9 Costly Moving Mistakes (And How to Avoid Them)

By Ashley Montoya
September 8, 2025
2:45 pm

Learn from 40 years of commercial moving expertise to ensure your office relocation goes smoothly and stays on budget.

Planning an office move? You’re not alone in feeling overwhelmed by the complexity of relocating your business. After four decades in the commercial moving industry, our GM & VP has seen it all – and more importantly, he’s identified the most common (and costly) moving mistakes that businesses make during office relocations.

The encouraging news? Every single one of these mistakes is completely avoidable with proper planning and the right approach.

The Pre-Move Planning Phase: Where Most Mistakes Happen

Contrary to what many business owners believe, the majority of office moving problems don’t occur on moving day itself. They happen weeks or even months before the first box is packed, during the critical planning and preparation phases.

Mistake #1: Lacking a Detailed Move Plan

The Problem: Operating without a comprehensive moving plan – or worse, working with an incomplete plan that leaves crucial details to chance.

The Cost: Hurried last-minute decisions, disorganized execution, and unexpected expenses that can quickly spiral out of control.

The Solution: Develop a detailed, step-by-step moving timeline that covers every aspect of your relocation, from initial planning to post-move setup. Your plan should include specific deadlines, assigned responsibilities, and contingency measures for potential challenges. Professional commercial movers can help you create a comprehensive moving plan that accounts for all critical elements.

Mistake #2: Skipping the Decluttering Phase

The Problem: Moving everything you currently have without first evaluating what you actually need in your new space.

The Cost: Higher moving costs due to unnecessary items, plus the headache of dealing with unwanted furniture on moving day.

The Solution: Conduct a thorough decluttering process room by room and office by office before any packing begins. This is one of the very first tasks in any successful office move. Donate, sell, or dispose of items you won’t need, and you’ll save both time and money.

Mistake #3: Hiring Non-Specialized Movers

The Problem: Selecting residential movers or general moving companies that lack commercial moving expertise.

The Cost: Potential damage to specialized equipment, improper handling of office furniture, and lack of technical skills for complex tasks.

The Solution: Choose movers who specialize specifically in commercial and office relocations. You need skilled technicians who can handle tasks like:

Disconnecting and reconnecting desktop IT equipment
Properly disassembling and reassembling cubicles and workstations
Managing sensitive office technology and equipment

Mistake #4: Not Understanding Moving Pricing Structure

The Problem: Failing to understand whether you’re getting a firm-fixed price or hourly time-and-materials pricing, and not knowing how to properly compare bids.

The Cost: Budget overruns and surprise charges that weren’t anticipated.

The Solution: Before signing any contract, clarify:

Whether pricing is fixed or hourly
What items are fully protected under their insurance
How to accurately compare different moving company proposals
What additional services might incur extra charges

Learn more about transparent pricing for office moves and what questions to ask potential movers.

Mistake #5: Poor Packing and Labeling Systems

The Problem: Inadequate packing, labeling, and space planning for your new location.

The Cost: Confusion during unpacking, potential damage to items, and difficulty fitting everything into your new space.

The Solution: Implement a detailed packing and labeling system that clearly identifies where every piece of furniture and equipment will go in the new space. This is especially crucial if you’re relocating to a smaller space.

Mistake #6: Assuming Building Access and Logistics

The Problem: Making assumptions about building access, elevator availability, and parking without proper confirmation.

The Cost: Moving day delays, additional fees, and potential rescheduling nightmares.

The Solution: Confirm and secure in advance:

Building access permissions for both locations
Elevator reservations for moving day
Parking permits for moving trucks
Building permits for any newly constructed spaces

Mistake #7: Forgetting to Notify Stakeholders

The Problem: Failing to inform customers, vendors, and business contacts about your move in advance.

The Cost: Jeopardized business processes, delayed payments, and potentially damaged professional relationships.

The Solution: Create a comprehensive communication plan that notifies all stakeholders well in advance of your move date, including updated contact information and any temporary service disruptions.

Mistake #8: Ignoring External Events and Road Conditions

The Problem: Not checking for special events, road closures, or traffic disruptions that could impact your moving day.

The Cost: Unexpected delays, additional labor costs, and potential rescheduling fees.

The Solution: Research your moving date for:

Local events that might cause traffic or access issues
Scheduled road closures or construction
Peak traffic patterns that could affect timing

This is especially important for DC area office moves where traffic and events can significantly impact timing.

Mistake #9: Underestimating the Complexity

The Problem: Attempting to manage a complex office relocation without professional guidance.

The Cost: Overwhelming stress, potential business disruption, and often higher costs than hiring professionals from the start.

The Solution: Partner with experienced commercial moving professionals who can guide you through the entire process and help you avoid these common pitfalls.

Your Next Step: Get Expert Guidance

These mistakes might seem obvious in hindsight, but they’re surprisingly common among businesses planning their first (or even second) office move. The difference between a smooth relocation and a stressful nightmare often comes down to proper planning and working with the right commercial moving partner.

Ready to ensure your office move avoids these costly mistakes? Our comprehensive and free office relocation guide provides detailed strategies for planning and executing a successful move. Contact OMX Office Movers Express to learn how our 40 years of commercial moving expertise can benefit your upcoming relocation.

Andrew B. November 2023

The Armstrong Company

"It's such a pleasure to work with professionals that go the extra mile to make sure every move is as prefect as it can be. Thank you OMX for your commitment to Excellence!"

Nicole R. November 2023

Arrow Bookkeeping

"They really put our minds at ease and even made our move fun! Tim and his team were knowledgeable, friendly, professional and patient."

Mary S. November 2023

WETA Public Media

"We've been return customers for years because of quality service and a great team. Always careful in handling items, hard-working, proactively asking questions, raising better solutions, following our security protocols and easy to work with. Thank you!"

Daja C. October 2023

Integrated Community Services

"The team at OMX exceeded all of our expectations. It's clear they value their customers and prioritize effective communication. They went above and beyond."

Andrea A. August 2023

WMATA

"I want to thank your team for helping us move the office furniture to the various WMATA locations. The movers did an excellent job and were very professional. They also did a great job taking safety precautions and were very accommodating to the WMATA staff."

Adrian W. August 2023

Burke & Herbert Bank

"Our project went very, very well thanks to the team at OMX. Extending my appreciation to all involved!"

Pennie M. May 2023

Stein Mitchell

"I am so glad I picked you guys as my movers, you were perfect."

Cheryl H. May 2023

US Department of Education

"The OMX crews were properly badged, fully informed as to the scope of work, and were given the necessary equipment and information to do the job in a professional manner. A job well done by all."

Dawn D. May 2023

Dynamic Design Enterprises

"The OMX team assigned to our relocation did an outstanding job. Everything on site was amazing! Tim and Mary Anne were wonderful with communicating clearly about what to expect during our move and answering all of our questions. What a great team of hard working folks at Office Movers Express - we were so impressed."

David T. January 2023

Tobin, O'Conor & Ewing

"Everything was great from start to finish. The moving team was very courteous and we appreciated your responsiveness throughout the whole experience."