Most office moves don’t go wrong on moving day. They go wrong months earlier. It starts when a lift booking is left too late. When the internet provider needs six weeks’ notice but gets two or when nobody knows about the reinstatement clause in the old lease.

This office relocation checklist takes you through a move in the order things actually need to happen from six months out to the week after you’ve settled in. And we’ve written it for Singapore offices so it covers the local steps that general checklists miss like: building management approvals, reinstatement and updating your address with ACRA.

Planning an office move? Elite Movers has moved offices in Singapore since 2003. Get a free onsite survey →

Want this as a printable checklist? Get the PDF below ↓

Before You Start: Appoint a Move Manager

Goal: Have one person in-charge of the move from start to finish

An office move touches every department so it needs a single manager to coordinate. Without one, decisions stall and the mover, the landlord and your IT team will end up waiting on each other.

Appoint a move manager, plus a small committee if you’re a larger office (one person from operations, IT and finance is usually enough)
Agree upon who can sign off decisions and spending so there won’t be delay in approvals thus holding up bookings
Set a date for the first meeting and agree on the scope of the move – which teams, furniture and equipment are moving, and what isn’t
Set up one shared plan (e.g. spreadsheet) for tasks, owners and deadlines

Only have three months? Skip to 3 months before and start with building approvals and service providers sections or download the 3-month checklist below.

6 Months Before: Plan, Budget and Check Your Lease

Goal: Know what you’re moving, how much it’ll cost and what you owe the old landlord

Take stock of what you have

List everything that needs to be moved (furniture, equipment, files, pantry items) in a spreadsheet
Decide what will be disposed of, stored or replaced. There might have been plans to remove old furniture and files and this will be the best time to do so
Ask each department head what they’ll need in the new office (e.g. new furniture, more storage, meeting rooms)

Check the reinstatement clause in your current lease

Most Singapore office leases require you to return the unit to its original condition when you leave. That can mean removing partitions, carpet, cabling, signage and fixtures you added. Reinstatement takes time and money and it usually has to be finished before you hand over the keys.

Read the reinstatement clause in your current lease
Get reinstatement quotes early with contractors
Confirm the handover date and your notice period with the landlord

Set a budget

Include the move quotation, reinstatement, new furniture and fit-out, IT infrastructure move, and any overlap in rent
Get the budget approved before booking anything

3 Months Before: Access, Layout, IT and Choosing a Mover

Goal: Get info on approvals & access, have a floor plan the management agrees on, and a mover booked

Building Approvals and Access (Both Buildings)

Goal: Figure out building management’s regulations to avoid surprises on moving day

This is the step most often left too late. Office buildings in Singapore usually control when and how moves happen. Some buildings do not allow office hours move, or have regulations on loading bay or lifts usage. You’ll need to arrange it at both the building you’re leaving and the one you’re moving into.

Ask both buildings’ management for their moving rules in writing. The permitted hours, notice required, any permit, deposit or form
Book the loading bay and goods or service lift at both buildings for your moving date (if needed), or keep both managements informed
Ask whether the building needs the mover’s insurance certificate or other documents in advance
Check whether floor and lift protection is required, and who provides it
Confirm where the trucks can park and for how long

Plan the new layout

Visit the new premises, get a floor plan with measurements and take photos
Decide where each team sits and what shared space you need. For example: meeting rooms, client areas, pantry, quiet rooms
Map out power points and network ports against where desks and printers will go
Decide where the server or comms room will be
Label the floor plan with area names and desk numbers. Your mover will use it to put every box and workstation in the right place

Plan your IT move

IT is usually what decides how quickly your team can get back to work. Agree early who will disconnect and reconnect workstations, printers and servers, and when systems can go offline.

Agree who handles disconnection and reconnection: your IT team, your IT vendor, the mover, or a mix
Plan a schedule for backups before anything is unplugged
Book any work needed at the new office, such as cabling and network setup with your existing or new provider

Elite Movers’ team handles server and workstation disconnection and reconnection. For server rooms and network equipment, see IT equipment relocation service.

Get movers in for a site survey

A quote given over the phone can change on the day of the move. A mover who visits your office can see the volume, access and special items and quote accordingly (see our post on why moving quotes go up later).

Invite at least 3 movers to survey your office to give a quote
Discuss timing, access at both buildings, lift and floor protection, insurance and cost
Tell the moving company if you also need them to handle the IT equipment relocation
Ask whether the move can be done after office hours or over a weekend and what costs are involved
Compare quotes like for like (see how to choose the right moving company) so you won’t miss out any details

Elite Movers’ onsite surveys are free, take about 15–30 minutes and you’ll usually have a quote the same day. Book an office survey →

5 Important rules for large commercial moves

Start early: Building approvals, service providers and reinstatement and renovation all need weeks of lead time
Appoint a move manager: This person shall make decisions quickly and keeps everyone on one plan
Get a survey-based quote: It’s the best protection against costs rising on the day of the move
Move outside working hours or in phases: This reduces downtime and keeps the business moving
Test everything at the new office before moving day: Internet, phones and door access shouldn’t be tested for the first time with the whole team waiting

6–8 Weeks Before: Update Your Service Providers

Goal: Confirm everything works at the new office from the first morning

Some service providers need around six weeks to move or set up a service, so this step can decide your moving date. Start here before you lock in the date.

It can take time to arrange for new suppliers or cancel old plans. There may be deposits to recover or equipment to return. Ensure there’s time for both so as to avoid downtime after the move.

Also arrange:

New business cards, letterheads and stationery with the new address
Mail redirection with SingPost
Send a notice to clients and suppliers with the new address and moving date so you can keep them updated

2–4 Weeks Before: Packing and Staff Communication

Goal: Every box packed, labelled and pointing to a desk in the new office

Tell your staff the plan

Share the new layout, the timetable and who to contact with questions
Explain what staff need to pack themselves and by when
Provide information on how to label their boxes
Remind everyone what they’re responsible for: personal items, valuables and anything confidential at their desk

Prepare the new office

Fit-out and setup at the new office can take 2 to 6 weeks, depending on what needs to be installed.

Confirm the renovation, electrical points and cabling will be finished before moving day
Arrange access cards for any staff who’ll help on the day

Pack and label

Packing an office usually takes 2 to 4 weeks, so don’t leave it to the last few days.

Ask staff to clear their desks and throw out old files first
Hand out boxes, tape and labels (ask if your movers provide it)
Use one labelling system across the office, such as department + desk number, matching the floor plan (our guide on how to label boxes like a pro works for offices too)
Each person packs, seals and labels their own desk

Elite Movers lends carton boxes free of charge and provides tape and sticker labels. Let us know and we will arrange to have them dropped off.

Decide what isn’t coming

Arrange disposal of old furniture, equipment and safes you won’t need
Set up a process for secure destruction of confidential documents and old hard drives. Don’t simply dispose of them in the trash
Move items you need to keep but not in the new office (archives, spare furniture) to short-term or long-term storage

We also provide disposal services. Let us know during your onsite survey and we can arrange for that.

1–2 Weeks Before: Confirm Everything

Goal: Confirm every supplier, service and personnel for the move, along with a backup plan

Contact list: share a list of who’s in charge of what on moving day, with phone numbers to the movers as well as in your team
Suppliers: contact every supplier on your list 7–14 days before the move to confirm changes and contact details
Test services at the new office: phone lines, internet, water and pantry, door access, locks on lockable doors, emergency exits and windows
Final meeting with your mover (if needed):
- confirm access arrangements and start times at both sites
- agree the order of the move (equipment first, or staff boxes first?)
- agree a backup plan if a truck breaks down or a lift fails.

Moving Day

Goal: Having a smooth move with as little downtime as possible

Have one person in charge at both locations before the movers arrive to confirm access, lifts and truck parking
Put up copies of the floor plan and contact list at both sites
Use your checklist to track progress
Keep drinks and snacks available for the staff helping out

Moving after office hours or at the weekend is the simplest way to avoid any downtime. Elite Movers schedules moves 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and completes most office moves within a single day. After-hours moves carry an additional charge, so ask for it to be included in your quote.

The Week After: Admin and Handover

Goal: Update the new address everywhere and a final check before handing back the old office

Update your registered address with ACRA

If your registered office address has changed, ACRA requires your business to update it within 14 days of the change. Late updates can lead to penalties, so put it on the calendar now.

Update your address everywhere else

Website, email signatures and invoices
Google Business Profile and online directory listings
Banks, insurers and payroll providers
Clients and suppliers (if you haven’t already)

Hand back the old office

Complete reinstatement works
Do a final walk-through with the landlord, and return keys and access cards

Check for issues

Walk through the new office and note anything damaged or missing
Report issues to your mover promptly

Plan Your Office Move With Elite Movers

Elite Movers has moved offices in Singapore since 2003, for clients including NUS, ITE and Mediacorp. We’ll visit your office for a free survey, plan the move around your working hours, and give you a quote with no deposit required.

Get a free onsite office survey → or WhatsApp us.

Download the Office Relocation Checklists

Get the printable checklists (PDF): the full 6-month plan plus a 3-month version if your move is sooner.

Frequently Asked Questions

How far in advance should we plan an office move?

For a small office, start about 2–3 months ahead. For a larger office, or one with a server room, allow up to 6 months. Book your mover’s site survey early as moving slots are first come, first served.

Can an office move be done in one day?

Usually, yes. Elite Movers completes most office relocations within a single day and moves can be scheduled after office hours or over a weekend so your team loses as little working time as possible.

Can we move after office hours or on weekends?

Yes. Elite Movers schedules moves 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. After-hours moves carry an additional charge which will be included in your quote.

Who handles our IT equipment and servers?

You can split it between your IT team and your mover. Elite Movers handles disconnection, packing, transport and reconnection of workstations and servers, using anti-static packing for equipment. See IT equipment relocation for server rooms.

What is office reinstatement?

Reinstatement means returning your old unit to its original condition before you hand it back, as required by most Singapore office leases. It can include removing partitions, carpets, cabling and signage. Check your lease early and plan it into your timeline.

Do we need to update ACRA that we’ve moved?

Yes, if your registered office address changes. Update it through BizFile+ within 14 days of the change.

Office Relocation Checklist for Singapore Businesses