Plenty of Denver companies end up moving offices between November and March. Leases turn over at the end of the year, budgets get committed in Q4, and a lot of teams would rather settle into a new space before the next year really gets going. The catch is that Colorado winter does not care about your move date.
A snowstorm on a Friday afternoon can turn a smooth weekend move into a long one. The good news is that most winter problems are predictable, and a little planning ahead of time keeps them from becoming move-day surprises. Here is what we think about when an office move lands in the cold months.
Build the plan with weather in mind
The biggest difference between a winter move and a summer one is how much slack you leave in the plan. In July you can usually assume the trucks roll on time. In January it is smart to have a backup.
Pick a backup date early. If your move is set for a weekend, talk with both buildings about a fallback weekend before anything goes wrong. It is a lot easier to hold a second date than to find one after a storm warning goes out.
Know who makes the call. Decide ahead of time who on your team has the authority to push the move, and by when. A clear decision point, like Thursday at noon, saves everyone from guessing.
Phase it if you can. Moving in stages, such as files and storage first, then workstations, then IT, means a single bad day only affects one piece of the project. Our move coordinators help map out phases like this as part of office move and relocation planning.
Buildings, docks and elevators
Winter adds a layer to the building logistics that already come with any commercial move.
Loading docks. Ask property management who clears the dock and the ramp, and when. A dock that is still icy at 6 p.m. on a Friday slows down every cart that goes over it.
Freight elevators. Most buildings require you to reserve the freight elevator, and some limit moves to certain hours. If the date slides because of weather, that reservation has to move too. Confirm early how flexible each building can be.
Doors and heat. Propping open exterior doors for hours lets a lot of cold air into a lobby. Some buildings have rules about this. Knowing them ahead of time keeps the crew and the building staff on the same page.
Coordinating with property managers at both the old and new building is a normal part of how we work. You can read more about how a move runs in what actually happens on move day.
Protecting furniture, equipment and floors
Snow, slush and de-icer are hard on everything they touch. A little prevention goes a long way.
Floors and walls. Wet boots and cart wheels track salt and grit through lobbies, hallways and elevators. Floor runners, door jamb protection and elevator pads matter more in winter than any other time of year. Our crews bring building protection materials as part of the job.
Wood and fabric. Furniture should spend as little time outside as possible. Wrapped and moved quickly, it arrives dry. Left sitting on a dock in blowing snow, fabric panels and wood finishes can take on moisture you will not notice until later.
Computers and monitors. Electronics that ride in a cold truck should be given time to come up to room temperature before anyone powers them on. We pack IT equipment in anti-static materials and secure carts, and it is worth reminding your IT team to plan a little warm-up time before they start plugging things in Monday morning.
When the timing slips: heated storage
Sometimes the problem is not the storm itself. It is that the new space is not ready. A punch list runs long, carpet is delayed, or a city inspection gets pushed. Meanwhile your current lease is ending.
This is where having a place to put everything helps. MORE operates a heated, staffed 27,000 square-foot warehouse off I-70. If your furniture has to leave the old space before the new one is ready, we can tear it down, store it in a climate-controlled setting, and deliver and reinstall it when the new office is ready. Because we are the installers too, there is no handoff to a third party in between. More on that on our offsite storage page.
A quick winter move checklist
- Six to eight weeks out: Confirm move dates and a backup date with both buildings.
- Four weeks out: Ask each building about dock clearing, elevator reservations and floor protection rules.
- Two weeks out: Agree on who makes the go or no-go call and when.
- Move week: Watch the forecast, keep the team informed, and line up storage if the new space is not ready.
- First morning: Give electronics time to warm up before powering on.
Planning a winter move?
If your office move is coming up this winter, we are glad to walk through the plan with you, including backup dates, building logistics and storage if things run long. No pressure, just an honest look at what makes sense for your timeline.
Call 303.371.4049 or send us a message.