Commercial Move Berlin

What distinguishes a commercial move in Berlin from a private move

With a private move, what matters most is that the beds are set up by the evening. With a commercial move, what matters is that work can resume the next morning. Every hour of downtime costs revenue, and customers, patients or guests should notice as little of the move as possible. That is why we plan commercial moves differently: in smaller steps, with fixed time slots and with a contact person on your side who can make decisions.

Which businesses we move

• Shops and showrooms with shelving, counters and stock
• Workshops and studios with tools, machines and materials
• Agencies, law firms and smaller offices – more on this under Office Move Berlin
• Practices and studios with sensitive equipment – see Practice Move Berlin
• Restaurants and cafés with furniture and small appliances

Moving outside opening hours

Many commercial moves take place at weekends or in the evening so that the business can continue on Monday or the next morning. We coordinate the times with you, the property management and, where applicable, the new landlord. Especially in commercial courtyards in Kreuzberg, Wedding or Neukölln, there are often loading times, goods lifts that must be reserved or narrow courtyard entrances that we need to know about in advance.

Inventory, labelling, floor plan

A good floor plan saves hours at the destination. We work with a simple system: every room at the new location gets a number, and every box and every piece of furniture carries that number. This way, everything ends up in the right place the first time. We dismantle shelving and reassemble it at the new location; for assembly work see also Assembly Service Berlin.

Old furnishings and parking restrictions

Commercial moves often leave behind furnishings that are no longer needed. On request we dispose of them properly. We apply for a no-parking zone in front of both addresses so that the lorry can park close to the door – details under No-Parking Zone Berlin.

Costs

The price depends on the volume, the number of movers, the time slot and the additional services. An overview of the cost factors is given on the page Moving Company Berlin Costs. A business’s moving costs are generally tax-deductible as business expenses.

Checklist for your commercial move

• Check the lease for the new premises: handover date, condition, loading times
• Draw up a floor plan and give each room a number
• Review the inventory: what moves with you, what is sold or disposed of?
• Inform customers, suppliers and authorities of the new address
• Update your business registration, commercial register entry and letterhead
• Order internet, telephone and electricity at the new location in good time

Stock and storage

In shops and workshops, the biggest item is often not the furnishings but the storeroom. Goods, spare parts and materials must be packed so that they can be found again quickly at the new location. We recommend numbering shelves and storage locations beforehand and labelling the boxes accordingly. We can then put the goods straight into the right place.

Heavy machines and equipment

Workshops often have machines that are very heavy or permanently connected. We transport them once they have been disconnected and secured by qualified personnel. For very heavy equipment, we check the load-bearing capacity of floors, lifts and ramps at the destination.

When the business has to keep running

Some businesses cannot simply close. In that case we move in stages: first the storeroom and ancillary rooms, then the sales area or workshop at the weekend. This keeps the closure time as short as possible.

Commercial move, company relocation, office move: what is the difference?

The terms are often used interchangeably, but the tasks are different. This page is about commercial businesses with customer traffic, goods or machines: shops, restaurants, cafés, hair salons, workshops and small warehouses. If your company consists mainly of office workstations, you will find more on our page about the office move. If an entire company with several departments or locations is relocating, the page on company relocation describes the process.

Retail: goods, shelving, till

A shop rarely moves all at once. Usually the new space is prepared first, then the goods are relocated, and finally the till is moved. We dismantle shelving and counters and reassemble them at the new location according to your plan. We pack goods so that you can find them again by category. Fragile items and glass are packed individually. Chilled goods and food need their own planning, because the cold chain must not be interrupted. Clarify early when the new refrigeration units will be connected.

Restaurants and cafés

In a restaurant or café it is often the large appliances that determine the effort: refrigerators, dishwashers, coffee machines, ovens. Gas and water connections may only be disconnected and connected by specialist firms. We take care of the transport as soon as the appliances have been disconnected and put them in their place at the new location. We pack furniture, tableware and decorations as we would for a household, just in larger quantities.

Workshops and trades

Workbenches, shelves with small parts and heavy machines are typical of trade businesses. Small parts are best left in their boxes and transported as a whole. For machines, we clarify weight, dimensions and whether they need to be dismantled in advance. Very heavy machines that require a crane or special transport are discussed individually.

End of lease and handover

Commercial leases often end with clear obligations to restore the premises. Fixtures, partition walls or floor coverings sometimes have to be removed. Check early what your contract stipulates and plan time for it. On request we take care of clearing the premises and disposing of old furniture so that the space can be handed over on time.

Informing customers

For businesses with walk-in customers, communication is important: a notice on the old door, the new address on your website and map services, announcements on social media. This way your customers will find their way to the new location from day one.

For your tax adviser and accounts, we issue an invoice that itemises the individual services, such as transport, assembly and disposal.