Planning a company move Checklist: 7 phases without failure

The moving date is set. At the same time, employees are still working at the old location, the IT is not fully prepared, suppliers do not know the new address and the new office may still lack access, signage or internet. It is precisely at this point that a company move quickly turns from a planned project into an ongoing incident.

A practicalPlanning a company move Checklistorganizes the work chronologically. The seven phases connect backward planning, inventory, budget, location, IT, communications and authorities. Some tasks run in parallel. What is crucial is a person who brings together appointments, responsibilities and decisions. A main coordinator reduces queries, prevents duplication of work and ensures that critical handovers are not lost between departments.

Company moves are an ongoing structural issue in Switzerland.In 2025, CRIF relocated 38,081 existing companies within Switzerland, of which80.8% within the same cantonand7,517 to another canton. There were already 37,816 moves in 2024, and even 43,055 in 2023. The numbers show: Even a seemingly local change of location requires operational discipline.CRIF dokumentiert die Firmenumzüge in der Schweiz.

1. Set the moving date and schedule

The date determines almost all further decisions. First check rental contract periods, company holidays, important customer projects, production cycles and the availability of transport, assembly and IT service providers. A statutory minimum notice period of6 months generally applies to business premises in Switzerland, unless the contract or local agreement regulates otherwise. The termination must be received by the landlord in a timely manner, not just sent.Die gesetzlichen Kündigungsfristen für Geschäftsräume sind hier zusammengefasst.

Plan backwards from the first regular working day at the new location. Not only specify the day of transport, but also the final packing dates, IT shutdown, cleaning, key handover, furnishing, test operation and a reserve for delays. A Swiss SME can often schedule the move over a weekend or during company holidays. Larger companies do better with a staggered move over several stages if individual departments have to remain operational.

Responsibilities and milestones

Appoint a person with primary responsibility with decision-making authority. There are also at least representatives, IT managers, facility or office management, HR, finance and one contact person per department. Service providers such as TIXPI, electricians, network partners, cleaning companies and administration must be included in the same schedule.

• Maintain project plan:Use a project management tool or a jointly maintained task list with deadline, status and responsible person.
• Mark dependencies:The furniture placement plan depends on the room release, the IT commissioning on the connection and the workplace start on the successful one Test.
• Schedule communication:Inform employees, suppliers and partners early about the moving day, availability and new delivery address.
• Service provider reserve:Confirm transport, assembly and technical work before the desired date is no longer available.

2. Inventory, inventory and furniture management

An incomplete inventory almost inevitably causes later inquiries, shortages and disputes about damage. Therefore, record furniture, IT equipment, files, inventory, packaging material and personal items not only by room, but also by target area. A monitor, a server rack or a safe requires different transport conditions than a desk.

The inventory is also a decision about the future location. Mark each item with a clear category: keep, store, sell, donate, dispose of, or recycle. This way you avoid unusable furniture being transported first and later disposed of at a cost. For partial moves, it is worth planning separately for individual workstations, furniture groups or inventory. A complete move is not automatically the most efficient solution.

Document inventory in such a way that it helps on moving day

A digital directory with a photo, condition, room, destination and responsibility is sufficient for many SMEs. QR codes or RFID tags can simplify assignment if the team uses them consistently. For sensitive IT devices, the serial number, data controller and handover should also be documented.

Practical rule:Not only label the box, but also the target area and the priority. A box labeled “Office 2” is of little use if no one knows whether its contents will be needed on the first day of work.

Take photos of valuable or sensitive items before packing. Separate lists for furniture, IT, storage materials and personal items. When it comes to old furniture, check whether reusing, selling or recycling makes more sense than disposal. For furniture that needs to be temporarily out of the office, aMöbeleinlagerung von TIXPIcan be an organizational option.

3. Create budget and cost calculations

The transport invoice is only part of the budget. Consider packaging, disassembly and assembly, cleaning, renovation, temporary storage, parking or loading zones, insurance, rewiring, internet and telephony. Internal working hours, overtime and possible alternative solutions for employees also belong in the planning.

Create a cost list with three columns: expected amount, confirmed amount and actual expense. Provide an offer or a responsible person for each position. This makes it clear whether the price for transport already includes assembly, packaging, floors, elevator, long transport routes or special goods. A fixed price is easily comparable when the inventory is complete. An hourly model can make sense for small, well-prepared orders, but carries a higher cost risk in the event of delays.

Don't just compare the price

Request transparent offers with the scope of services and exclusions. At TIXPI, companies can useFirmenumzug-Kosten und eine Preiskalkulationto incorporate the order into their budget planning at an early stage. It remains crucial that you correctly indicate volumes, access, special items and desired assembly services.

• Check transport costs:Are vehicles, personnel, packaging and travel times included?
• Exclude special services:Ask about dismantling, assembly, furniture lift, interim storage and disposal.
• Clarify consolidation:Bundled transports can include the invoice and the Reduce transport routes if dates and routes match.
• Plan buffer:Reserve a realistic amount for unexpected craftsmanship, missing access or damaged material. A specific percentage is not serious without the scope of the project.
• Weigh up DIY against a professional:Your own contribution may save money, but it ties up employees and shifts liability and coordination risks into the company.

The cheapest offer is not automatically the cheapest project. A low transport price doesn't help if it means IT is down for a longer period of time or employees can't work on their first day of work.

4. Prepare and inspect new company location

The new location must be operational before transport. Organize a joint visit with administration, project management, IT and transport service providers. Don't just check whether furniture will fit through the front door. Access, loading zone, parking spaces, stairwell, goods lift, hallway width, door frames, floor load and the position of sockets are relevant.

Measure large furniture, server racks, cabinets and machines before moving. A furniture placement plan with a target space and exact position prevents teams from having to make decisions in the hallway on moving day. Photograph rooms and entrances from multiple perspectives. Record existing damage to the new location before delivery.

Approvals before delivery

Renovations, painting, flooring and cleaning should be completed before furniture and technology arrive. Check electricity, lighting, water, heating, access systems and internet. If the infrastructure is not yet ready, do not simply postpone the IT test until the first day of work. Instead, create a controlled test appointment with the responsible specialists.

• Clarify access:Who has keys, badges or codes, and who is allowed to accompany the transport?
• Secure the transport route:Reserve loading spaces and apply for the necessary permits from the responsible municipality.
• Position furniture:Number rooms and workstations to match Inventory.
• Document defects:Create a log with photos, date and responsibility.
• Perform safety check:Check escape routes, fire protection, first aid material and signage.

5. Planning IT and telecommunications services

A company move rarely fails because of missing boxes. More often, the Internet, telephony, network, access rights or an untested server block the restart. Therefore, create your own IT migration document. It contains systems, responsible parties, shutdown time, transport route, restart, test and fallback solution.

Back up data before dismantling and check whether the backups can actually be restored. Servers, network devices and data carriers do not belong uncontrolled in general furniture transport. Document handovers and protect sensitive hardware against shock, moisture and unauthorized access.

Limit downtime specifically

Instruct internet and telephone providers early on and confirm the switchover date in writing. Plan a test run at the new location before the entire workforce moves in. Check network, WLAN, printer, VPN, telephone system, cloud applications and access rights. Microsoft 365 or Google Workspace can make transitions easier, but they do not replace local checks of internet, power and authentication.

Telephony needs its own decision. Check number porting, forwarding and temporary availability. For SMEs, the technical classification of SIP trunks can help to evaluate options for flexible telephony.SIP-Trunks und ihre Vorteile für KMUprovide background for this.

The first working day does not begin with switching on the server, but with proof that the backup, network and access are working.

Define a downtime window and a fallback plan. If the connection is not available, the company needs a secure interim solution, such as prepared home office workstations or an alternative connection. Also update addresses for providers, banks, suppliers and business partners. IT and transport service providers need to know which devices are particularly protected and rebuilt first.

6. Communicate and involve employees

Employees need clear answers to practical questions early on: When will they pack? Who labels material? Where is the new workplace? How does access work? What applies to home offices, parking spaces, customer appointments and personal items? A one-time circular email is not enough.

Set up a central communication page on the intranet, in Microsoft Teams or a wiki. This includes the schedule, directions, room plan, packing rules, contact persons, emergency number and current changes. Department heads take over the communication of their teams, while the main coordinator controls the overall information.

Roles instead of voluntary responsibility

Define a responsible person per department. This checks whether inventory is recorded, boxes are labeled and sensitive documents are handled correctly. For the moving day, additional people are needed for the old location, new location, transport, IT, administration and employee questions.

• Packing:Employees sort personal work equipment according to clear instructions.
• Coordinate:Department managers report open points to the project management.
• Decide:The main coordinator resolves conflicts regarding sequence, access or Priority.
• Supervise:HR answers questions about commute, working hours and interim solutions.
• Document:Facility management records conditions, keys and damage.

Inform teams early about the appointment and repeat the most important points shortly before the move. A welcome event can support the restart, but does not replace a functioning infrastructure. Personal items should be regulated separately, including responsibility for loss or damage. Support for private moves, for example through a discount from a service provider, is possible, but should remain clearly separate from the company moving organization.

7. Regulatory requirements, legal matters and relocation execution

Create a recipient list for all places that need your new business address. This includes commercial registers, tax authorities, AHV, insurance companies, banks, suppliers, customers, business partners, postal services and relevant online profiles. If you change canton, you must also check which municipal and cantonal reporting channels apply. The processes are not identical everywhere.

The statutory reporting deadline of14 daysIn Switzerland primarily concerns private changes of residence at the residents' registration office. For companies, you should clarify the specific obligation with the responsible commercial register, with the municipality and with the other authorities.Informationen zur Adressänderung und den Meldewegenhelp with private and business-related move planning, but does not replace an examination of the specific company headquarters.

The moving day requires an operations manager

Confirm the scope of transport, address, access, loading zone, key, Contact person and time slot before the appointment. The main coordinator remains available and maintains an up-to-date contact list. A substitute takes over if the central person is unavailable. At the old location, inventory and condition are checked before loading, at the new location, rooms and quantities are checked upon arrival.

• Work through list of authorities:Document when each message was sent or confirmed.
• Record handovers:Record keys, meter readings, damage and cleaning status in writing.
• Monitor transport:Check special goods, sensitive equipment and the order of delivery.
• Have an emergency plan ready:Regulate the handling of damaged furniture, missing boxes, blocked driveways and mismatched items.
• Update address channels:Check your website, email signatures, invoices, stationery and supplier master data.

If you need to change your place of residence or a private address, you will find suitable orientation atAbmeldung bei der Gemeinde. The central question for company relocation remains: Which authority is responsible for the specific location and what proof is required?

Company relocation checklist: 7-point comparison

Complete the handover cleanly

The company move doesn't end with the last piece of furniture in the new office. You should carry out an inspection at the old and new location together with the administration or landlord. Take photos of rooms, floors, doors, walls, meter readings and items left behind. A signed handover protocol creates a clear basis if renovation claims or questions about damage arise later.

At the new location, the project management checks whether all inventory items have arrived and are assigned to the correct rooms. Damage is recorded immediately with a photo, description and inventory number. Report it to the moving service provider according to the contract and check whether insurance needs to be involved. You should only release open invoices after comparing them with the order, additional services and documented deviations.

Those responsible after moving in

A compact list of those responsible prevents rework between departments from disappearing.

• Main coordinator:Handover, open points, service providers and completion status.
• Facility management:Keys, meter readings, cleaning, defects and Landlord.
• IT:Network, Internet, telephony, backups, devices and access rights.
• HR:Employee information, new processes and feedback.
• Finances:Invoices, cost control, insurance claims and Contract data.
• Office management:Mail, suppliers, business papers, signatures and online profiles.

Carry out a short test operation after moving in. Each department checks its workstations, printers, telephony, access, delivery routes and central applications. In this way, you not only identify visible defects, but also operational problems, such as missing authorizations or incorrectly stored addresses.

A good conclusion is measurable:The inventory is aligned, damage is documented, addresses are correct, systems are running and every open task has a responsible person.

Then check whether the forwarding order, website, invoices, email signatures, supplier accounts and bank details are updated are. Inform employees about the final room and safety rules. Only collect feedback after the test operation, because then concrete problems are on the table instead of general uncertainty.

TIXPI can coordinate transport planning, scheduling and delivery during an office move. Whether a complete move, a partial transport, temporary storage or the disposal of furniture makes sense depends on inventory, access, deadline and operational requirements. Exactly these points therefore belong in the final examination of thePlanning a company move checklist.

If you are now specifically preparing your company move, you can check transparent prices atTIXPIand coordinate transport, furniture delivery, disposal or office move with a contact person. Submit current and new address, scope and desired date so that the next planning steps start on a reliable basis.