area 2, and so on.

Using the appropriate move number, all items to be moved are labeled for placement at the correct location. Copies of the floor plans, marked with the appropriate information, should be posted at the new space in plain sight. The movers will refer to it when placing your items. The company representatives should also carry hand held copies for quick reference during the move. You should have a minimum of two people from your company to answer questions and be available to make on-the-spot decisions.

15. How and when should we use separate color labels?

A: For moves where there are multiple floors or entrances, separate color labels should be used to differentiate the floor or space. Consult with our Certified Office Moving Consultant before assigning separate colors. When creating a labeling system please make sure that every number is unique. The first part of the number is usually the floor number at the destination.

16. What should be packed in boxes and what should be labeled for carts?

A: The general rule of thumb is that if it can fit into a carton, it should be packed. This includes desk and cabinet contents, calculators, radios and other common office items.

17. Do we have to empty and pack our desks?

A: It is recommended that you completely pack your desk. Each desk is turned on its side and moved on a dolly. In particular, loose items will shift inside the desk and could be lost in transit.

18. Do you have storage facilities?

A: Professional Movers.com has modern facilities that are climate controlled with alarmed security systems. Before storing items with Professional Movers.com, we welcome you to visit our facility and learn how your product will be inventoried, protected, and stored while in the possession of Professional Movers.com.

19. How does Professional Movers.com handle cubicles and partitions?

A: The de-installation and installation of cubicles and partition walls will be handled by trained and experienced furniture installers.  To move and install your existing furniture system, the following is required:

• A detailed plan of the new space, depicting panel dimensions, work surface elevations and electric plans.
• A detailed inventory of your existing system components.

It is important to note that if your system will be configured differently you may require new parts. In other words, just because you have 4 cubicles in one location doesn’t mean you can build them in another location. Additionally, an electrician must be present to disconnect and reconnect the system from and to the power source in the building, and permits for other electrical work will probably be required.

20. We are buying furniture for our new office, what is to be done with the existing furniture?

A: You can store it in our climate controlled warehouses. You can sell it to a used furniture dealer. You can donate it to charity. You can send it to a recycling facility or to a landfill. We can help with each.

21. How does Professional Movers.com protect fragile inventory or machinery?

A: Professional Movers.com protects your fragile items with specialized office relocation equipment and materials such as custom crates, bubble wrap and moving blankets.

22. Does Professional Movers.com dis-assemble and reassemble furniture?

A: Professional Movers.com handles the assembly of normal office desks, returns and U-shaped desk configurations, as well as conference room tables, as part of our standard service.  Everything that is taken apart will be put back together as it was found.  There may be some cases where trained furniture installers are needed to handle complex and expensive furniture pieces.

23. How do we prepare desktop computers to be moved?

A: Prior to moving, precautions should be taken to back up your data. Each computer should be completely disconnected. We recommend placing detachable cables, peripherals and keyboards in one of our computer bags. The bags are 20×26 zip-lock, and are able to hold keyboards. Placing these items in bags allows for quick and orderly reinstallation at your new office. Each individual component of the computer should then be labeled, including the computer bag. Computers are then loaded on carts and secured for transportation – no packing needed.

24. We recently purchased a number of flat screen monitors, can you handle them safely?

A: Yes, Professional Movers.com has developed a system to first bubble wrap the monitors and move them in a computer bin with dividers keeping the flat screens immobile during transport.

25. Can Professional Movers.com relocate our data center/server room?

A: Yes, we plan the relocation of this time sensitive equipment to minimize downtime. Frequently, we provide a special crew and a “hot truck” to complete the movement of this delicate equipment both efficiently and safely.

26. What special precautions should be taken to move specialized office equipment?

A: For items requiring special handling, it is a good idea to check with the equipment supplier to determine what must be done to prepare the equipment for moving. This is true for copiers, network servers, manufacturing equipment, laboratory equipment and other items. Since these items often require pre-move servicing, timing for the move must be a consideration.

27. How do I prepare copiers to be moved?

It is best to check with your supplier. If you have a maintenance agreement, you should refer to it. If the copier is leased, your supplier may require that they relocate the machine.

28. How do I pack and prepare bookcases?

All bookcases should be completely emptied, packed and labeled, if they are to be moved. If the individual shelves are held using “pins,” it is a good idea to remove the shelves and place them at the bottom of the bookcase. The pins should be placed in a plastic bag and placed inside a rental crate.

29. Are the floors protected during the move?

A: Professional Movers.com uses builder board and masonite on all marble or sensitive tile floors, regardless of the amount of product moved across it.  During the winter months, carpets are protected with plastic carpet mask in high traffic areas.

30. How are items organized during the office relocation?

A: Professional Movers.com provides moving labels for every item that is moved.  These labels assist in placing furniture, tracking miscellaneous items and organizing large amounts of product during the relocation process.

31. Does Professional Movers.com move offices within the same building?

A: Professional Movers.com can provide internal relocation services, often internal relocations are easier and less stressful because they do not require the use of moving trucks.

32. Where can I get materials for a commercial move?

A: Included in your cost and service proposal will be a breakdown for all of the materials required for your relocation. Professional Movers.com will be your main source for acquiring materials (cartons, crates, record carts, labels, bubble-wrap, stretch-wrap, tape, etc.).

33. Do we have to pack the contents of file cabinets?

A: Vertical file cabinets are often referred to as upright filing cabinets and may be moved completely full. Lateral file cabinets MUST be emptied prior to the move. Moving a lateral file cabinet that has contents inside will often result in the lower drawers bending and not operating properly. By emptying your lateral filing cabinets, you will prevent the possibility of mechanical failure of the cabinet at your new location. Your Certified Office Moving Consultant will notify your company representative should your file cabinets be an exception to this rule.

If the relocation involves going up or down any stairs, all cabinets should be emptied for safety reasons.

34. How will Professional Movers.com transport our lateral file cabinets and desks?

A: Professional Movers.com uses innovative methods to relocate file cabinets and desks safely without disturbing the contents. Our unique method eliminates the risk of mixed up or lost files and gives you 100 percent access to your files immediately before and after the move.

35. We have classified material to move, how do you deal with secure files?

A: Working with your security staff, Professional Movers.com establishes a schedule to move classified materials. We will coordinate the most stringent requirements. Normally, “line of sight” monitoring of the move together with your personnel accompanying the sealed, locked trucks is arranged.

36. Does Professional Movers.com have the resources to move my office out of state?

A: Professional Movers.com has the capabilities to provide transportation services nationwide.  We use Air-Ride vans that are equipped with specially designed moving pads to protect your equipment during transit. We move to all points in the US, and special arrangement will be made before the move to meet your schedule. We provide standard deliveries (within 15 business days from the day of the pick up) and express delivery’s (next day to three days from the time of the pick up). The price for each delivery service is based upon the size of the move, the distance and the necessary delivery time period.

37. Can Professional Movers.com relocate after hours or over the weekend?

A: The majority of commercial relocations occur during this time period due to the constraints of the building.  Because of our capable resources, requesting a move after hours or over the weekend is normal procedure.

38. Is it more expensive to move after-hours or on the weekends?

A: No, it’s actually cheaper. We do charge more on an hourly basis, but the efficiency of not competing for loading space and elevators keeps the cost down.

39. Will Professional Movers.com talk to Building Management about the move?

A: Yes, Professional Movers.com will help coordinate your project and arrange for access to loading docks, elevators, entrances and exits.

40. Does Professional Movers.com provide insurance coverage for the value of my inventory?

A: Professional Movers.com offers Carrier Based Liability valuation based on $.60 per pound per article.  This valuation is free of charge.  Replacement Value protection is available based on the total value of the items being relocated in the move. Visit MovingInsurance.com for additional coverage information.

41. Why should I care about a mover’s liability insurance?

A: This coverage protects your organization during the course of a move. The policy covers things like severe building damage, accidents and catastrophic occurrences. A low policy level indicates a high risk in the event of an incident. A high policy level limits your exposure.

42. What should I know about general liability insurance?

A: Almost all office buildings require that the moving company moving your business has some type of general liability insurance. Most buildings require either $1,000,000 or $2,000,000 worth of general liability. This policy covers damage to the building, accidents, and catastrophic occurrences. General liability also protects your organization from being liable in any way during the move.

43. Are there any additional requirements my building might request for the move?

All you need to do is have your building management fax over their building requirements to Professional Movers.com, and we take care of the rest. They will let us know if there needs to be masonite to protect the floors, additional padding on the elevators or banisters, where to park our trucks, and any other building policy they may have. One of the most important details of an office move is often “Do we have exclusive use of the elevator?” This needs to be reserved ahead of time, and is most often done by the representative of your business who is coordinating the move.

44. Does Professional Movers.com provide building insurance?

A: Professional Movers.com offers General Liability and Workman’s Compensation insurance in order to perform work in tenant buildings.

45. We are moving from or to downtown Birmingham, Detroit, Royal Oak, Northville, Plymouth, or Rochester, how do I get a parking permit for my move?

A: There are two options available if you need a parking permit. You can visit city hall and purchase a day pass parking permit (normally it’s between $20-$30), or we can get the parking permit for you at a higher cost ($70-$80).

46. Is Professional Movers.com insured and licensed?

A: Yes. Professional Movers.com is happy to provide a Certificate of Insurance and a license to perform work upon request.

47. Will Professional Movers.com furnish a list of your last five office moves?

A: Yes we will provide you with contacts and telephone numbers. In addition, we recommend you do the same to the other moving companies that you are considering. Here are the questions you should ask:

1. When did the moving company relocate your office? If the moves occurred more than six weeks ago, be suspicious.
2. How well did the mover protect your furniture, electronic equipment and contents?
3. Did the mover protect the office against damage?
4. Did the mover complete the job in the allotted time?
5. Did the final bill match or exceed the quoted price?

48. Do you provide 30 days billing for a move job?

A: 30 days billing is provided to established accounts that provide regular reoccurring work and who are in good-standing credit. 30 days billing does not apply to any moves outside the State of Michigan.

49. What type of payment do you accept for office moving services?

A: We accept: cash, postal money order, corporate check, and certified check.

50. Where does Professional Movers.com get their labor? Are they trained?

A: Professional Movers.com sets the industry standard with our labor force. The key to our success is the fact that our regular employees have been assimilated into our system through an on-going training program stressing proper moving procedures, packing techniques, and job safety. They are an integral part of our operation and are not casual or pick-up labor.

51. What’s Professional Movers.com opinion on “mass walk-throughs”?

A: In recent years, the concept of herding several movers through the office space of a potential client in order to obtain multiple bids has become very popular. Unfortunately it undermines the selection process in a number of ways. First, movers on a mass walk-through will be afraid to raise vital questions for fear of informing their competitors how they propose to handle the move. The process also encourages unrealistically low bids from desperately competing companies. And finally, the mass walk-through penalizes those movers who are thorough and detailed and, consequently, slower in taking their inventory. In order to keep pace with the pack, they are forced to take shortcuts or overlook important details.