For most businesses, the hardest part of an office move isn’t the desks or the filing cabinets. It’s the technology. If the servers, network gear, printers and workstations aren’t back up when people sit down at their new desks, the move isn’t finished, no matter how neatly the furniture went in.
This guide explains how to plan the IT side of an office relocation in Texas: who does what, what to label, what to back up, and how to keep the downtime short. It’s written for office managers and business owners who are comparing IT moving services and want to know what a mover handles and what stays with the IT team.
Who does what: your IT provider and your mover
The first thing to settle is the split of responsibilities. On a Condor office move, the line is clear:
- Your IT team or vendor shuts down, disconnects and later reconnects servers, network hardware and phone systems. They also handle anything that touches configuration, such as switches, firewalls, Wi-Fi access points and phone system settings.
- Condor packs, protects, loads, transports and places the equipment, and works with your IT team or vendor on the order things move in.
That split matters because a mover’s crew isn’t your network engineer, and your network engineer shouldn’t be carrying a server rack down a loading dock. When both sides agree on the hand-off points before move day, nothing falls into the gap between them.
Ask your IT provider for one named contact for the move, and give that person’s details to the mover. The fewest phone calls on move day happen when one person on each side can make decisions.
Start with an inventory of every device
You can’t move what you haven’t counted. Before you request an estimate, have your IT team build a simple list:
- Servers and server racks, with approximate size and whether they move as a unit or get taken apart
- Network equipment: switches, routers, firewalls, patch panels and access points
- Workstations: desktop towers, monitors, docking stations and accessories
- Laptops (usually carried by employees, not packed)
- Printers, copiers and plotters (check whether a leased copier must be moved by the leasing company)
- Phone handsets and conference room equipment, such as displays, cameras and speakers
- Battery backup (UPS) units, which are heavy and need careful handling
This list does two jobs. It lets the mover price the work accurately, and it becomes your checklist at the new office to confirm everything arrived.
Label everything twice
Good labeling is what turns a pile of equipment into a working office. Use a numbering system that ties each device to a desk or room on the new floor plan.
- Label the device with the employee’s name or desk number and the destination room.
- Label the cables that go with it. Bag the power cord, video cable and dock together, and tape the bag to the device or put it in the same crate.
- Photograph the back of each workstation and each rack before anything is unplugged. These photos make reconnection much faster.
- Mark the new floor plan with the same numbers, and post a copy at the entrance to each area on move day.
Workstation machines are commonly packed into labeled crates so each one returns to the right desk. Monitors get their own protection, because screens are among the easiest things in an office to crack.
Back up before anything is unplugged
Moving hardware always carries some risk, even with careful handling. Before move day, your IT team should:
- Run and verify a full backup of servers and shared drives, and keep a copy that doesn’t travel on the truck
- Ask employees to save local files to the network or cloud storage
- Write down passwords, license keys and settings for any device that will be reset
- Plan how critical services such as email and phones will run during the move
If you’re retiring old computers instead of moving them, wipe them properly first. The National Institute of Standards and Technology publishes guidelines for media sanitization that explain how to make data on old drives unrecoverable. The EPA also has guidance on donating and recycling electronics responsibly. Clearing out old hardware before the move also means you aren’t paying to move equipment you’ll never use again.
Plan the sequence and the timing
The order matters as much as the packing. A typical sequence looks like this:
- Prepare the new space first. Network cabling, power and internet service at the new office should be installed and tested before the move. New internet service can take time to schedule, so order it as soon as you sign the lease.
- Move the core equipment first. Servers and network gear usually go first so your IT team can bring the network up while the rest of the office is still arriving.
- Move workstations next. Crates go straight to the labeled desks.
- Reconnect and test. Your IT team brings systems back online, and employees confirm their own machines work before they leave on the last day of the move.
To keep downtime low, many businesses move at the end of the week or after the workday. Condor offers evening and weekend office moves for an extra charge, which can let you close on one day and open in the new space on the next business day.
Book early. Plan to book at least two weeks ahead for any move. For most offices, four to eight weeks is better, and larger offices or moves where workstations are being reconfigured need longer.
Protecting equipment in transit
Electronics don’t like heat, moisture, vibration or being stacked. During packing and loading, a good crew will:
- Keep servers and towers upright and padded
- Wrap monitors and displays individually
- Keep equipment out of direct sun during Texas summers, both at the curb and on the dock
- Load IT gear so nothing heavy sits on top of it
- Crate items that need extra protection; Condor’s packing and crating services cover this
If your new space isn’t ready on the day you move out, short-term moving and storage can hold equipment until it is.
Coverage for expensive, lightweight equipment
Coverage is worth a closer look for IT gear. Basic released value coverage is based on weight, not on what an item is worth, so it pays little for light, expensive things like laptops, monitors and network equipment. If you want equipment covered for what it would cost to replace, Condor offers full value coverage only through Baker International. You can read how the options compare on our moving coverage page, and decide before move day.
How Condor prices an office move
Every office is different, so pricing starts with a look at both sites. A consultant reviews headcount, the amount of IT equipment, elevator and dock access at each building, and whether the move happens during business hours or on an evening or weekend, which costs extra. Then you receive a binding estimate in writing before anything is committed.
A few other points to know:
- Moves within Texas are billed hourly.
- A trip charge applies and is figured case by case.
- We match most quotes when the cubic footage, distance and services are the same.
- If an employer or relocation company is paying, Condor can bill them directly.
Condor has been moving Texas homes and businesses since 2003. We hold Texas license TxDMV 006041428C for moves within the state and USDOT 1126171 and MC-458180 for moves to other states in the lower 48, so the same crew can handle a cross-town move or a relocation to another state. Learn more about our office movers, or request a free moving quote to get started.
Frequently asked questions
Will the movers disconnect and reconnect our computers and servers?
No. Your IT team or IT vendor disconnects and reconnects servers, network hardware and phone systems. Condor packs, protects, moves and places the equipment, and coordinates the order of the move with your IT contact.
How should we pack desktop computers for an office move?
Workstations are commonly packed into labeled crates so each one returns to the right desk. Label the tower, monitor and cables with the same desk number, and photograph the connections before unplugging anything.
How far ahead should we book an office move with IT equipment?
Book at least two weeks ahead for any move. For most offices, four to eight weeks gives you time to plan the IT sequence, order internet service at the new space and schedule your IT provider.
Can we move on an evening or weekend to avoid downtime?
Yes. Condor offers evening and weekend office moves for an extra charge. Many businesses use this to close one day and open in the new office the next business day.
What coverage should we choose for IT equipment?
Basic released value coverage is based on weight, so it pays little for light, expensive electronics. If you want replacement-level protection, Condor offers full value coverage through Baker International.
Do you give a binding estimate for office moves?
Yes. After a consultant reviews both sites, you receive a binding written estimate before anything is committed. Moves within Texas are billed hourly.