Furniture Moves | Facilities Management

Facilities Management staff assist departments with moving a variety of materials, equipment, and office furnishings. Faculty, staff, and students can request moving assistance by submitting a work request through the department’s work requests system.

Move Planning

Move requests can vary in size and complexity. Please provide 2-3 weeks advance notice for moves involving multiple rooms, laboratories, or machines/equipment, or laboratories. Furniture moves are typically considered non-critical and may be subject to delays due to scheduled events, weather conditions, or elevator service disruptions.

Financial Services and Operations must be notified when capital equipment or property is moved or considered for disposal.

Refer to Chapter 8 of the Property Management Operating Procedures Manual for more information related to the movement of furniture and equipment on campus. Departmental Equipment Coordinators are responsible for overseeing property and equipment in their area. Equipment Coordinators can also provide guidance to staff and faculty on general policies and procedures.

Planning Considerations

The following provides a review of some basic planning considerations prior to submitting a departmental work request.

When moving furniture and equipment, consider utility requirements and data needs. Scheduling electrical, plumbing, and data infrastructure work, please submit a separate work request 4 weeks prior to the scheduled move. Data and networking infrastructure changes can be requested by submitting an IT Help-Desk Ticket.
Requesting departments are responsible for boxing all items that will be moved. Property owners are responsible for moving personal items and plants.
Requesting departments are responsible for identifying and mitigating potential biological, radiological, and other hazardous materials from items being moved. Laboratory specimens and samples should be removed from appliances and equipment prior to moving.
Facilities Management does not provide packing materials such as boxes, padding, and tape. Reusable boxes may be available in the building’s recycling bin.
When packing, use smaller boxes for heavy items and larger boxes for lightweight items. It’s a good rule of thumb, that if you can’t lift the box, then the mover can’t either.
Label boxes with the owner’s name and destination room number
Requesting departments are responsible for removing items from furniture drawers and storage shelves. Review emptying requirements with Facilities Management staff when planning the move. See examples of common office furnishings that need to be emptied prior to moving below:
- Vertical filing cabinets
- Lateral filing cabinets
- Bookshelves
- Wardrobes, credenzas, and cabinets
Modular furniture, overhead storage, and cubicle-style workstations cannot be moved in tact and have to be disassembled/reassembled to facilitate the move.
Facilities Management staff does not move computers, wall-mounted televisions, projectors, or similar office technology. Submit an IT Help-Desk ticket to schedule the disconnection and movement of any IT-related equipment.
The requesting department should include approval documentation from Financial Services and Operations when submitting their work request.

If you’re planning a move and you have questions, please contact Facilities Management for additional assistance and coordination.

Internal Transfers

Facilities Management staff routinely supports internal transfers by moving surplus property between departments. Items that are in good, reusable condition are made available to other university departments via internal transfer. Internal transfers require approval by the Property Office. Property office authorizations generally include all furniture scheduled for transfer, including those without property tags.

The requesting department is responsible for notifying the Property Office and obtaining transfer approval prior to submitting a departmental work request. Requesting departments must also obtain authorization from Financial Services and Operations before any obsolete or nonfunctional item may be dismantled, junked, or scrapped. Contact your department’s Equipment Coordinator for assistance communicating with the Property Office.

For more information related to Internal Transfers and Financial Services and Operations, please refer to their Property Management Operating Procedures Manual.

Billing for Services

Furniture and equipment moves can vary significantly in size and scope. Moves can also be necessary for a variety of reasons. Whether the moves are elective or mandated, a number of factors contribute to the costs associated with each. Consider the following when planning your move and any potential costs that might be associated with the work.

Larger, capital-funded type renovation and improvement projects typically include costs for moving furniture and equipment. Additional services beyond the scope of the project may be subject to charges to the requesting department.
Auxiliary units and research areas will typically be charged for moving services.
General-fund units are typically not charged for moving services. If conditions warrant, fees may be charged for moving services. Examples of such conditions might include the need for materials to build a ramp, the need for specialized moving equipment, or repetitive moves related to indecision or poor planning.
Freight deliveries are to and from loading docks. If the requesting department would like freight deliveries moved beyond the loading dock they will be charged for the moving services.

For more information related to Facilities Management’s billable and non-billable services, please refer to Repair/Services.