Residential Vs. Commercial Moves – 4 Key Differences Elaborated

Very few people have performed both a residential as well as a commercial move in their life. The majority of individuals out there do not understand that several points are similar between these moves and numerous are completely distinct from one another. You may think that after moving from your old house to your new abode, you know what it feels like to move from an old office to your new commercial space. You may also be under the impression that residential and commercial moving services are designed similarly. The truth is far from what you think.

Planning to move office and looking for a professional moving company? Contact us for a Free Quote.

The entire cost of moving an office, for instance, to its new location is going to depend on the number of items being moved and also the sensitivity of the electronic equipment being transported. It also takes into account the critical company information that has to be transferred from one functional office to another (more on it later). There is a lot that goes into moving a commercial space as compared to what a residential move entails. They both have their own set of challenges but let’s find out how they differ from each other.

1. The Moving Process

When it comes to moving from an old house to your new apartment, the process seems quite familiar. You know which things are going to go in your vehicle and what objects you are going to pack for the moving truck to pick. Again, you know which items are to be sorted and packed on priority and which can be delayed for a while. The moving process is going to be quite simple in the case of a residential move and you might be handling most of the packing yourself.

On the other hand, commercial moving services follow a different process. 

For example, they will begin by transferring a few pieces of equipment that are needed in your new office right away. These hold critical office information and sensitive data that cannot be transferred from one system to another. These will have to be transported to the new location on a priority basis and made functional before the rest of the equipment reaches there. You will also have to set up a few cubicles if the need arises to make sure that those systems are working to ensure a smooth transition from your old office space to the new one. 

So yes, this process might be a little different/complicated than what you are used to in a residential move.

2. Choice Of Packing Materials

The choice of packing materials used in a residential move can vary a lot. 

You can include your bed sheets, blankets, and several other items such as used cardboard boxes, bubble wrap, old electronic cases, containers, and whatnot. You are moving your house and you know what items should be packed into what materials and containers. A lot of that stuff is going to go in your own vehicle which means that you do not have much to sweat about. 

The heavy cargo can be packed either by the local residential moving company or you can give them a hand and make sure that it gets stacked in the moving van carefully. It is a lot easier to find packing materials for a residential move because your friends and neighbors will be more than willing to pitch in. If you have any old towels, bedsheets, and pillowcases, you can use all of that to pack your old stuff.

When it comes to packing your office items and belongings, you cannot use substandard packing materials at all. You cannot ask your office teammates to bring in used bedsheets and blankets for the purpose either. 

You have to invest in top-notch containers and boxes to make sure that all your office supplies, systems, machinery, equipment, and various tools are safe and reach your new office in one piece. A lot of your office cargo is going to be highly sensitive because of the company information that they contain. Some of your critical position holders might want to get their desks, systems, machinery, and various smart devices transported to the new office locations. These items will require specialized packing materials if you want to ensure that they reach your new office intact and functional. 

Some of them might require extra padding as they might have expensive and delicate peripherals, screens, cables, and attachments along with them. You cannot imagine transporting your projectors, wires, routers, screens, laptops, smart devices, and security cameras in a lightweight container that rattles all the way to your new office location.

3. Scale Of The Move

Residential moves are often performed at a much smaller scale. Let’s face it, you are going to be moving a single household from one location to another regardless of the distance. This means that the entire time is taken, the size of the van, the complications en route, if any, and the whole stress of the move are going to be quite limited.

But commercial moving services have a much larger scale of operation. 

Let’s say that you have 20 teammates and 5 senior-level executives. Each one of them is going to have a separate desk, a system, a company device, and a few other peripherals. All of these items will be needed in your new office location. In addition to these, you will also need your previous security systems, conference tables, all the screens that were installed across your office space, stationery items, chairs, mini desks, lamps, table fans, intercom pieces, and a lot more. 

Clearly, this is going to turn out to be a bigger move than a regular residential move.

4. The Overall Cost Of The Move

The overall cost of the move when you relocate from your old house to a new home is going to amount to a standard figure. It will be usually calculated by the number of hours that the packing and moving personnel will put in. It can also be based on the weight of the cargo and the distance traveled.

But when you are calculating the total cost of a commercial move, you multiply all those factors with at least 5 or 10. You have large and complicated machinery that needs to be hauled from one place to another. You don’t have to move the belongings of 4 people and 1 pet. Here, we are talking about at least a group of 30 to 50 people. So yes, that gets multiplied as well. The result is a much bigger amount.

There You Have It

A clear-cut picture of how a residential move differs from a commercial move! If you are planning either of them somewhere down the line, you may want to consider residential and commercial moving services in your city. If you’re doing it for the very first time, it is important that you get in touch with a professional at least one month before the moving day.

For an easy moving experience with a professional residential and commercial moving company, Call us now – 1300 CBD MOVERS