The process of renting an office does not have to be a stressful one with good planning. Have an upcoming office relocation? One of the most common mistakes with any office relocation is starting to plan too late, or under-estimating the lead-time needed for an office move.

An office move may physically take a week, but in fact, can only happen with months of careful planning. The process of finding a new office may take anywhere between 1 to 3 months. Reinstating your current office premises may take between 2 to 6 weeks. Fitting out your new office usually takes 4 to 6 weeks. Office furniture might require a 1 month pre-order for shipment to be on time. It is very common for office tenants to sign a lease as early as 3 – 6 months ahead of time.

When is the best time to start planning your office relocation? We recommend starting 6 to 9 months before your current office lease expiry. Refer to the projected office relocation timeline above for a typical office rental or office leasing process. To make the office relocation as stress-free as possible, do give yourself buffer time for unexpected delays.

Tip for additional cost savings: Inform your landlord that you plan to vacate the office 6 – 9 months in advance to give them time to market your office as a fitted unit. If another company wants to take over your office fitted, you save on reinstatement costs!

Looking for a reliable commercial real estate consultant to manage your office leasing timeline? Get in touch with us!