Ask three people what an office move costs in London and you'll get three different answers. That's because the final bill depends on far more than square footage: crew size, access, IT complexity and how much you've decluttered beforehand all play a part. This guide breaks down real cost ranges for office moves in London, plus the hidden costs that catch businesses out, so you can budget with confidence before you call for quotes.
What's Included in an Office Move Cost?
Office move pricing isn't one number. It's built from several parts: the vehicle and crew, the hours on site, any packing materials you need, and whether furniture has to be dismantled and put back together at the other end. A small office fits into a man and van service with one or two movers, while a twenty-desk floor usually needs a larger Luton van or a 7.5-tonne lorry with a three-person crew, simply because there's more to carry and less time to do it in. Fixed-price quotes should cover wrapping, floor protection, loading, transport and unloading as standard. If you'd rather not pack files, monitors and kitchen items yourself, a packing and unpacking service can take that off your plate too. What a quote doesn't always cover is everything that happens either side of the physical move, which is where costs tend to creep in.
Office Move Costs in London by Size
Size sets most of the cost. A small office with five to ten desks, moving locally with everything boxed and ready, typically costs somewhere in the £400 to £900 range for the physical move alone, while a mid-sized office of twenty to forty desks usually needs a full day with a bigger crew, often landing between £1,200 and £3,000 depending on floors, distance and access. Checkatrade's cost guides put a full commercial relocation as high as £3,000 to £10,000 once you're moving a larger floor, and that tracks with what we see across London. These figures are a starting point, not a quote. Your actual price depends on how many desks and cabinets are moving, whether there's a working lift, how far the new office is, and how much packing you need done for you.
Hidden Costs That Catch Businesses Out
Hidden costs often outweigh the removal bill itself. If you're leaving a leased office, your landlord can serve a Schedule of Dilapidations claiming for repairs, redecoration and reinstating any changes made during the tenancy. RICS's guide on dilapidations recommends budgeting for this from the moment you sign a new lease, not the week before you leave. You'll also need to update your business rates account with the Valuation Office once you move, which GOV.UK's guidance on business premises changes sets out in full. Add reconnecting phone lines, broadband and your server room (our guide on moving IT equipment safely covers how to protect this properly), and if your new office isn't ready when the old lease ends, a secure storage unit can bridge the gap rather than paying two rents at once.
Why So Many London Businesses Get Caught Out
Most London firms are small. Small businesses make up over 99% of the UK's 5.5 million-plus private sector businesses, according to the Federation of Small Businesses, and most don't have a dedicated facilities team to call on. That means the person organising the move is often doing it for the first time, learning on the job what a removals brief should include. Working with a BAR member gives you a crew that has handled hundreds of London office moves and knows which questions to ask before the van turns up, not after the invoice lands.
What Affects Your Office Move Price
Several practical factors push the price up or down. A building with a working lift and a dedicated loading bay clears far quicker than a walk-up with narrow stairs. Moving out of hours, in the evening or over a weekend, often costs more but avoids disrupting your working week and your clients. Distance matters too, along with anything London-specific such as the congestion charge and whether you need a parking suspension outside either building. The more you've packed and labelled in advance, the less time the crew spends packing rather than loading, and time on the job is what you're paying for.
How to Keep the Cost Down
A few decisions make a real difference to your final bill. Book your move date as early as you can. The best crews and vehicles for your size of office get taken first, so last-minute bookings usually cost more. Clear out old furniture, broken equipment and archived paperwork before move day rather than paying to move it and then bin it at the other end. A midweek move is often cheaper than a Friday or weekend slot. Most importantly, ask for a fixed price rather than an hourly rate. A fixed quote means the price you agree is the price you pay, with no surprise charge if the job runs long because of a delayed lift or a locked loading bay.
Getting an Accurate Quote
The only way to get a genuinely accurate price is a proper look at what's moving. A phone call or a few photos might be enough for a small office. Anything bigger than a handful of desks benefits from a free video survey, letting a surveyor see the volume, the access at both ends and any specialist items such as safes or server racks, then set a fair, fixed price around it. Our office removals service covers everything from a single desk through to a full floor, with DBS-checked crews and goods-in-transit plus £5m public liability cover as standard.
Frequently Asked Questions
How far in advance should I book an office move in London?
Book as early as you can, ideally several weeks ahead for a small office and two to three months for anything larger. Popular dates around month-end and weekends fill up first, and early booking gives you more choice of crew size and timing.
Do office removal quotes include IT disconnection and reconnection?
Not always. Most removal quotes cover the physical move of desks, cabinets and equipment, but full IT disconnection, cabling and reconnection are usually a separate job. Always ask what's included before you compare prices.
What size van do I need for a small office move?
A one or two-person man and van handles a small office of up to around ten desks comfortably. Anything larger usually needs a Luton van or a 7.5-tonne lorry with a bigger crew to keep the job to a single day.
Can I get storage if my new office isn't ready in time?
Yes. Secure storage lets you move out on schedule even if your new office isn't fit out yet, so you're not paying rent on two premises or storing furniture in a corridor.
Are office removals insured?
A properly insured mover carries goods-in-transit cover for your belongings while they're on the road, plus public liability cover in case anything is damaged during the move. Always check this before booking.
Does moving out of hours cost more?
Usually, yes, because evening and weekend slots are in higher demand and keep your team working during the day. Many businesses still choose it to avoid any disruption to clients or trading hours.
An office move costs more than most businesses expect once dilapidations, IT and downtime are added to the bill, but a clear breakdown before you book stops any of it catching you off guard. Get in touch for a free, no-obligation quote and we'll walk you through exactly what your move will cost from the first box to the last desk.