The complete new office move guide — from panic to confidence

How to office move successfully — from lease to move

An office move consists of 5 main activities — Planning, Leasing, Designing, Building, Reinstatement & Moving.

Budget at least 6 months from start to finish. This isn't pessimistic — it's based on the realities of design collaboration, permit processing, and construction coordination.

PLANNING (Preparations)

Recommended time: 2-4 weeks

During this time, you'll be gathering requirements, estimating the space, getting cost guidance, selecting suppliers and setting timelines.

✓ Initial Plan

Start a plan — even a rough Excel schedule with key milestones works. Use free tools like GoogleDrive, office move checklists, and Milanote to create a single source of truth for your project. You'll be referring to these throughout your entire move.

Define workspace requirements with your boss and stakeholders. Use this requirements Q&A checklist:

• What are the headcount numbers?
• What are the work zones and rooms needed?
• How should work flow between teams?
• Which workers need to be near each other?
• What is the brand guide and mandatories?
• Any preferred buildings, locations, and office grade (A, B, Business Park)?
• Any hybrid or WFH ambitions?
• Any headcount growth projections for 3 years?

Tip: I've done all the work for you — use this complete checklist to keep you on track.

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✓ Calculate your space requirements

You'll need to determine how much space each function requires. Most businesses need these essential areas:

• Core spaces — Reception, workstations, meeting rooms, boardroom
• Management offices — C-Suite/director rooms, manager offices
• Collaboration zones — Breakout areas, phone booths
• Support functions — Pantry, copier area, server room, storage, locker room

Tip: Use this space calculator — it'll estimate space, rent and renovation costs based on your inputs.

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✓ Estimate your Costs

Budget reality — everything costs more than expected.

• Office rents — Grade A: S$8-15 psf to Business Park: S$4-6 psf
• Office renovation — Average quality at S$130-160 psf
• Reinstatement — S$20-45 psf
• Contingencies — add 20%

I recommend adding 20% for contingencies because office moves often hide additional requirements like advanced server room infrastructure, harmonic filter installation, fees for using the building's approved QPs (Qualified Persons), and design refinements that emerge during the collaborative process.

Tip: Use this space calculator — it'll estimate space, rent, and renovation costs based on your inputs.

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LEASING

Recommended time: 2-4 weeks

✓ Research potential office spaces

Start education early — the buildings you like might not suit your timeline or requirements.

• Target buildings in your budget range with 2-month rent-free periods
• Begin property viewings early to understand realistic space efficiency

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✓ Shortlisting & Lease commitment

When shortlisting your properties, start gathering D&B firm recommendations — your D&B firm can help you evaluate spaces with test-fits.

• Get test-fit layouts for your top 2-3 spaces — often a free service from D&B firms competing for your business
• Negotiate lease terms with proper legal review
• Commit to the lease and secure your space

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✓ Design & Build Firm Selection

An important decision — choosing the right D&B firm. Your Design & Build firm carries 80% of your project load. They're not just designers — they're your translator, project manager, permit handler, and crisis solver. Choose wrong here, and nothing else matters.

You can tell if a D&B firm is good when they have:

• Building grade-specific experience, especially for Grade A buildings (they know your target building's quirks)
• Senior designers who guide you, not just execute your ideas
• Proven permit application track record
• Clear communication style that suits your organisation's culture
• Strong project management systems with defined expectations

Tip: Ask your D&B firm for senior designers — they are masters in spatial planning, branding zones, workflow optimisation, and value engineering.

Senior designers are your strategic partners, bringing expertise that transforms good spaces into exceptional workplaces. They'll guide you towards better solutions:

• "This layout will optimise your team's collaboration patterns"
• "These acoustic treatments will significantly improve focus areas"
• "This partition plan works with minimal adjustments to the building's sprinkler system"

Connect with validated D&B firms →

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DESIGNING

Recommended time: 8-10 weeks

‍This is the most demanding phase. Allow 10 full weeks for this because corporate decision-making requires time for multiple stakeholders to align, review, and reach consensus.

Each design change request triggers a cascade — designers need time to incorporate new feedback, and quantity surveyors must recalculate budgetary quotations accordingly.

✓ Design collaboration

• Multiple layout iterations — expect 4-6 rounds of revisions
• Spatial flow optimisation
• Brand integration planning
• Acoustic and lighting design
• Meeting room configuration
• Storage and utility planning

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✓ Quotation negotiations

• Material selections and specifications
• Budgetary quotation — review line-by-line, every single line item matters
• Value engineering sessions — optimising cost without compromising function
• Payment terms and milestone negotiations
• Timeline commitments and penalty clauses

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✓ Stakeholder alignment

• 3D renders and walkthroughs for visual clarity
• Senior management presentations — 4-6 rounds are typical
• Department head consultations — getting approval from actual users
• Final design sign-off meetings — all the bosses must agree

This phase requires patience — most back and forth happens over layout designs, design aesthetics, and budget negotiations.

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✓ Quotation confirmation

‍A major milestone. Once you cross this line, changes become extremely expensive.

• Get absolute DESIGN LOCK — no changes beyond this point without major cost/time impact
• Confirm final quotation — itemised to every line item and specification
• Contract signing and legal documentation

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PERMITS

Recommended time: 3-5 weeks

Most standard office fit-outs only need SCDF MAA (Minor Addition & Alteration) + Building PTW (Permit to Work), and your D&B firm should handle these submissions.

SCDF MAA and PTW permit submissions don't happen concurrently — one follows the other. The building management won't let you start construction without seeing that SCDF has approved your fire safety plans first. It's essential to prove your renovation won't compromise the building's fire safety systems. This is why the permit sequence matters — SCDF approval first, then building management PTW.

For BCA permits, your D&B firm should tell you upfront if BCA approval is needed based on your renovation scope.

• Getting SCDF approval — 3 weeks
• Getting a Permit to Work — 1-2 weeks
• Getting BCA approval — 4-8 weeks
• Construction timeline confirmation and resource booking

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BUILDING (Renovation)

Recommended time: 4-8 weeks

Most buildings offer a 1-2 month rental-free fit-out period — a decent window for renovations when executed properly.

This construction phase is where your D&B partner earns their fee. Good D&B firms make this phase invisible to you; they'll save you from sleepless nights — handling all the permits and compliance, managing construction chaos with multiple contractors, and deliver a space that actually works for your team.

Your D&B partner coordinates everything — partition contractors, Licensed Electrical Workers (LEWs), IT infrastructure specialists, furniture suppliers, Qualified Persons for permit compliance, building management liaison, quality control inspections, and project timeline management across multiple trades.

Your role during construction (minimal but important):

• Weekly progress reviews with your D&B project manager
• Change request approvals (keep these to absolute minimum — they're expensive)
• Communication to your staff about timeline and move preparation
• IT migration detailed planning with your technology team
• Current office reinstatement execution

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✓ Core Construction

• Demolition and preparation work
• Partition installation and MEP (mechanical, electrical, plumbing) rough-in
• Ceiling and lighting installation
• Flooring and finishes application

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✓ Fit-Out and Systems

• Furniture delivery and installation
• IT infrastructure setup and testing
• Final electrical and system commissioning
• Quality inspections and compliance certification

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✓ Pre-Handover and rectification

‍The final month where everything converges for business transition.

• Final inspections and compliance certifications from all relevant authorities, including the Building's Management
• Comprehensive testing: AV equipment, mechanical systems
• Snag list creation and rectification works — fixing all minor issues
• Staff orientation and new office familiarisation tours
• IT system migration and testing in live environment
• Moving day coordination with professional moving companies

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REINSTATEMENT & MOVING

✓ Office Reinstatement

Recommended time: 3-4 weeks

Your lease requires returning your current office to its original condition. This isn't just cleaning — it's complete restoration.

What needs to be restored:

• All partition walls and modifications
• Original ceiling grid and lighting
• Flooring returned to handover condition
• All electrical and M&E work reversed
• Paint colours matched to original specifications

Key steps:

• Get quotes from reinstatement contractors (S$20-45 psf typical range)
• Don't use your D&B firm — they outsource and add markup
• Start planning early — building management approval required
• Budget realistically — costs often exceed estimates

Important: Poor reinstatement can forfeit your security deposit (typically 3-6 months rent). Use experienced contractors who understand building requirements.

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✓ Moving

Recommended time: 2-3 weeks

The final sprint where everything converges. Plan for overlap between offices to ensure business continuity.

Pre-move preparation:

• IT migration planning — coordinate server downtime and reconnection
• Moving company selection — get quotes, verify insurance coverage
• Staff communication — detailed timeline and new office orientation
• Inventory management — what moves, what stays, what's disposed

Moving week:

• Official office handover from D&B firm to your company
• Final walkthrough and acceptance — create snag list for any issues
• Overlap period — maintain operations during transition
• Moving day coordination — supervise professional movers

Post-move:

• Business operations transition to new location
• Staff settling-in period and workspace adjustments
• IT systems verification — ensure everything's working properly
• Post-handover support for rectification works
• Project closure and final payments

Tip: Book your moving company early — good ones get busy quickly in Singapore. Plan for 2-3 days overlap between offices for a smooth transition.

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It's challenging but you're going to navigate this successfully

Thousands of companies successfully move offices in Singapore every year — with the right planning and partners, yours will too.

Your next steps

1. Calculate your requirements — use this space calculator for realistic space, renovation, and rental estimates
2. Find the right D&B partner — prioritise firms with building grade-specific experience over flashy portfolios
3. Establish decision-making protocols — define who approves what, when, and how to avoid delays
4. Map your timeline constraints — work backwards from lease expiry and business-critical dates
5. Start planning now — use this free checklist to help you

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Ready to transform your office move from stressful to confident?

Getting the right Design & Build partner transforms this entire process. I've already done the work to validate a curated list of Design & Build firms who consistently deliver excellent results.

These are proven industry experts who'll handle the complexity, guide your decisions, and ensure everything runs smoothly.

Connect with validated D&B firms that offer test-fits →

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Kenneth Poh created Office D&B Guide after serving as CEO of a Design & Build firm in Singapore. This guide draws from real projects, real budgets, and practical insights gained from real client experiences.