London Office Relocation: IT Infrastructure Checklist

Moving offices is one of the most IT-intensive events a business can go through — and it's consistently one of the areas where things go wrong. Connectivity that isn't ready on day one. Equipment damaged in transit. Server migrations that run over. Network configurations that don't match the new layout.

Coreitech manages IT relocations for London businesses regularly, and we've put together this checklist based on what actually goes wrong — and how to prevent it.

Why IT Relocation Planning Gets Underestimated

Most businesses focus on the physical logistics of an office move — furniture, fit-out, lease negotiation — and leave IT until too late. The problem is that IT has the longest lead times of anything in an office move:

• Leased line internet has 30–90 day lead times depending on the building and provider
• Server room / comms room design needs to be signed off before the fit-out starts
• Structured cabling must be installed and tested before furniture arrives
• Number porting for phone systems requires weeks of advance notice

Start IT planning the moment you sign the heads of terms on a new office — not two weeks before moving day.

Pre-Move Planning (6–8 Weeks Before)

• [ ] Audit all IT equipment and licences — What's coming to the new office? What's being retired? What needs replacing?
• [ ] Survey the new premises — Coreitech conducts a physical site survey to assess comms room location, power availability, cable routes, and wireless coverage requirements
• [ ] Order internet connectivity — Leased lines, Ethernet First Mile, or FTTC depending on your requirements. Order immediately — lead times are long
• [ ] Plan structured cabling — Map desk positions to determine cable drops required. Plan for future growth, not just current headcount
• [ ] Design server room or comms room layout — Rack positioning, power, cooling, and UPS requirements
• [ ] Notify all vendors — ISP, phone provider, cloud providers, CCTV monitoring, alarm providers
• [ ] Plan backup and data protection — All data must be backed up before any migration begins
• [ ] Create a detailed IT transition timeline — Coreitech produces a full project plan with dependencies, owner, and contingency dates

Two Weeks Before the Move

• [ ] Confirm connectivity is active at new location — Test internet speeds and failover before anyone moves
• [ ] Pre-configure new network equipment — Switches, firewalls, and Wi-Fi access points should be configured and tested off-site by Coreitech engineers before installation day
• [ ] Label all equipment and cables — Everything that's being moved should be clearly labelled with its destination position
• [ ] Create detailed equipment inventory — Serial numbers, asset tags, configurations — documented before the move
• [ ] Run final backup verification — Test that backups are complete and restorable
• [ ] Brief staff — What's changing? What's staying the same? New Wi-Fi credentials, printer locations, phone extensions

Moving Day

• [ ] Set up network infrastructure first — Coreitech engineers arrive before removals to install and test cabling, switches, firewalls, and Wi-Fi before any equipment arrives
• [ ] Test all connectivity before powering up servers — Confirm internet is live and stable before bringing critical systems online
• [ ] Relocate servers with care — Servers must be properly powered down, transported upright, and allowed to reach ambient temperature before powering on
• [ ] Configure and test VoIP phones — All extensions tested and call routing confirmed before staff arrive
• [ ] Security systems — CCTV, access control, and intruder alarm all tested before the building is occupied

Post-Move: First Week

• [ ] Verify all equipment is functioning — Coreitech conducts a full post-move health check within 24 hours of the move
• [ ] Monitor network performance — New environments sometimes surface unexpected issues: wireless dead spots, bandwidth bottlenecks, VoIP quality problems
• [ ] Update network documentation — New IP addressing, network diagrams, and asset register updated
• [ ] Update your address everywhere — IT suppliers, domain WHOIS, Google Business, Companies House, email signatures
• [ ] Test disaster recovery — Confirm backups are running correctly from the new location

Common Pitfalls Coreitech Prevents

Underestimating bandwidth needs — New offices often have more people and more video calling than the old space was designed for. Coreitech sizes connectivity based on actual usage data, not guesswork.

Poor cable management — Cables left unmanaged in a comms room become a maintenance nightmare. Every Coreitech installation includes properly labelled, organised, and documented structured cabling.

Forgetting security reconfiguration — Firewall rules, Wi-Fi SSIDs, VPN configurations, and physical security all need updating for the new environment. Coreitech handles this as part of the relocation project.

No contingency plan — What if the internet isn't live on moving day? Coreitech always provisions 4G/5G backup connectivity for moving day so your team can work regardless.

Leaving the old office insecure — Data destruction, decommissioning old hardware, and ensuring no equipment or data is left behind at the old premises. Coreitech manages IT asset disposal as part of the relocation.

How Coreitech Manages London Office Relocations

We act as the single IT point of contact for your move — coordinating with your ISP, fit-out contractors, furniture suppliers, and building management so you don't have to. Our project management approach means nothing falls through the gaps.

We've managed relocations ranging from 5-person startups moving to their first proper office, to 200+ person businesses relocating across London boroughs. The checklist is the same — the execution scales.

If you're planning an office move in London, talk to Coreitech early. The earlier we're involved, the smoother it goes. Call 0203 834 9728 or visit our Office Relocation page to start the conversation.