A site survey lets the removal company see your offices, access, parking and equipment before the move. It leads to a written itemised quote you can sign off, often digitally. This guide explains what happens at a survey, what the quote should cover and how sign-off works.
An office move goes wrong most often at the point where two people thought they had agreed something and had not. The removal company thought the lift was bookable, and the office manager thought it was not needed. One side assumed the IT was included, and the other assumed it would be done separately. A site survey and a written quote are how you catch those gaps before the day.
We move offices across Southampton and Hampshire, and we would not plan one without seeing it first. This guide explains the office move site survey: why it matters, what happens during it, what a written itemised quote should include, how sign-off and terms work and how it all leads to moving day. We have not given any prices, because they depend on the job, and this is not a cost guide.
Why do an office move site survey?
A survey lets the removal company see what is really involved, instead of guessing from a description. It shows the size of the space, the amount of furniture and equipment, the access at both ends and any special items. That leads to a more accurate plan, and far fewer surprises on the day.
We offer free on-site surveys for office moves, and every move has a dedicated project manager, so the person who sees your office is part of the team that plans the move. That is worth asking any company about, because it tells you who will actually be in charge.
What happens during the survey
A survey is a walk-through, with someone from the removal company and someone from your business. It does not take long for a small office, but it covers a lot.
- Access. The entrances, corridors, doors, lifts, stairs and loading areas at the old and the new offices.
- Parking and the vehicle. Where the van will stop, how far it is from the door and whether there are any restrictions. Our guide to removal van parking in Southampton covers what to check.
- Furniture. Desks, chairs, partitions, shelving and storage units, and what can be dismantled and rebuilt.
- IT and equipment. Servers, desktops, monitors, network switches, printers and cabling, and who will disconnect and reconnect them.
- Special items. Safes, fragile equipment, artwork, plants and anything that needs particular care.
- Files and confidential material. How much there is, and how it needs to be handled. Our guide to confidential documents in an office move explains this in more detail.
- Timing. When you would like the move to take place, and what your business needs to keep running.
Bring the people who know the building, such as the office manager, the IT lead and the facilities contact. They will spot things a visitor will not, and they can answer questions on the spot.
What a written quote should include
After the survey, you should get a written quote. A good office removals quote is itemised, so you can see what you are paying for, and it should cover the following.
- The addresses, the date or dates and the working hours of the move.
- The scope: what is being moved, including furniture, IT equipment, files and any special items.
- The services: packing, unpacking, dismantling and reassembly, IT relocation and any clearance.
- The team and the vehicles, and who is the named project manager.
- Access arrangements, such as lifts, loading bays and building rules.
- Insurance, and what it covers. Our commercial moves are fully insured, including goods in transit and public liability cover.
- Terms, including how changes are handled and what happens if the date moves.
We have not given any figures here. When you compare quotes, compare the scope and the wording as well as the total, because two quotes that look different can be covering different things.
Digital sign-off and terms
Once you are happy with the quote, you confirm it. Many companies now do this digitally, by email or an online form, which is quick and leaves a record. Whatever the method, make sure you have the final version in writing, and that you know what you have agreed to.
- Read the scope, and check it matches what you discussed at the survey.
- Check the dates and times, and who is responsible for each part of the move.
- Ask how changes are handled, such as extra items, a different date or a change of access.
- Check the cancellation terms, and what happens if the move is delayed.
- Keep a copy, and share it with your project owner and your facilities contact.
Ask us how we handle confirmation and changes when we quote, and we will explain the process. We would rather you know before you sign than find out later.
From survey to move day
The survey is the first step in a sequence. It usually goes like this.
- Book the survey. Do this early, because it drives the rest of the plan.
- Receive the written quote, and check it against the survey.
- Confirm the booking, and agree the timetable and the named contacts.
- Plan the detail: labelling, packing, IT, access and building bookings.
- Confirm the final arrangements a few days before, and brief your staff.
- Move, then check everything against the plan and log any issues.
Our lead time advice for office moves is that small offices should allow at least two weeks, and larger relocations four to six weeks, to book and plan. Book the survey early in that window, so there is time to act on what it shows. Our office relocation checklist puts the survey in the context of the wider project, and our guide to weekend office moves explains how the day runs.
Common gaps a survey catches
- A lift that is too small for the largest furniture, or one that is out of service on the day.
- A loading bay that is shared, or restricted to certain hours.
- Server rooms and cabling that need a specific order of work, and a specialist to disconnect them.
- Furniture that is fixed to walls or floors, such as partitions, which needs to be removed and reinstalled.
- Storage areas, archives and basements that nobody remembered when the plan was first drawn up.
- Access at the new office that is not ready, or that needs a permit, a booking or a contractor.
Every one of these is easy to deal with in advance, and hard to deal with at eight in the morning with a team waiting. That is the real value of a survey: it turns unknowns into a list you can work through, with an owner and a date for each item.
Summary
- A survey removes guesswork from your move.
- Ask for an itemised written quote.
- Confirm terms and changes before signing.
- Book the survey early.
FAQs
Someone from the removal company walks through both offices with you, looking at access, parking, furniture, IT, special items and timing, and then produces a plan and a written quote.
Ours is. We offer free on-site surveys for office moves, with no obligation.
The addresses and dates, the scope of the move, the services included, the team, the access arrangements, the insurance and the terms. Ask for it to be itemised.
Many companies offer it. Ask us how we confirm bookings when you get your quote, and make sure you have the final terms in writing.
As early as you can. We advise small offices to allow at least two weeks to plan the move, and larger relocations four to six weeks, so book the survey at the start of that window.
One Last Thought
Planning an office move in Southampton or Hampshire? Call K2 Swift Removals on 023 8111 3116 or 07356 097791 to book a free on-site survey and get a straight quote.
