Moving can be expensive. Moving an entire office can be even more expensive. Accordingly, you’re going to want to think about your moving strategy before you begin – you’re going to want to make sure that you save as much money as you can. The following are a few tips to get you started in the right direction:

If you don’t need it, don’t bring it. Chances are your office has few unnecessary things. From broken equipment, to unneeded documents to just anything that has become a dust collector – if it’s not being utilized, don’t let it make your move a bigger, more difficult one. If at all possible, look into selling these unnecessary items. Craigslist is a great way to do this but if you can’t, either donate, recycle or throw them away.

Be ready to go when the movers arrive. Make sure that your office is ready to move when the office moving company arrives. Have everything packed up and ready to be loaded into the truck. If the movers have to help you with any last minute packing, you will most likely be charged for the additional assistance. Either way, it does not hurt to ask the moving company what they will and will not charge for. Some furniture, for instance, needs to be disassembled before being moved; depending on the company, having them do this may or may not cost extra.

Be flexible with your schedule. If at all possible, try to work within the timeframe of the moving company. Doing so may be doing them a favor. It may involve filling a time slot they would have otherwise struggled to fill. Whatever the case, as the old saying goes, if you scratch their back, they may scratch yours in return. Well, the saying doesn’t go quite like that, but you get the picture. Make their lives easier, and then ask for a discount in return.

See if you can get an off-season deal. June and July are the busiest months for moving companies. And also, as you might imagine, the first and last day of every month are also extremely busy days. Essentially, this is an extension of the last point: If you can give them business when business is usually slow, they may just repay the favor in the form of savings for you.

Don’t fall victim to storage-in-transit fees. We’ve already gone over being ready to move when the trucks arrive, but the other end of your trip is just as crucial. Make sure that the new office you’re moving into is ready to receive you. If, for any reason, the movers are unable to move your belongings into the new office as soon as they are able, you will be the one who suffers. You’ll be dinged with storage-in-transit fees, which occur when a portion of or your entire load cannot be unloaded. Also, make sure that you are ready to pay the movers in full upon delivery – if they have to wait for you to retrieve money, you’ll also suffer the ol’ storage-in-transit fee.

So just be prepared. Careful planning is the key to a successful, reasonably cheap move.

Author Bio: Lorne W. MacInnes is a managing partner of Ferguson Moving & Storage Ltd, an establish Vancouver office moving company. http://www.fergusonmoving.com

Category: Finances
Keywords: movers, vancouver, office moving, relocation, business, decision, advice, office relocation