Every office has its own character. Some are bright and airy; others are snug and cosy. Whether yours is clean and spacious or tired and cluttered, the fact remains that it’s your office – your space in which to work, play and even sleep on occasions. It’s the place where you and your staff go to conduct business and make a living.

Regardless of whether you love, hate or tolerate your office, the odds are that sooner or later you’ll have to clear out your desk and say your goodbyes. Just as a family can outgrow a home, the same is true with an office. Expansion, modernisation and relocation can all dictate the need for new office space.

You may find yourself searching for somewhere larger, or you may be searching for an area with lower business rates. Alternatively, there may be a local authority incentive to relocate to a dedicated business park.

Whatever your reasons for moving, the important thing is that you do it right. If you thought moving house could be stressful, just wait until you try uprooting an entire office, with all the inherent costs associated with such a move, including lost productivity while staff settle in.

Before you start unplugging printers and packing away the coffee mugs, there are a few things to consider:

How many square feet will you require?

If your business grows further, is there room for expansion?

Does the new office have access to high speed internet access?

How much will the place cost to run?

If you’re a small business owner, the odds are you’ll be able to resolve these issues yourself. For larger enterprises however, a more practical solution may be to outsource the entire project.

A professional office removals company will ensure that your business enjoys a smooth transition into its new premises. As well as helping staff to seamlessly slot into their new environment, a relocator can take care of all the paperwork and finer points that are part and parcel of moving – leaving you free to focus on your core business.

Where required, a relocation specialist can devise a communications programme to keep all employees abreast of the move: when it’s happening, how it will affect them personally and what they can do to facilitate a seamless transition. Before moving in, there’ll also be electrical and IT systems to test, because no one wants to wind up in a new office with no internet for the first week. 20 years ago, a business internet connection would have been considered a bonus; today it’s unthinkable for an office to be disconnected from the web.

While large relocation projects will invariably require third party support, it’s not uncommon for SMEs to also call in the experts. Moving a small business can be just as stressful, after all: whether you run an office of five or 500, most of the same rules apply.

A well as the physical aspect of moving from A to B, there’s the admin to be taken care of. Clients, suppliers and customers will need to be informed of your change of address, while stationery and other promotional material will likely require updating. Then there’s energy suppliers to choose, along with a phone company and business broadband provider.

Will you move all of your staff in one go, or will you parachute in the IT guys first, and bring the remaining staff over once systems are running smoothly?

Should you decide to call in an office relocator, you can devolve all these problems and more. From renovating new premises to installing specialist equipment, many office relocators provide a comprehensive service.

Once you’ve settled on a suitable new space for your business, a relocation firm can draw up office designs to suit your style and budget. Will you be looking for an open plan office, or will a joiner be required to erect partition walls? Is there need for a kitchen area where staff can have lunch? What are the business rates like for the area, incidentally, and oh – is there ample parking?

So many things to do; so little time. With the right planning and the right support, however, office relocation can be achieved with the minimum of fuss. Make no mistake, there’s still going to be some upheaval involved. When you move into your new office and take stock of the additional space, hopefully it will all be worthwhile.