When it comes to planning an office relocation, one rule almost always applies: it is never too early to start planning.

An office move involves much more than transporting desks, chairs, computers and boxes from one location to another. Your company’s day-to-day operations, building requirements, freight elevator availability, furniture, IT infrastructure, employees, vendors and move schedule all need to work together.

With nearly 40 years of experience planning and executing commercial relocations throughout the New York and New Jersey markets, BRS has seen firsthand how much proper planning can affect the success of an office move.

That is especially true in New York City, where building access, freight elevator schedules, loading restrictions, certificates of insurance and other property requirements can have a major impact on when and how a move can take place.

The more time you give yourself to plan, the more opportunities you have to identify potential problems before they become expensive or disruptive problems on a moving day.

As a general guideline, BRS recommends beginning the planning process at least:

These are not hard rules. Every office relocation is different, and factors such as building restrictions, furniture requirements, IT infrastructure, storage needs, specialty equipment and move phasing can all affect the timeline.

The important point is simple: the larger and more complicated the relocation, the earlier the planning process should begin.

Why Should You Start Planning an Office Move So Early?

It is easy to think of an office relocation in terms of the actual move date. In reality, moving day is only one part of the project.

There may be dozens of decisions and logistical issues that need to be addressed before the first truck arrives. Some are within your company’s control. Others are not.

For example, your company may have a preferred move date only to discover that another tenant has already reserved the building’s freight elevator for that day. This can be especially problematic in busy NYC commercial buildings where multiple tenants may be relocating, renovating or receiving large deliveries during the same period.

Your new space may be ready, but the space plan may not have been thought through carefully enough. Furniture may still need to be installed. IT may need additional time to reconfigure equipment. Building management may have insurance, loading dock, security or access requirements that need to be completed before work can begin.

Starting early gives your company, your moving team and the other vendors involved more time to identify and coordinate these issues.

12 Months Before Your Office Relocation

For larger relocations, particularly offices of approximately 10,000 square feet or 250 employees or more, BRS recommends beginning the planning process at least one year in advance whenever possible.

At this stage, not every detail needs to be finalized. The goal is to establish the overall scope of the project and begin identifying potential complications.

This is a good time to:

• Establish a target move date.
• Identify the internal team responsible for managing the relocation.
• Begin evaluating what will and will not be moving to the new location.
• Review the proposed layout of the new space.
• Determine whether existing furniture will be reused, reconfigured, stored or disposed of.
• Identify new furniture that may need to be installed.
• Begin evaluating IT, telecom and equipment requirements.
• Identify storage or warehousing needs.
• Determine whether the move may need to take place in phases.
• Begin discussions with an experienced commercial moving company.

Involving a mover early can be especially valuable on larger projects. Walkthroughs of the current and future locations may uncover logistical issues that are not obvious to someone who does not manage office relocations every day.

In NYC, something as simple as freight elevator access, loading availability or a building’s approved working hours can significantly affect the move plan. Discovering those restrictions early gives the project team time to work around them.

6 Months Before Your Office Relocation

For an office of approximately 5,000 square feet or around 100 employees, six months is a good minimum planning window.

For larger moves that began planning earlier, this is when the project should start becoming much more detailed.

The moving company can conduct walkthroughs, develop the scope of work and begin determining how the relocation will actually take place.

Space planning becomes increasingly important. Where is each department going? Which employees are moving to which workstations? What furniture is being reused? What furniture needs to be disassembled, relocated and reinstalled? What needs to be removed from the existing office entirely?

This is also the time to begin developing the move sequence.

Some companies can relocate in a single move. Others may need to move department by department or complete the project in phases so that normal business operations can continue throughout the transition.

Building coordination should also be well underway. Each property can have its own requirements regarding freight elevators, loading areas, working hours, insurance, security and vendor access.

For companies moving between NYC office buildings, those requirements should be reviewed at both the origin and destination. The earlier they are identified, the easier it is to build them into the overall relocation plan.

3 Months Before Your Office Relocation

For smaller offices of approximately 2,500 square feet or 50 employees or fewer, BRS recommends beginning the planning process at least three months before the move.

For larger projects, the final execution plan should already be taking shape by this point.

The move schedule, space plan, departmental sequencing and labeling system should all be becoming finalized.

The moving company should have a clear understanding of what is moving, where each item is going and how the relocation will be sequenced.

Furniture installation and reconfiguration requirements should be confirmed. Storage needs should be addressed. IT responsibilities should be clearly assigned. Certificates of insurance and other building requirements should be coordinated.

Employees should also begin receiving clear instructions about what they are responsible for packing, what will be handled by the mover and how items will be labeled for their destination.

A well-planned labeling system may seem like a small detail, but on a large office relocation it can make an enormous difference. Movers need to know exactly where hundreds or even thousands of individual items belong when they reach the destination.

For a more detailed look at the steps involved in preparing for a relocation, check out our comprehensive office move planning checklist.

30 Days Before the Move

With approximately one month remaining, the major planning decisions should already have been made.

The focus now turns toward confirming details.

Final floor plans should be available. Workstations and offices should have destination assignments. Packing materials should be distributed. Employees should understand their responsibilities.

Building access, freight elevators and loading areas should all be reconfirmed.

The moving team, IT team, furniture installers, building management and any other vendors involved should be working from the same schedule.

This is also a good time for another walkthrough to identify anything that may have changed since the original survey.

Office relocations rarely remain completely static. Departments change, furniture gets added or removed, construction schedules shift and companies make last-minute decisions.

The goal is to identify those changes before moving day rather than discovering them once the moving crew is already on site.

One Week Before the Move

One of the biggest mistakes a company can make is assuming that something is confirmed simply because it was discussed several months earlier.

During the final week, the important logistics should be reconfirmed.

That includes:

• Freight elevator reservations.
• Loading dock or loading area access.
• Building hours.
• Security and access procedures.
• Certificates of insurance.
• Employee packing instructions.
• IT sequencing.
• Furniture installation requirements.
• Labeling.
• Vendor schedules.
• Key contacts at both the origin and destination locations.

At this point, there should be very few surprises left.

What Happens When an Office Move Is Planned Too Late?

A compressed schedule does not automatically mean an office relocation will fail, but it leaves much less room to solve problems.

One issue BRS has encountered is freight elevator availability. A company may determine its preferred move date only to find that another tenant has already reserved the elevator.

In an NYC office building, that can create a serious scheduling problem. The company may need to change dates, adjust the move schedule or work with building management to find another solution.

Another common issue is poor coordination between the physical move and the layout of the new space.

If the space plan has not been thoroughly considered, furniture, equipment and boxes can arrive at the destination without a clear plan for where everything belongs. Employees may arrive to find that workstations are not ready, IT equipment is not properly coordinated, or furniture has to be moved again after it has already been placed.

That creates unnecessary work and can turn what should have been an organized transition into a sloppy one.

Good relocation planning is largely about eliminating those surprises before moving day.

What Can a Commercial Moving Company Help Plan?

A commercial moving company should be able to contribute much more than trucks and labor.

Depending on the project, BRS can assist with:

• Walkthroughs and site surveys.
• Space planning.
• Move sequencing.
• Labeling systems.
• Building coordination.
• Relocation consulting.
• IT moves and reconfigurations.
• Certificates of insurance.
• Furniture installation and reconfiguration.
• Storage and warehousing.
• Project logistics.

Getting the moving company involved early also creates an opportunity to identify potential problems while there is still time to solve them.

This becomes increasingly important as the size and complexity of the relocation grows.

We’re Moving in Less Than 90 Days. Is It Too Late?

Not necessarily.

Office relocations can sometimes be planned and completed on compressed timelines. Whether that is realistic depends on the size of the move, building availability, furniture requirements, IT needs, storage, equipment and other project-specific factors.

The important thing is to begin planning immediately rather than losing additional time.

An experienced commercial mover can review the origin and destination locations, target move date and project scope to help determine what needs to happen first and which issues could become obstacles.

If your NYC office move is less than 90 days away, contact BRS to discuss your relocation and determine whether your timeline is realistic.

How Far in Advance Should You Hire an Office Moving Company?

You do not need to have every aspect of the project finalized before speaking with a commercial mover.

In fact, involving a mover during the planning process can be beneficial because early walkthroughs and discussions may identify logistical issues that have not yet been considered.

For larger office relocations, speaking with a moving company well before the actual move date gives everyone involved more time to properly plan the project.

Can an Office Move Be Completed Over a Weekend?

Many office relocations are scheduled during nights, weekends or other periods designed to minimize disruption to normal business operations.

Whether a particular move can be completed within one weekend depends on the size of the office, the volume of furniture and equipment, building access, the number of crews available, IT requirements and whether the relocation needs to take place in phases.

This is particularly important in New York City, where individual buildings may restrict the hours during which commercial moves can take place.

The move schedule should be developed around the company’s operational needs and the requirements of the buildings involved rather than assuming every relocation can follow the same format.

When Should IT Get Involved in an Office Relocation?

IT planning should begin early.

Technology is often one of the most important parts of getting employees operational in the new location. Computers, servers, phones, networking equipment, conference room technology and other systems may need to be disconnected, transported and reconfigured in a specific order.

The physical move and the IT plan should therefore be coordinated rather than treated as two completely separate projects.

Planning an Upcoming NYC Office Relocation?

The safest approach to an office relocation is simple: start earlier than you think you need to.

Additional planning time gives your company the opportunity to properly coordinate the people, buildings, furniture, technology and vendors involved while there is still time to adjust the plan.

Whether your relocation is three months away or more than a year away, Business Relocation Services can help evaluate the scope of the project and develop a plan for getting your organization from its current space into the new one with as little disruption as possible.

About BRS

Business Relocation Services has nearly 40 years of experience helping organizations throughout the New York and New Jersey markets plan and execute commercial relocations. BRS provides move planning and consulting, furniture installation and reconfiguration, IT relocation, storage and warehousing, and project logistics.

Planning an upcoming commercial relocation? Request a quote from BRS to start discussing your move.

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Relocating an office, especially in a city as bustling as New York, involves a complex checklist. However, when IT systems are involved, the move becomes even more critical. Every minute of downtime can impact operations and productivity. That’s where expert office IT relocation services in New York City can make all the difference. By entrusting a professional team with your technology relocation, you minimize downtime, protect sensitive data, and keep your systems running smoothly.

Why Professional Office IT Relocation Services Are Essential in NYC

Moving IT infrastructure demands a level of expertise that goes beyond a standard move. From data servers and networking systems to individual workstations, there’s a lot at stake. In a city that operates around the clock, even a slight delay can have a substantial impact. Office IT relocation services ensure:

• Minimal Downtime: IT professionals plan every step to keep your tech operational with the least interruption possible.
• Data Security: Transporting sensitive information and servers safely to prevent any breaches.
• Asset Protection: Proper handling of hardware, preventing damage to costly tech equipment.

Key Components of Office IT Relocation Services

When planning an office IT move in NYC, it’s important to understand the comprehensive steps involved. Reliable service providers manage the entire process with a strategic approach:

1. Project Planning and Management

Successful IT relocation begins with a clear, customized plan. This phase includes evaluating the size of your office, cataloging IT assets, and mapping out network and system requirements for the new location. A good project management team will create a timeline that outlines every stage of the move, ensuring a smooth transition.

2. Inventory and Equipment Handling

Having a complete inventory helps track equipment throughout the move. Each piece of hardware is logged, labeled, and packaged to reduce the risk of misplacement or damage.

3. Network and System Setup

Reassembling IT infrastructure goes beyond just plugging things in. From networking cables and server racks to internet connections and secure Wi-Fi, setting up your office for smooth operations requires a strategic layout to optimize workflow.

4. Data Backup and Security Measures

The last thing you want during a relocation is data loss. A professional relocation team will conduct backups before disassembly. They’ll also secure data during transport, ensuring all sensitive information remains protected.

5. Testing and Quality Assurance

Once everything is reassembled, technicians test and validate each component, ensuring that all systems are functioning as expected. This proactive step helps catch any issues early, so you can get back to work without delay.

Why Choose Office IT Relocation Services in New York City?

New York City has its own set of challenges when it comes to moving an office. The city’s fast-paced environment, high-density buildings, and strict regulations require a team with local expertise. Partnering with a relocation service that knows the NYC landscape can:

• Navigate Building Regulations: NYC buildings often have strict move-in/move-out requirements, and experienced movers are equipped to navigate these hurdles.
• Ensure Timeliness: With city traffic and limited parking, a professional team ensures timely arrival and departure, keeping your schedule on track.
• Handle Complexity: NYC offices vary in layout and connectivity. Relocation teams design your new setup to match space constraints while maintaining efficiency.

Tips for a Smooth Office IT Move

While hiring a professional service takes most of the load, there are a few ways you can help facilitate the process:

1. Communicate with Your Team: Keep employees updated on the move date, downtime, and how it may impact their workflow.
2. Plan Backup Systems: Have a backup plan for mission-critical systems in case of unexpected delays.
3. Coordinate with the Building: Make sure the building is aware of the move and that your team has elevator access, loading dock reservations, and any necessary permits.

Make Your NYC IT Move Stress-Free

Investing in office IT relocation services in New York City is a strategic decision to protect your technology assets and keep your business running smoothly. With a reliable IT relocation team by your side, you can trust that every detail, from planning to reinstallation, will be handled efficiently, letting you focus on what you do best—running your business. Whether you’re scaling up or moving to a new neighborhood, professional office IT services can give you the peace of mind to move forward with confidence.

Ready for Your Move?
BRS Business Relocation Services specializes in seamless office IT relocation for businesses in NYC. Contact us today to discuss your move, and let’s make your transition a success!

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Moving is one of the most important milestones for any company. It’s an indicator that your business is scaling, and the premises you are using are no longer sufficient to house your employees. This is a great sign that your company is moving up in the world and why you should be moving up with it as well. The idea of moving might be a good thing. However, moving is a total nightmare. It’s a strenuous task that requires several days’ worth of constant effort. So, that’s why you should make things easier by hiring a moving and storage company. 

If you’re hesitant about spending all that money, here are a few reasons why hiring a moving company could be great for your business.

The right equipment that moving and storage companies have

Moving an office requires specialty equipment that not just everyone has. If you’re renting a truck and deciding to move, you’re going to be “Doing it yourself” quite a bit. This means that you won’t have any of the advanced equipment that moving companies have. They have all the tools required to transport your cargo efficiently. This significantly reduces the total duration of the move while ensuring that none of your possessions are damaged mid-transport.

It Saves Time

You’re going to be spending more money on hiring a moving and storage company. However, you’ll save more if you look at the bigger picture. Every moment your office is shut down, you’re losing money. A move isn’t going to take a day or two. It’s going to take at least a few days, if not weeks. If you go “Doing it yourself”, it might even take up to two weeks. By hiring a moving company, you’re making sure that the move takes place as quickly as humanly possible. Movers know exactly how to pack and load all your equipment. Plus, since they’re hired by the day, they want to get done with your project and move to the next as soon as they can. This helps you save time and lets you get operational quicker and get back to functioning normally.

Don’t Miss Anything

Moving is a pretty complex procedure. It sounds highly unlikely that you’ll forget something. You’ll be surprised how easy it is to forget a few items here and there. A professional moving company takes inventory of all your items and double-checks your cargo several times during the moving process. This helps them make sure that none of your items are misplaced during the move.

Closing Thoughts

So, if that was enough to convince you to hire a moving company, you should think about working with a company like BRS moving. We’re professionals in the moving and storage industry and has helped tons of customers like yourselves move conveniently with our services. So, give us a call today and get one of the most affordable moving services at your doorstep today.

Do you need to relocate your business? Get in touch with the best in the market. We will respond as soon as possible and take care of all the stages of your relocation.

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A corporation has to look at the current trends if they want to keep up with the competition. From what is currently a hot topic to what should be the thing of the future, such small details can make and break your profits. Such is the environment of an office, with activity-based working, separate spaces for work,  rest and relaxation, etc. Therefore, it is sometimes crucial for organizations to have a change of locality.
In these circumstances, move management plays a vital part in embedding this notion. The idea to plan and follow through on transferring facilities from one office to another.

Do You Need To Move?

The main idea is that companies want a change in environment and sometimes want to enforce an optimized space to allow smooth collaboration between collaborating employees and departments. But, apart from that, you need to sometimes think about whether a move is something your company needs. Does your current office not offer enough space? Does it have some issues with molding? Do you need to expand? The first thing you need to ensure is whether you actually need to move. We have the best move management specialists in the market to answer these questions.

How Much Cargo Do You Have?

In case of cost, it is unavoidable that the higher the amount of cargo that needs to be moved, the greater the price is to move it. In such cases, companies tend to improvise and think of alternatives when it comes to moving. Your equipment should take top priority. Without your tools, a company cannot function at all. Next is furniture, as you need some sort of place to put all your tools in. Finally, some small things help in basic functions, such as kitchen supplies, recreational stuff (table tennis, darts, etc.). Get a rough estimate of all the cargo you have as it will influence the price of your moving cost.

What Type Of Move Are You Looking For?

There are two common ways in which moving works. One is the basic move where a company hires movers to take care of the entire moving. In this case, the moving company comes to your place, packs up everything, and unpacks at the destination. However, these moves tend to cost a lot. If you want to save some extra cash, you can opt for a different kind of move where you move yourself . This may seem easy to follow. However, in some cases, you may need to move two or more departments at the same time while combining a few of them. Moreover, you may also need to rework some places, such as a presentation hall becomes a foreground for some cubicles or vice versa.

Another is the interoffice moves, in these cases, collaborative spaces become moving grounds for different groups. Again, these are permanent that require some sort of command.

Do You Need Storage?

The moving process may sometimes take days or even weeks to complete. In such cases, your equipment may be unsafe as facilities need to make many adjustments. To improvise, you may need to find a moving company that can provide a storage facility for temporarily holding your equipment.

Do You Need Insurance?

Organization equipment is very costly and fragile. It takes one small lapse in judgment to set you behind on budget costs. However, in the case of moving them in stocks, that small mistake becomes a huge disaster. Therefore, it is advised to take some sort of insurance policy when it comes to the organization’s equipment so that you have proper coverage if the need arises.

Do you need move management assistance to relocate your business? Get in touch with the best in the market. We will answer you as soon as possible and we will take care of all the stages of your relocation.

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If you’re looking for a way to get rid of old tech and buy a new one, don’t just throw it in the trash. There’s a better way to get rid of your old IT stuff. It is with the help of something called IT Recycling. If you’re looking to dispose of your tech, here’s why you should do it through an IT recycling company.

IT Recycling Save Space in Landfills

Electronic waste is starting to fill landfills as people have started to throw out their old and outdated tech. This may be the easiest way to dispose of your items, but it’s not the best. Looking for a good way to dispose of your outdated tech, IT recycling services are the way to go.

Recover Recyclable Materials

Even though your devices are old and have no practical use whatsoever, they still contain a bunch of raw elements like copper, aluminum, steel, etc.

By handing these over to an IT recycling company, you’re giving it to folks that can use these raw materials in producing other hardware.

This significantly reduces the amount of tech junk in our landfills and allows you to contribute to saving the planet by saving on the expenses required to remake those materials.

Help Localities and Third World Countries

Even if you and your office are considering a machine to be outdated, that doesn’t mean it’s outdated for everyone. Local libraries, schools and especially, third world countries don’t have access to technology even if it is outdated. It could be absolutely game-changing for them.

If your hardware is in working condition, your IT recycling company will hand them off to people that could make use of those materials and use them to learn and make the world a better place.

This is extremely important during the pandemic as people are forced to study and work from home. Sometimes, individuals don’t have the technology required to do that, which is making their life in the pandemic really difficult. With the help of the hardware you don’t need anymore, you could really help out someone else.

Dispose of Hazardous Materials

Believe it or not, your computer does have a lot of hazardous materials used during the manufacturing process. These elements aren’t harmful while they’re sitting in a box on your desk. But, when they end up in a landfill, they can pose a serious threat to the environment.

By handing your tech off to an IT recycling company, you’re making sure that those materials are recycled properly and don’t end up harming the environment.

Our IT Recycling Solution provides secure IT Asset Management Service Call Us Today 1-718-399-8000

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Safe Transport For Office Furniture

The top benefit of hiring office furniture movers is the fact that it will be the safest way to transport the furniture. If you or employees decide to do it yourself, there’s a chance that you may damage a lot of equipment. Furniture is expensive and, more importantly, it is bulky. Office furniture mover has been trained on handling equipment to ensure that all your precious cargo remains undamaged throughout the journey.

Office Furniture Movers Insurance

The best part about hiring office furniture movers is insurance. Most reputable moving companies offer insurance on your products while they are under the company’s possession. If any of your products do get damaged during the process of transportation, the company’s insurance will be able to reimburse you for the damage.

Reduced Disruption in Business Activities

Relocating offices is a time-taking ordeal that is usually a major disruption to your business. Companies lose thousands of dollars in just a few days of relocation. If you’re really looking to reduce the cost of the transport, the best option is to hire an office furniture movers. They might take an extra cost up front, but they’ll get you your money back by getting your business up and running quickly.

Office Furniture removalists

Office furniture moving companies are there to offer the utmost level of convenience to your and your employees. They’re going to pick up the furniture straight from your offices, onto the trucks, and in your new office. It’s a complete one-stop-shop to relocate all your furniture easily.

Conclusion

Relocation is an amazing experience for any company, and it opens up doors like never before. However, if it isn’t done properly, it can set your company back more than a few thousand dollars. It doesn’t matter what type of office you’re relocating to. If you’re planning on hauling cargo, it’s best to contact an office furniture mover and hire their services. They’ll make the entire process seamless and ensure that your company is back up and running in no time.

Move With Us Safely and Efficiently! Call Today Tel: 1-718-399-8000

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While you might not be responsible for moving the water cooler into the new space, you can do many essential things. Here are some tips that will make cleaning your cubicle or desk enjoyable and – if you’re lucky – might even get the boss’s attention.

THE LOGISTICS OF OFFICE MOVING

Planning is everything. Instead of just waiting for everything to be set up for you in the new space, take the initiative and start planning, the things that are really important to your smooth running at your job that you will need in your new office.

If possible visit the location. While this may seem like a stretch at first, it will give you an edge over your co-workers. By knowing the lay of the land before work begins, your energy on the first day can focus on important matters rather than “getting acquainted” with the new office. Also, take the time to check with your supervisors about any technology that will be transferred to the new location.

With so much work on your office computer, it is imperative to ensure that it is delivered correctly. If your office lends you a laptop to continue your work remotely, as happened during this pandemic, take it home so you do not stop your work. The goal is to plan as smooth a transition as possible.

ORGANIZE YOUR MOVE

Before your office move, take the time to properly organize and pack your inventory. From your POP vinyl figures that decorate your cubicle or desk, to important files that you will still need when you move to the office. Making a proper catalog of your belongings helps you avoid getting too dirty when you finally settle in your new cubicle.

It is also very important to leave the doors or drawers open without keys or to leave the corresponding keys. So that they can be opened without problems. If you feel overwhelmed by the amount of things you are packing, it may be a sign that you must organize and decide with precision. what is taking and what is leaving. This will allow you to create a new unique work environment for yourself, which is the goal of any successful office move.

BEST OFFICE MOVE TIPS

The relocation process is never easy. No matter how much you plan, every office move comes with its complications. While your company should hire a reliable office relocation company, the employees must know what the boss requires from the office space. This will help make every employee feel involved in creating the atmosphere. This will boost morale around the office and eventually increase productivity in the long run.  

By following a few of these tips, your office move should feel less overwhelming and more of a welcome change. This is an opportunity to craft a unique workspace that works for you so take advantage of this. Above all, remember to plan and good luck with your office move!

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Accommodation for Your Inventory

It is possible that you might require some specialized services for the products that you’re going to be moving. You can’t exactly move a car in a truck that is meant to move furniture, now can you? Talk to the commercial moving company before hiring them to make sure that they have the transporting facilities required to accommodate your belongings.

Ask For Commercial Moving Reviews

Before you start working with a moving company, it is important that you do your research on them. If you have friends and family who have worked with the company in the past, then you’re good to go. Check on the internet for reviews on the company. If they have negative reviews then it might be a good idea to go for some other business instead. Positive reviews are necessary to ensure that they are a credible business and are reliable enough to be your designated commercial moving company.

Commercial Moving Insurance

You should never use a moving company that isn’t insured. This is a difference between a decent moving company and a person in a truck that just wants a few extra dollars. Companies that are licensed are insured and have the legal responsibility to take good care of your property. Moreover, this also gives you the freedom of mind that if the company does damage to your inventory even by accident, they’ll be the ones responsible for it.

Beware of Illegitimate Movers

While there’s a 90% chance that you’re going to find a legit moving company, there’s also a chance that you don’t. A very small portion of companies around the world are fraudulent businesses that are functioning without a license or any government approval. To make sure a company is credible, do some digging to see if they have an active license. If they are registered with a  government organization, you’re good to go. If they aren’t, check to see if they have a reputation online and if they have a valid physical office. Moreover, if the commercial moving company asks for a deposit of more than 20%, that is a red flag. Any legit business isn’t going to ask you to pay more than a 20% safety deposit.

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COVID-19 has put a stop to the normal routines of everyday life in the U.S. While social distancing is the course of action to take until we learn otherwise, we’ve implemented many new health and safety procedures to make sure it is done as safely and efficiently as possible.

For many people, a moving date is not flexible. If your lease is ending or if you previously sold or purchased a home with an upcoming closing date, or your office is relocating in any sense, it’s important that you have access to the critical services that can allow you to relocate. While cities and states across the country have ordered the temporary closure of “non-essential” businesses, Business Relocation Services has been operating as an essential business in full capacity since the start of the pandemic.

What is BRS Doing Differently?

BRS is taking the coronavirus pandemic very seriously. To that end, we have put into place protocols designed to protect our employees and customers. These include:

• BRS adheres to and goes beyond federal and local covid-19 guidelines and sanitation recommendation.
• Implementing software to conduct virtual surveys for contact free estimates.
• Daily sanitizing of trucks and equipment.
• Practicing social distancing with all clients and with our field crews whenever possible
• Mandated our field staff wear our newly made double layered cloth mask provided by BRS at all times when on a job site.
• Stocking every truck and crew with hand sanitizer and extra PPE for every job.
• BRS offers free estimates on space planning for post pandemic office social distancing and is a certified installer for the biggest glass divider manufacturers in the country.

All of these practices help ensure that our moving services can remain available in a safe way. A virtual move estimate is also an option here at BRS. 

Important Tips for Moving During the Coronavirus Pandemic

If you’re not sure about protocols for moving during the coronavirus protocols, you are certainly not alone. Here are some of the key takeaways.

• Let us know right away if you or anyone in your family is experiencing coronavirus symptoms. Transparency is very important for keeping everybody safe. We will still work with you, but will put additional protocols into place to protect our workers. In addition to letting BRS know if you suspect the illness among yourself or a family member (or have a diagnosis), let us know if you are isolating due to exposure, since the same risk mitigating steps should be taken.
• We provide hygiene products for our movers. To aid our movers in following necessary hygiene practices, be sure to leave out products that they can use while they transport your items to and from the moving truck.  That includes soap and paper towels by the sink, and hand sanitizer by the door that they’ll be entering and exiting through. If you’re concerned about having enough supplies, let us know so we can be sure to bring them along for use during the move.
• Being smart when moving during the pandemic requires that you follow all of the standard pandemic rules and apply them to your move. Social distancing and sanitization requirements need to be upheld while moving.

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Today we would like to share with you a story of very uncommon circumstances and highlight an overlooked group of unsung heroes of the pandemic. Heroes who could have stayed in the safety of their homes and done exactly what is being asked of them, but instead decided to suit up, go straight into the lion’s den and help fight against the pandemic in every way they can.

First off, we’d like to explain who we are, not because this story is about our company, because it’s not, but because it will offer needed context into the amazing displays of heroism by our employees that answered the call when help was needed. Simply put we are a moving company. That’s what we do. We help people and companies move anything you can imagine from point A to point B. We could list our services, try to convince you of how great we are, or go into more detail about us but that’s not important nor is that why we are writing this article. What IS important is to understand who our workers are. Our staff are not highly trained medical professionals, not experts in epidemiology, not scientists, not nurses and not doctors. What these men are is a group of extremely hard working and professional movers who take pride in their work and said yes when they were needed most in some of the most unusual circumstances one could even begin to imagine. At this point you’re probably thinking “How could a group of movers in any real way be considered heroes in a pandemic?” To that I say please bare with me and I promise that question will be answered for you.

The story starts out in Mid-March when New York officially became the epicenter of the pandemic. (I won’t mention any hospital staff members by name out of respect for their privacy, but I will mention the hospitals themselves). Harlem Hospital to their credit, began to prepare for a possible spread of Covid-19 within just a few days of March 11^th the date in which the World Health Organization first declared Covid-19 a global pandemic. Harlem Hospital had asked our team members to clear out over 200,000 square feet of storage, offices, unoccupied space, and other floors within their facilities to make room in the event that they needed more space for hospital beds. Although this is not too uncommon for us to clear out space and we regularly assist Harlem Hospital, as well as many other hospitals with day to day moving, we do want to commend one of our long-time employees and phenomenal Project Manager, Richard Delacruz. Richard was able to get the job done with short staff 2 weeks before Harlem Hospital needed to use that space for new patients. Thank you, Richard.

The story continues when a week later Senior Project Manager, James Gargano received a call from a Queens Hospital employee, with whom James has a long-standing relationship with, who explained “James we’re having a huge problem at our hospital. Our nurses and doctors are so overworked, overwhelmed and exhausted that by the end of their shift they literally can’t pick up a coffee pot to make themselves a coffee. We need labor to assist our medical staff during their shifts so that they can continue to work under these conditions without collapsing from exhaustion. Oh, and before you say no, please keep in mind that we’re desperate and everyone else I called has already said no.” 

James puzzled let him know he is sorry to hear that and that he’d talk it over with our team and we’d let him know as soon as possible. Internally we struggled with this decision like I’m sure every moving company who said no before us did. In order for us to make a decision we needed to first, make sure the work would be as safe as possible and that should we send our staff into the hospital, that they are given all necessary PPE, as well as be given proper training from medical professionals on how to avoid the virus. To which the hospital director said, “Absolutely when can you start?”. Sensing the eagerness in his voice we knew it was important to them, so we knew we owed it to them to at least try to make it work. Then we had to turn around and explain what was being asked of us to our field staff and see if anyone would even be willing to do so. 

Again, we are being asked to send our guys into a hospital, in the epicenter of a pandemic, with no medical experience, while the pandemic is nearing its peak. When it’s put into perspective it’s pretty easy to see why so many people said no, a lot of guys did (and rightfully so), but just enough of them said “yes” that we thought we just might be able to make it work. We let the hospital know that we have a few brave men who were willing to answer the call, but we needed some time to educate ourselves on how to stay protected and learn basic safety protocol while in the hospitals. Thankfully my sister, Lauren Linares and my girlfriend, Jenna Hoffman are both veteran ICU nurses and both of their units at this point had been converted solely to assisting COVID-19 patients at NYU Langone Hospital and New York Presbyterian Weil Cornell Hospital respectively. Amidst grueling night shifts they both found the time to able to give us phenomenal safety instructions that they had received from two of the top ranked hospitals in the world. Thank you, Lauren, and Thank you, Jenna.

At this point we had a decision to make: On the one hand we of course want to do everything and anything we can to help, but on the other hand we of course want to keep our workers as safe as possible. After much back and forth and changing our mind multiple times, we decided that we were not going to stop brave men from an opportunity to help so long as they were fully aware of what they were being asked to do, knew the risk, and were given all necessary PPE.

Enter Steve Guardino, Randy Livingston, Jamar Anderson and let the story begin:

On April 3rd, Steven Guardino (left) a R started supervising our first hospital shift crew at Queens Hospial. Steve, (after making sure his crew was properly gowned) not only immediately began assisting the medical staff with their operations in any and every way possible on his first day, but also used his 10+ years of move experience to suggest specific actions the hospital could take that would significantly improve the efficiency of the operation. I won’t bore you with specifics on how he suggested a truck route for the hospital to quickly and efficiently get supplies, machines and whatever’s needed, but trust me Steve made a huge difference right away and the hospital knew it. So much so that the Queens Hospital asked to please send him and his crew back the next day…and the next day…and the next day…and the day after…and the day after that. Steve had, in such a short time become such an essential part of the chaotic operation in the hospital, that it wasn’t until 21 straight days of hospital shifts later that Steve felt his operation was running well enough to let his right hand man randy take charge before taking a single day off. Thank you, Steve.

To the left of Steve is Randy Livingston. Randy also started with our first crew on April 3rd. Randy has been Steve’s right hand man from the beginning and has shown the type of man he is and proven exactly what he’s made of throughout this disaster. Randy to this day has not taken a single day off since he began at Queens Hospital a BRS record 29 days ago. The mental toughness it takes to show up and be the best version of yourself day after day after day is not a quality many people possess, Randy does. Thank you, Randy

Jamaar (not pictured) Anderson also started with the original crew on April 3rd. Jamaar is one of BRS’ finest workers. If a job is not finished Jamaar does not leave until it is, that’s just the type of person he is. He embodies a term we often use “consider it done”. Jamaar has been working throughout multiple hospitals since he first answered the call on April 3rd helping to set up operations and assist with medical staff’s needs. He has been constantly praised by hospital staffs for his tireless work ethic and dedication. Since almost all hospitals in New York and New Jersey were experiencing the same over flow problems with their frontline workers being physically exhausted, word soon travelled if you need help “call BRS for help but we’re keeping Jamaar here.” Thank you, Jamaar

On the right you have a guy by the name of Ryan McDade. Ryan is a lifelong friend and had worked on the trucks for us for a few summers during college. For the last few years Ryan has been going through an apprentice training program to become an electrician. If I could think of one person who was built to handle this it would probably be… his dad Steve who’s retired FDNY and built like a work horse, but next on my list would be Ryan.

On April 4th after our shift had ended, I was speaking to Ryan about how we had been assisting hospital staff doing as much labor for them as we could and now more hospitals were calling desperate for support to which Ryan replied, “When can I start?”. He started the next day at Harlem Hospital. As I’m writing this on May 1st, he has not taken off a single day. To reiterate Ryan, despite not being a regular employee, has worked backbreaking and mentally draining 12 hour shifts, 7 days a week for the past 25 days straight. When asked if he needed a break, he said “I’ll work every day until they don’t need me anymore.” That statement stuck with me as I realized that like his father, Ryan was born to help others. Ryan has done and continues to do a phenomenal job. He quickly learned where hospitals most needed support and soon after his first few shifts helped lead a 24/7 operation at what was at the time being called “ground zero” of the pandemic, Elmhurst Hospital alongside a few other heroes. Thank you, Ryan

It is now April 7th and word has began to spread even more from hospital director to hospital director about how our staff has assisted the frontline workers and significantly eased the physical toll of their shifts and we’re now being called by 2 more major hospitals in need of immediate assistance. St Joseph’s Hospital in Wayne NJ and St Joseph’s Hospital in Patterson NJ.

It is at this point where we are introduced to three more heroes Alberto Gonzales, Alessandro Muniz (unfortunately I couldn’t get a picture of them), and Jesse Rivera. More and more brave men are now volunteering to help after hearing from other employees about how much of a difference they were making at these hospitals. To give you some context into Alberto’s work ethic, Alberto on his first day was asked to cover an 8:00AM shift with Muniz. Unfortunately, at this time we did not have the resources to cover another 3:00PM shift the same day for Harlem Hospital, so we had planned to let them know that unfortunately we didn’t have the resources. Alberto and Muniz heard about the need for support there so Muniz covered the rest of the shift by himself so that Alberto could leave his 8:00AM shift (with the hospitals permission) to go straight to work another shift where he knew he was needed more. That tells you everything you need to know about the characters of Alberto and Alessandro.

As for Jesse Rivera (above) he has been huge for us as a consistent presence that can be relied on by hospital staff to ease the burden whenever he can. Not to mention all 3 had to adjust their sleep schedule to 12-hour night shift during all this. To this day Alberto Gonzalez, Alessandro Muniz and Jesse Rivera, since they started on April 7th have worked 24 straight 12 hour night shifts without taking a single day off. Thank you, Alberto. Thank you, Alessandro. Thank You Jesse

It is now around 6:00PM April 7th and in 4 days we’ve went from serving just one hospital with a crew of 4 guys to 7 hospitals requesting our services 24/7 and the desperation in their voices was palpable. If you have any loved ones on the frontlines in a hospital, you know that around this time the emotional and physical tolls we’re starting to really wane on people. The amount of cases was growing exponentially in New York and it felt like each day was harder than the last. The level to which people were overwhelmed is something that I couldn’t stand to see and only made me more frustrated that we didn’t have the resources to help them all

Enter Kyle Strehle:

Kyle Strehle is a neighbor, former BRS employee, lifelong friend, and will be in the next class in “New York’s Bravest” the FDNY. As fate would have it, I ran into his sister Caroline, who just happens to also be a frontline hero (there’s plenty of heroes in this story) working as a nurse at Memorial Sloane Kettering Hospital (thank you Caroline) while I was driving to check in on our staff working a shift in Harlem. After talking a bit, we began to discuss our company’s dilemma with helping hospitals that are in dire need of resources that we just don’t have at the moment. To which Caroline said, “Call Kyle.” I proceeded to let Kyle know of the dilemma we were having and that the job is obviously optional but if he is interested all these hospitals could use the help. To which he responded, “yeah sure, how many people do you need, and when do you need me to start?” to which I replied, “as many as you can and tomorrow”. Kyle started his first 12 hour shift the next day. What Kyle also did for us was by some miracle, find 4 other brave young men from our hometown of Rockaway Beach, and Breezy Point, Damon Anderson, Joe Brown, Luke Erhard and Christopher Ray that were also willing to start THE NEXT DAY. I guess it’s a bit less scary to walk into the lion’s den when you have friends with you. We proceeded to create a group text in which we outlined the safety protocols given to us by medical professionals, went over company policies, and since their local guys, drove to their houses that night to drop off uniforms. Kyle has been probably the single most important person in getting the support these hospitals needed and just like many others before him, since his first day April 8th, Kyle has not taken off a single day working 23 straight 12-hour shifts. Thank you, Kyle

We would be remised if we didn’t mention one of the biggest pieces to the puzzle, Kevin Currence. Kevin is a long time Foreman for BRS and has 10+ years of experience. Believe it or not a lot of that experience translated very well when Kevin started his first shift on April 8th. He was probably put in the most chaotic of all our operations, Elmhurst Hospital, at no fault of the hospital but simply because of the number of patients and unforeseen circumstances that would tie up precious time for frontline workers. While Kevin can’t check your blood pressure or administer an IV, Kevin can pick up a 200 pound medical machine who’s wheel just broke off and carry it to a patience room, clear out a room that was never intended to house hospital beds in minutes so that more patience can be admitted, and has the stamina to push hundreds of hospital gurneys to where they need to go in a 12 hour shift without breaking a sweat. Kevin has managed his crews and worked in conjunction with hospital facilities in phenomenal fashion since the day he started. He has truly risen to the occasion and I’m going to sound like a broken record here, but he has not taken a single day off since his first shift 23 days ago. Thank you, Kevin.

Two more heroes on our team are Luke Erhard (left) and Joe Brown (right). These two answered the call on April 8th. Again, these men, on a day’s notice decided to leave the comfort of their homes to go help fight like hell alongside our frontline medical workers in any and every way they could. They specifically have been working together on the same shift at the direction of the facilities and security department every single day. They have been complimented for their willingness to help in any situation asked of them, their professionalism, and their overall consistency in the workplace that so many times that I’m getting tired of hearing it. Both Luke and Joe started their 12-hour shifts April 8th and, you guessed it, have not taken a single day off since. Thank you, Luke. Thank You, Joe.

Next up we have Damon Anderson and Brian Ostrander. Two professional young men that also answered the call when they were needed most at one of St Joseph’s Hospitals in Wayne NJ. These two started April 8^th and can you guess what I’m about to say next? Both Damon and Brian have not missed a single 12-hour shift since the day they began. These two men have in particular have been very helpful to keeping the schedule consistent and have been monumental in helping the frontline responders during their shifts. At this this point couldn’t handle every single shift needed of us but with these guys continuing to work every day we were almost there. Thank you, Damon, Thank you, Brian.

Next we have Garett Murnan, Christopher Ray and Kiel Anderson. Garett has been working at ground zero of the pandemic since April 10^th, Chris Ray has been working at St. Josephs since April 8^th and Kiel like his brother Damon, has been absolutely key to us filling out our daily roster by being flexible and covering shifts at Queens Hospital, St Joseph’s Hospitals in Wayne and Patterson NJ, Harlem Hospital, Elmhurst, and others. You name it Kiel has been there helping and hasn’t stopped since the day he started April 10^th. Thank you, Garett, Thank you, Chris, Thank you Kiel.

Another few very honorable mentions go to Mike Walker one of BRS finest and most respected employees who managed the first hospital shift at Harlem Hospital and as a someone who was there that day, I was able to see Mike restore order to a chaotic situation. Another very honorable mention goes to Matthew Schonfeld, who when we were short staffed volunteered to work a ridiculous 36-hours straight by working 3 straight 12 hour shifts. Also Michael Barna recently stepped in to help the graveyard shift at St. Josephs. Vincent Incorvaia who has been transporting supplies at Queens Hospital since April 9^th without a day off since and Joshua Avila who has been working wherever he is needed everyday whether that be Jacobi Medical Center, Queens Hospital, Harlem Hospital or wherever else he is needed. Dylan Carey, who juggles his classes with picking up hospital shifts whenever he can. Thank you all.

In times of struggle and panic it is human nature to want to keep yourself safe, but in the same breath it is human nature to want to help others in need. These displays of heroism remind me of a quote about persistence. “Nothing in this world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent. The slogan Press On! has solved and always will solve the problems of the human race.” -Calvin Coolidge. That persistence has manifested itself in so many ways over the last month and a half with countless men working 20+ shifts in a row without taking a single day off, regularly helping in every and anyway possible and helping restore some normalcy to one of the worst disasters we’ve seen in our lifetimes.

As the pandemic continues, I am happy to say that today is our crews last shift at Queens Hospital and I’m happy to say that because we are no longer needed. Their staff has now gotten control of the situation. This by no means says that the pandemic is over, but we are happy to see that the ridiculous amount of initial stress the hospital had seen on their staff and operations has been significantly alleviated by our heroes. This is highlighted in a message of gratitude sent to us by a Queens Hospital director “On behalf of my facility I would like to personally thank you and your company for working with us and stepping out of your comfort zone when I presented you with the request. Your staff were very professional and a great asset to our facility while embracing a crucial role during this pandemic.”

I want to finish this story that is not yet over by reiterating how proud we of our men. From what started as a desperate phone call for help, became a beautiful story of so many people who decided to leave the comfort of their own homes to go out and sacrifice their safety to help others. 

When all is said and done, we will all have stories to tell about our experiences during the pandemic and we appreciate you taking the time to read about our story on how a group of brave movers answered the call and became heroes. 

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