One dropped server can cost a business far more than the rest of the move put together. If you're changing office, the computers, screens and cabling deserve more care than any desk or filing cabinet. Here's how to move IT equipment safely, from the first backup to the final switch-on.
Why IT equipment needs its own moving plan
Your tech isn't like the rest of your office. A scratched desk is annoying. A dead server with no backup can stop a business trading altogether. That's why the IT side of an office move needs its own plan, its own packing materials and its own crew briefing.
Think about what actually sits on your network. Desktops, monitors, printers, the phone system, the router cabinet, maybe a small server rack. Each item has a different weight, a different fragility and a different job to do on Monday morning. Treat them as one pile of stuff to shift and something will get missed.
Start your IT planning at least four to six weeks before the move date. It sounds early. It isn't.
Back everything up before you unplug anything
Backups come first, every time. Before a single cable comes out of the wall, run a full backup of every machine that matters, ideally to the cloud and to a separate physical drive that travels in someone's pocket rather than in the van.
Then test it. A backup you've never restored from is a hope, not a plan. Open a handful of files from the backup copy and check they're intact before moving day.
One more tip from our crews: photograph the back of every machine before you unplug it. Those photos turn re-cabling at the new office from guesswork into a five-minute job.
Label everything, then label it again
Labelling is where IT moves are won. Give every desk a number, then put that number on the desktop, the monitor, the keyboard, the cables and the crate they travel in. Desk 12's kit comes off the van and goes straight to desk 12. No sorting, no arguments.
Bag the cables separately for each workstation, seal the bag and tape it to the matching machine. Keep a simple asset list as you go: item, desk number, condition. It takes an hour and saves a day.
Coloured tape works well for departments too. Blue for accounts, green for sales, and the unload at the other end almost runs itself.
How to pack servers, screens and peripherals
Flat screens crack under sideways pressure, not weight. Monitors should travel upright in padded screen boxes, or wrapped in thick bubble wrap with corner protection, and never laid flat under other boxes.
Servers and hard drives need anti-static protection before anything else touches them. Ordinary wrap pressed straight onto bare electronics can cause static damage you won't spot until the machine refuses to boot. Anti-static wrap first, then padding, then a rigid crate.
If packing a whole office of kit sounds like a lot of work, it is. Our packing and unpacking team handles it with the right materials as part of your move, and protective wrapping comes free on every job.
Sort your internet line early
Connectivity is the step everyone forgets. You can move every machine perfectly and still open a silent office on Monday, because the new building has no live line.
A new business broadband connection often takes two weeks or longer to go live, and a leased line can take a couple of months. Ring your provider the day you agree the new office, not the week before you move. Ask the landlord what cabling is already installed too, because existing lines can save you real time and money.
Have a fallback for day one. A 4G or 5G router is cheap insurance that keeps email and card payments running while the main line is sorted.
Use a crew that moves IT kit every week
Moving tech is a skill, like moving a piano. An experienced crew knows a server rack never gets tipped, a monitor never travels flat and a printer leaks toner if it's carried on its side.
Our IT relocation service covers careful disconnection, padded transport and room-by-room delivery, and it slots neatly into a full office and business move if you're shifting the whole workplace. Every job carries goods-in-transit cover and £5m public liability as standard.
Evenings and weekends are usually the smart window for IT moves. The kit comes down on Friday night and is back on desks before anyone logs in on Monday.
What if the new office isn't ready?
Gaps between offices happen more often than you'd think. A fit-out overruns, a lease starts late, and suddenly forty desks' worth of equipment needs somewhere safe to wait.
Don't leave IT kit in a lock-up or someone's garage. Damp is the quiet killer of electronics. Our secure storage keeps your equipment dry, insured and ready to deliver the day the new office opens.
Even a short gap is worth planning for. Knowing the fallback exists takes a lot of pressure off the moving date.
Frequently asked questions
Can a removals company move servers and computers safely?
Yes, with the right materials and handling. Servers travel in anti-static wrap inside rigid crates, screens go upright in padded boxes, and the van is loaded so nothing shifts in transit. Ask any mover how they pack a monitor. The answer tells you a lot.
Should staff move their own computers?
It's rarely worth it. Self-moved kit tends to arrive with missing cables, mixed-up peripherals and the odd cracked screen, and personal cars aren't covered by goods-in-transit insurance. Let your team carry personal items while the insured crew handles the hardware.
How far ahead should we plan an IT move?
Four to six weeks for the equipment itself, and longer for connectivity. Order new internet lines as soon as the office is confirmed, since installation lead times are usually the slowest part of the whole project.
Is our equipment insured during the move?
Yes. Every Just Removals London move includes goods-in-transit cover plus £5m public liability as standard, so your computers, screens and servers are protected from the moment they're packed to the moment they're back on a desk.
An office move doesn't have to mean a single lost order or a Monday of dead screens. With backups done, kit labelled and an insured crew on the job, your tech arrives ready to work. Call 020 4525 2039 or request a free, no-obligation quote and we'll plan the IT side with you.