The office-move decision timeline
Here’s what to decide, and when, so nothing gets done too late. The short version.
The brief
12–18 months out
Review headcount and growth, ways of working, where the kitchen and social hubs sit, and whether you want built-in hydration and coffee — flag it now, so water, waste and power are designed in from day one.
Concept design
9–12 months out
Confirm the layout, pantry and tea-point locations on plan; plus indicative routes for water, waste and power.
Design freeze
6–9 months out
The point of no return for anything plumbed, electrical or insulated. Consider final water, waste, and electrical positions, plus air conditioning and insulation, with specs locked and handed to the M&E contractor.
Build / fit-out
3–6 months out
Order long-lead items with a buffer, book the install slot, sequence furniture and IT.
Move-in
Move week
Commission and test, snag, brief facilities, launch to staff.
After the freeze, moving a plumbed point means M&E rework and extra cost; or a retrofit that disrupts the finished office.
Get the full Office-Move Decision Timeline
The complete phase-by-phase checklist, plus a free fit-out hydration check.
Your architect will ask for the specs, so we’ve done them for you.
The REFILL+ Series 2 fit-out and specification guide;
Dimensions, cabinet sizes and the exact water, waste and power a built-in hydration point needs, in the form your architect or contractor can work from.
Send it before the design freezes. Free to download.
Get the full Office-Move Decision Timeline
The complete phase-by-phase checklist, plus a free fit-out hydration check.
An empty space and a ready-made office need very different timelines
work.club can manage either one, from the design through to the move.
See locations and talk to their team.
More resources
Previous article
In conversation with Marnix: signing it off
Aquablu CEO Marnix Stokvis made the final calls on our own office move. We asked him what he wishes we had done differently, what he thinks is worth fighting for, and how he decides on a cost that will never show a qualitative return.
Next article
Work.club: having it done for you
We partnered with work.club, not just for their office design expertise, but because we know a move is a huge job and they have the tools to carry it. Jules Hooijdonk, who is commercially responsible for work. club and .re-group, shares how having someone else take care of the hard parts can make the difference.
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