Moving office? The 8-step IT checklist that has your team working on day one.
Internet, cabling, Wi-Fi, phones and door access all need lead time. Here's what to book and when, so your team sits down on moving day and everything just works.
- Office managers
- Business owners
- Fit-out project managers
- Order the internet connection first. It has the longest lead time.
- Get the cabling surveyed before the fit-out walls go up.
- Plan the comms cabinet: power, airflow and a lock.
- Test and label every desk before moving day.
- Check your lease for make-good on the old site's cabling.
Your 8-step timeline, working back from moving day
Most moving-day IT problems start weeks earlier, with something booked too late. Work back from your move date.
8 to 12 weeks out: order the internet. Ask your provider for the install lead time at the new address now. A new fibre connection can take weeks, and nothing else works without it.
8 to 12 weeks out: check the building's rules. Find out when contractors can work, who holds the keys, and whether the landlord needs to approve cabling or wall penetrations.
6 to 8 weeks out: survey and plan. Mark every desk, printer, screen, camera and Wi-Fi point on the floor plan. We walk the site, then give you a fixed quote in writing.
4 to 6 weeks out: cable before the walls close. Cabling goes in while ceilings and partitions are open. Afterwards it costs more and looks worse.
2 to 4 weeks out: comms cabinet, Wi-Fi, security. Fit the cabinet, mount access points, and set up door access and cameras so they're ready before staff arrive.
1 to 2 weeks out: test and label. Every outlet tested and labelled to match the patch panel, with the test results in writing.
Moving week: patch and check. Patch each desk, check it connects, and keep a technician on call for the first morning.
After the move: documentation and the old site. Keep the as-built plan and test report. Check whether your lease requires the old cabling removed.
6 things that are cheap to plan now and expensive to fix later
Spare outlets
Add a few more outlets than today's headcount. Adding one after the walls are finished means cutting and patching.
The comms cabinet
It needs its own power, airflow and a lock. A cleaning cupboard with no ventilation will cook your switch.
Wi-Fi points
Plan access points from the floor plan and wire each one back. Ceiling access points beat a router on a desk.
Meeting rooms
Screens, conference cameras and floor boxes need cable runs planned before the furniture goes in.
Door access and cameras
Cable them at the same time as the network so one contractor does it once.
Labels and records
Every outlet numbered to match the patch panel, so the next move or fault is a five-minute job.
Fitting out a new office?
We handle the cabling, Wi-Fi and security as one job, sequenced to your build programme.
Get this checklist as a printable PDF
The 8-step timeline with tick boxes, a planning sheet to count outlets, and 6 questions to ask any cabler.
Office move questions
How early should we book the cabling?
As soon as you have the floor plan, and before the fit-out walls and ceilings close. That's usually six to eight weeks before the move.
Can we reuse the cabling already in the new building?
Sometimes. We test what's there first. If it tests well and the outlets are where you need them, reusing it saves money. If it fails or is in the wrong places, we'll tell you.
Can you work after hours so we don't lose a day?
Yes. We plan around your opening hours and the building's contractor rules.
What do we get at the end?
Every outlet tested and labelled, a written test report, and a 12-month workmanship warranty.
Kitting out the new desks?
USB-C hubs, monitor arms and network leads for every desk. In Auckland, we'll supply and install a dual monitor arm for $299.
Get your move date on our calendar
We'll walk the new space, plan every outlet and give you a fixed quote in writing within 24 hours.
We reply within 1 hour, 24/7.
Call before 12pm for a same-day response.