Risk Management

How to Budget for an Office Move (Without Derailing Your Business)

Relocating your business is exciting. It’s often a sign of growth, a new chapter, or a much-needed reset.

Whether you’re moving to save on costs, gain more space, or reposition your brand, the decision to move your office isn’t just logistical, it’s financial.

At Curve Accountancy, we’ve worked with numerous businesses in Crawley, West Sussex, and across the Southeast who’ve made the jump from expensive offices in London to smarter, more affordable bases elsewhere. 

But one thing we see time and again is how underestimating the true cost of a move can trip up even the most organised teams.

In this guide, we’ll walk you through the key financial considerations when moving office, explain what many business owners overlook, and show you how to budget for a smooth and sustainable relocation, whether you’re heading to Crawley or simply across town.

Why Budgeting for an Office Move Matters

A poorly planned move doesn’t just cost money, it can cost your business momentum. 

Delayed invoicing, missed sales, unproductive staff and unexpected costs can pile up fast.

That’s why a successful relocation should be treated like a project with a clear budget, timeline, and contingency plan.

While it’s easy to focus on visible costs like removal vans and new desks, it’s often the indirect or hidden costs that cause real issues:

  • Downtime you didn’t factor in
  • Deposits that lock up your cash flow
  • Setup costs that exceed your initial estimates
  • Overlapping rent payments or late fit-out delays

Let’s break it all down so you can move with your eyes wide open and your finances well-prepared.

1. Understand the Full Financial Picture 

Your budget isn’t just about hiring movers or signing a new lease. It should include everything that affects cash flow before, during, and after the move.

Here’s a breakdown of the core categories with real context behind them:

🏢 Premises-Related Costs

Even before the move begins, you’ll encounter a number of up-front costs:

  • Rent deposit: Commercial landlords often ask for 1–3 months' rent in advance. For small businesses, this can easily exceed £5,000–£10,000, depending on the size and location.

  • Legal fees: Lease agreements are notoriously complex. Budget at least £1,000–£2,000 for a solicitor to review and negotiate terms, especially if you're taking on a long-term commitment.

  • Business rates: These vary widely. Crawley’s rates are typically lower than Central London, but still significant. Make sure you know the rateable value of the property before committing.

  • Service charges and maintenance fees: In shared or managed spaces (like those at Manor Royal in Crawley), you may also be charged monthly for cleaning, communal area upkeep, or security.

2. Fit-Out and Setup

It’s easy to get excited about your new space but every new wall, light fitting, or branded sign comes with a cost.

  • Furniture: Even basic ergonomic chairs and desks add up. A 10-person office fit-out can range from £5,000–£20,000 depending on spec.

  • IT and telecoms setup: Broadband installation, network cabling, VoIP systems, security these require upfront capital and technical support.

  • Branding: Interior signage, window graphics, and exterior signage (if needed) are often forgotten until the last minute.

  • Compliance upgrades: Depending on the property, you may be responsible for health and safety upgrades — think fire exits, alarms, accessibility, or energy efficiency.

Tip: Ask your landlord which costs are yours and which are theirs. A ‘full repairing and insuring’ (FRI) lease often puts everything on you.

3. Removals and Transition Costs

The physical act of moving may seem simple, but if you’ve got tech equipment, sensitive files, or a full office setup, you’ll need professional help. Don’t cut corners here.

  • Professional removals: Can range from £1,000–£5,000 depending on volume and complexity.
  • Temporary storage: Useful if your move-in date doesn’t line up neatly with your move-out. Budget £200–£500 per month.
  • Packing and unpacking time: Staff often lose 1–2 full working days each during the process. Multiply that across your team and factor in the lost billable time.
  • Waste removal: Old desks, broken chairs, or outdated signage often can’t be reused. Disposal fees can be steep especially if you’re dealing with WEEE waste (electronic equipment).

4. Downtime and Disruption

This is often the most underestimated cost of an office move and the one that most affects revenue and service delivery.

Ask yourself:

  • Will there be a day (or more) when phones, emails, or systems are down?
  • Are key staff going to be unavailable while managing the move?
  • Will client work or projects be delayed?
  • Will you need to pause sales or client onboarding?

Plan for at least 2–5 days of lowered productivity and communicate that clearly to clients, so expectations are managed.

5. Marketing and Communication Costs

Once your office move is finalised, the world needs to know, not just your staff, but your customers, suppliers, bank, HMRC, and Companies House.

You’ll need to:

  • Update your Google Business Profile and all online listings
  • Change addresses on websites, social media, email footers, invoices, and contracts
  • Send physical change-of-address cards (yes, still a nice touch!)
  • Update your stationery, signage, and business cards if still in use

Don’t forget your SEO! If you’re moving to Crawley, make sure your site reflects that change with updated location pages, metadata, and embedded maps.

6. Double Rent or Overlap Periods

This one catches many businesses off guard: you may end up paying rent on two properties at once.

Why?

  • You need a few weeks to fit out the new space
  • You’re stuck in a notice period on the old lease
  • There’s a delay in utilities or broadband going live
  • Staff can’t move in until desks, safety checks, or access systems are sorted

If you don’t budget for this overlap, which can last 2–6 weeks, you risk a serious cash flow pinch.

7. Tax Implications: What Can You Claim?

Some moving costs are allowable business expenses but not all.

Usually tax-deductible:

  • Removal costs
  • IT setup and cabling
  • Temporary storage (for business assets)
  • Staff mileage to support the move
  • Professional services (legal, accounting, IT)

Usually not deductible:

  • Lease deposits
  • Property purchase costs
  • Improvements that count as capital expenditure (e.g. building extensions or long-term infrastructure)

Every move is different. We can help you categorise and record these costs correctly so you claim what you’re entitled to and avoid red flags with HMRC.

8. Cash Flow Forecasting: Your Safety Net

The best budgeting tool isn’t a spreadsheet, it’s a 12-week rolling cash flow forecast that shows:

  • What’s leaving your bank account, and when
  • What income is expected and from where
  • What your worst-case scenario looks like (if revenue stalls)
  • Whether you’ll need financing or invoice funding to stay liquid

At Curve, we help clients build customised cash flow forecasts during office moves so they can make confident decisions with eyes wide open.

Final Thoughts

An office move can be transformative but only if you treat it like a financial project, not just a physical one.

By mapping out all your costs, accounting for disruption, and keeping an eye on cash flow, you can make your relocation smooth, strategic, and stress-free.

Moving to Crawley or the surrounding area?

Let Curve help you:

  • Build a complete moving budget
  • Forecast your cash flow
  • Identify tax-deductible costs
  • Minimise disruption to your team and your clients
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Chris Irving
Director, Curve Accountancy

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