Planning an office move in London and dreading the IT side of it? A badly planned IT relocation can cost far more in downtime than the move itself, but a clear budget and the right team keep the numbers, and your business, under control.
What Counts as an IT Relocation?
IT relocation covers more than unplugging a PC. It means safely disconnecting, transporting and reconnecting every piece of technology your business relies on: desktops, laptops, servers, network switches, printers, phone systems and CCTV. A proper job also covers testing everything once it's back online, so nobody arrives on Monday morning to a dead phone line or a printer that won't talk to the network. For a typical London office with 20 to 50 staff, that's usually 25 to 60 devices plus at least one server rack or comms cabinet. Get this list wrong at the start and the costs creep up fast once you're already mid-move.
What Does an IT Relocation Cost in London?
The numbers vary more than people expect. Moving a single workstation, including disconnecting, packing, transporting and setting it back up, typically runs from £150 to £250 per desk. Servers and network equipment cost more to move safely, often £500 to £2,000 per unit depending on how much cabling and testing is involved. For a modest 100-seat office with a small server room, a full IT relocation project can land anywhere between £25,000 and £60,000 once cabling, out-of-hours labour and project management are added in. That's a wide range, which is exactly why getting a few fixed quotes matters before you commit to a moving weekend.
Why the Price Jumps When Things Go Wrong
Downtime costs more than the move itself. According to Uptime Institute's 2026 Annual Outage Analysis, more than half of businesses surveyed said their most recent major outage cost over $100,000, and one in five put the figure above $1 million. A poorly planned server move is one of the easiest ways to trigger exactly that kind of outage. Cables get mislabelled, a rack gets loaded in the wrong order, or nobody tests the network before staff arrive the next morning. None of that has to happen. A crew that dismantles, labels and reassembles equipment properly, the same care Just Removals London brings to every office and business removals project, turns a risky weekend into a routine one.
Book Your Connectivity Before You Book the Van
Broadband is often the real bottleneck. Plenty of businesses assume the internet connection at the new office will just work on day one. It rarely does. According to IT Pro's coverage of Ofcom's review of Openreach performance, leased line installations in the UK often take several weeks and can run well beyond that once wayleave permissions or street works are involved. This is a gap most office relocation guides skip entirely. Order your new circuit the day you sign the lease, not the week before the move, and keep the old line active until the new one has been tested and is working properly.
Where a Removals Team Fits Into the Plan
Your movers and your IT contractor should be talking to each other. Just Removals London's crews handle the physical side: dismantling desks, wrapping monitors, laying floor coverings and loading a fixed-price fleet that runs from a man and van right up to a 7.5-tonne lorry. IT specialists handle disconnection and reconnection of anything network-critical. Where the two jobs overlap, such as moving a comms cabinet, tell your removals company in advance so the crew brings the right straps and trolleys. Old desks, filing cabinets and surplus IT kit that won't fit the new office can go into secure storage rather than the skip, buying you time to decide what's actually worth keeping.
A Short Checklist to Keep Costs Down
A little preparation saves real money. Work through these steps before quotes go out:
- Get an accurate inventory of every device, cable and peripheral before you request quotes.
- Order new broadband or a leased line as soon as you have a confirmed moving date.
- Back up servers and critical data the night before the move, not the morning of.
- Ask whether packing and unpacking is included in your quote or charged separately.
- Label every cable and port clearly so reconnection doesn't turn into guesswork.
Skip even one of these and you could be the business explaining to clients why the phones are down on a Tuesday morning.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does an IT relocation cost in London?
Most London businesses pay between £150 and £250 per workstation and £500 to £2,000 per server or network device, depending on complexity. A full project for a 100-seat office with a small server room typically costs £25,000 to £60,000 once cabling, out-of-hours work and project management are included.
How far in advance should I book an office IT move?
Book at least eight to twelve weeks ahead if you need a new leased line or broadband circuit installed, since these can take several weeks to arrange. For the physical move itself, four to six weeks' notice gives your removals company time to plan crew size, vehicles and any awkward access.
Can a removals company move servers and network equipment?
Yes. A removals company experienced in IT relocation can dismantle, wrap and transport server racks and network cabinets safely, though your IT contractor should still handle disconnection, data backups and reconnection. Always confirm insurance cover for high-value equipment before moving day.
What happens if equipment is damaged during the move?
A fully insured removals company carries goods-in-transit cover and public liability insurance to protect your equipment in transit. Just Removals London includes goods-in-transit cover and £5m public liability as standard on every move, alongside DBS-checked, uniformed crews.
Getting the numbers right before you start stops a routine office move turning into a budget surprise a month down the line. If you're planning an office move in London, get a free, no-obligation quote from Just Removals London and let's work out a plan that keeps your business trading without a hitch.