The Differences Between a Residential Move and a Commercial Move

You may think that a move is a move, but residential and commercial moving have very little in common. In fact, their similarities start and end with: moving things. Beyond that, these two types of moves are quite different. Below we look at the differences between a residential and commercial move.

Residential moves

The process of moving a house is a pretty familiar one. You start with finding a new place to live, and then you need to get your things from your current home to your new one. Either you or a full-service moving company packs your belongings and disassembles furniture. You hire a moving company to do the heavy lifting, loading your things into the truck and unloading them into your new home. You can even have them unpack all of your boxes and dispose of the packing materials.

Residential moves can be done at short notice or planned well in advance. Moving companies base their quotes on how many movers the job requires, and how many hours it will take. Extra services like packing and unpacking come at an additional cost. The most challenging part of moving a house is shifting bulky or oversized items, or fragile pieces with care. A professional mover has the experience and equipment to handle these tasks with ease.

Commercial moves

Commercial moves involve many of the same basic principles of residential moves, but on a larger scale. These moves can be anything from a small office or storefront to a large corporate office or factory. The process of a commercial move is more complex than that of a home, as any delays will impact business operations.

Let’s look at a few key factors that are unique to commercial moving:

Commercial moving requires more planning

When it comes to moving a business, it’s crucial to plan ahead. Business owners will not only want to select a day and time with minimal impact on day-to-day operations but also to give ample notice to employees about the upcoming move.

Depending on the size and nature of your business, you’ll need special equipment and plenty of manpower. Forklifts, toe jacks, and hand trucks may be required to move heavy or bulky items. Machinery, furniture, and large fittings require skill and know-how to relocate and a professional commercial moving company will handle these things with care.

Commercial movers are often available around the clock, allowing business owners to choose their approach to the move. Overnight or weekend moves can be scheduled to avoid interference on business hours.

Businesses have sensitive materials

When it comes to moving your house, your sensitive materials and information are probably pretty limited. You can carry your private documents like passports, birth records, tax documents, and pack your laptop or tablet in a bag you carry yourself. When it comes to moving a business, however, there are a lot of highly sensitive items to take into consideration.

Commercial moves include transporting company and employee paperwork, financial records, and more. Businesses also have computers and servers which store sensitive information. In the United States, there are data protection laws in place requiring businesses to keep this information secure at all times, including during a move.

Because of the sensitivity of equipment and data being transported, make sure your commercial mover has a vetting process for its movers such as requiring background checks and reviewing trusted employee references. 

Commercial moves have a lot of electronic equipment

Residential movers are experts at moving televisions, microwaves, and personal computers from home to home safely. Commercial movers need to do the same for a variety of electronic equipment.

Electronics used in offices can range from desktop computers, monitors, and printers, to photocopiers and entire IT departments. Vending machines, refrigerators, and coffee machines may also be part of the equation. 

When planning the logistics of your move, your commercial moving company will take an inventory of all of these large and delicate electronic items.

There’s a lot of heavy lifting

Vending machines and photocopiers aren’t the only large items that need moving. For many businesses, this also includes office fittings like desks and chairs. Factories, manufacturing, and warehouse facilities will need help moving large equipment and machines.

For moving the large, heavy, or awkward items, professional commercial movers have special equipment and tactics to get them out of the building and into your new one. They’re knowledgeable, insured, and prepared to move these items safely.

If you’re looking for a commercial moving company, Flatrate can help you with a smooth and quick relocation. With expertise in office moving, event management, government and military moving, and more, we can help you to plan, schedule, pack, and move.

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