Commercial Movers

What is a commercial move?

A commercial move is a type of move that involves moving furniture, equipment, inventory, and other assets used for business purposes. These business assets are moved from one office or warehouse to another. Commercial moves are usually performed under tight time constraints with a goal of minimizing business disruption.

How much do commercial movers cost?

The cost of a commercial move will vary depending on factors such as the quantity of items being moved, distance between locations, and size of the moving crew required. Commercial moves can be contracted as fixed-price or time and materials. 

Fixed-price contracts shift most of the cost-risk to the moving company and usually include a 10-15% fee to offset the risk. Time and materials contracts have a mutually agreed hourly rate and price sheet for packing supplies and other materials. 

As a point of reference, the cost of a straightforward local office move with less than 2,000 square feet ranges from $900 to $1,500. Add $750 for each additional 1,000 square feet of office space.

What insurance do commercial moving companies need?

The default insurance policies a commercial moving company should carry that protect the customer are commercial auto, cargo, and general liability. 

A commercial auto policy protects the customer’s property from a collision with the moving company’s truck or other vehicle. 

The cargo insurance policy ensures your move includes coverage in cases where equipment, furniture, machinery, and other business assets are damaged while being handled by moving company employees or during transport. Specific coverage for non-household goods is required for commercial moves.

Commercial general liability insurance broadly provides liability insurance for general business risks such as property damage or personal injury.

How is a commercial move different from a household move?

Commercial moves and household moves differ greatly from one another. Generally speaking, household moves present similar challenges from one property to another. In contrast, commercial moves from one business to another can look much different. 

Commercial moves require more upfront planning than household moves. Commercial moves can also involve significantly more heavy items than a household move. Computers, printers, scanners, and other electronic devices and office equipment are more numerous with commercial moving services. 

Commercial moves tend to be local while residential moves are a mix of both local and long distance.