Commercial moving in French-speaking Switzerland: complete guide
Moving a business is a strategic project that goes far beyond simply transporting furniture. A poorly prepared commercial move can lead to considerable revenue losses for every day of disruption.
DemenagementPasCher.ch passes your request on to professional movers in your area, who can plan and carry out a commercial relocation with minimal disruption to your business. They contact you and prepare a free, no-obligation quote.
What a commercial move includes
A comprehensive commercial move includes services well beyond a residential move:
- Preliminary audit: visit to current and future premises, complete inventory of furniture and equipment, floor plan
- A project manager who coordinates all stages and serves as your single point of contact
- Disassembly and reassembly of office furniture (adjustable desks, partitions, cabinets, meeting tables) — see our furniture assembly/disassembly service
- Secure transport of IT equipment in anti-static crates
- Specialist packing of archives, confidential files and sensitive documents — see our professional packing page
- Heavy handling for special equipment (servers, industrial printers, machinery)
- Recycling of obsolete furniture via a professional clearance service
- Insurance to agree with the mover, matching the value of the equipment transported
- Systematic labelling of every item with the destination office number
Types of commercial moves
Office moves
The most common type, covering:
- Office furniture: desks, ergonomic chairs, cabinets, meeting tables
- IT equipment: computers, screens, servers, network printers
- Archives: physical documents, binders, confidential files
- Staff personal belongings
- Signage and decorative elements
Retail moves
Relocating a shop presents specific challenges:
- Goods and stock: inventory management before, during and after
- Specialist equipment: display cases, counters, till systems, refrigeration
- Signage and shopfront: removal and reinstallation
- Continuity of service: planning to minimise closure time
- Customer communication: redirection signage, updating contact details
- Licences and permits: some businesses require cantonal permits linked to the address (trading licences, operating permits)
Industrial moves
The most complex type:
- Heavy machinery and equipment: presses, lathes, milling machines (several tonnes)
- Production lines: disassembly, transport, reassembly and calibration
- Hazardous materials: chemicals, oils, solvents (SUVA regulations)
- Cranes and specialist equipment often required
- Planning over several weeks or even months
Medical or dental practice moves
A special case requiring specific expertise:
- Sensitive medical equipment: radiology, dental chairs, sterilisers, ultrasound machines
- Patient records: strict confidentiality under the Federal Act on Data Protection (FADP)
- Health standards: new premises must be compliant before the transfer
- Calibration: medical equipment must be recalibrated and tested after the move
- Minimal disruption: patients must continue to be seen
What affects the price of a commercial move
The price depends on your situation, which is why the quote is tailored to each business. The main factors are:
- Volume of furniture, equipment and archives to move
- Distance between the old and new premises
- Floors and access: lifts, stairs, loading dock, parking and street access
- Lifting equipment: furniture lift, crane or specialist handling for heavy items
- Packing: IT equipment, archives and fragile items
- Disassembly and reassembly of furniture
- Date and hours: weekday, weekend or night work
- Added services: storage, clearance, project management
- Insurance matching the value of the equipment
Several movers can quote for the same project: request a free quote and compare.
Step-by-step process
Phase 1 — Planning (well ahead of the move)
- Appoint an internal project manager responsible for the move
- Visit the new premises with the mover to establish an accurate quote
- Inventory all furniture, equipment and archives
- Plan the layout of the new offices (floor plan)
- Inform staff and draw up a schedule
- Request a free quote from several specialist companies
Phase 2 — Preparation
- Select the provider and sign the contract
- Order new furniture if required (allow for delivery lead times)
- Plan the IT infrastructure for the new site (cabling, network, telephony)
- Cancel/transfer service contracts (cleaning, security, coffee machines)
- Arrange storage if a transitional period is needed
Phase 3 — Communication
- Notify clients, suppliers and partners of the address change
- Update the Commercial Register
- Change the address on all materials: website, Google Business, invoices, business cards
- Order new address labels and letterhead
- Arrange clearance — removal of obsolete furniture
Phase 4 — Execution (just before and on the day)
- Distribute labelled boxes to staff for their personal belongings
- Label every piece of furniture and every box with the destination office number
- Confirm dates with the mover, IT team and service providers
- Prepare mail redirection via Swiss Post
- Reserve the building’s goods lift for moving day
Phase 5 — Finalisation (after the move)
- Supervise operations with the project manager
- Test IT systems and telephony as soon as installed
- Take stock: has everything arrived?
- Report any damage promptly
- Organise a welcome day at the new premises
IT relocation specifics
The transfer of IT infrastructure is often the most critical point of a commercial move.
Equipment involved
- Servers: planned shutdown, secure transport, reconnection and testing
- Workstations: reconnection and testing of each station
- Network: switches, routers, structured cabling
- Telephony: line transfer, VoIP, PBX
- Printers and copiers: often under a leasing contract (contact the provider)
- NAS and storage: full backup mandatory before moving
IT best practices
- Full backup of all data just before the move
- Cabling plan for the new site drawn up in advance
- Thorough labelling of every cable and device
- Anti-static transport for IT equipment
- Reconnection testing: have an IT technician on site on reinstallation day
- Telephone line transfer: contact Swisscom or your operator as early as possible
- Cloud migration: use the move as an opportunity to migrate to cloud solutions (reducing physical equipment)
Minimising downtime
The phased moving strategy
For businesses that cannot afford a complete shutdown:
- Phase 1: transfer archives and non-essential furniture (weekend)
- Phase 2: set up IT at the new site in parallel
- Phase 3: transfer workstations (evening or weekend)
- Phase 4: transfer remaining furniture and finalise
This approach limits disruption to a few hours instead of several days.
Weekend moves
The most popular solution for SMEs:
- Friday evening: start disassembly and loading
- Saturday: transport and unloading
- Sunday: IT installation, testing and adjustments
- Monday morning: resume operations at the new premises
Weekend work can affect the quote, but it avoids loss of revenue during the week.
Night moves
For businesses operating around the clock (hotels, clinics, data centres):
- Carried out outside normal business hours
- Teams specialising in night work
- May affect the quote
- Requires specific municipal permits
Tips and best practices
To keep the cost down
- Declutter before the move: dispose of obsolete furniture, outdated archives and out-of-service equipment
- Plan for the off-season: avoid quarter-ends and summer
- Move on a weekday if possible
- Bundle services: moving + assembly/disassembly + clearance with the same mover
- Involve staff: each employee packs their own personal belongings and current files
To minimise risk
- Check the mover’s insurance: coverage must match the value of your equipment
- Take a photographic inventory before the move
- Have a backup plan in case of delays or technical problems
- Test the network and telephony before the Monday restart
- Appoint a contact person per department to guide the movers
When to use this service
A commercial move is needed in the following situations:
- Business growth: current premises have become too small
- Cost reduction: moving to cheaper or out-of-town premises
- End of commercial lease: the landlord does not renew the lease or raises the rent
- Merger or acquisition: consolidating several sites into one
- Renovation: premises are being refurbished and require temporary evacuation (storage solution recommended)
- Change of canton: transfer of the registered office for tax or strategic reasons
- Remote working: reducing office space following the adoption of hybrid working
Legal and regulatory aspects
Legal obligations
- Commercial Register: change of registered office address (mandatory, Art. 937 CO)
- VAT: notify the FTA of the address change
- Social insurance: notify the AHV compensation fund
- Work permits: notify the Migration Office if employing foreign workers
- Commercial lease: observe the notice periods set in your lease and the Code of Obligations
- Cantonal employment office: notify if the company is restructuring and the legal thresholds are met
Commercial move insurance
Insurance is essential for a commercial move:
- Transport insurance: covers damage during the move (replacement value or depreciated value)
- Business interruption insurance: compensates for revenue loss in the event of a significant delay
- Professional liability: check the mover’s coverage amounts
- Declared value: prepare a valued inventory of all equipment transported
Why choose a specialist commercial mover?
A commercial move cannot be improvised. Movers experienced in commercial relocation can offer:
- A project manager who coordinates all logistics
- Suitable equipment: IT trolleys, anti-static crates, protective covers
- Experienced teams for transporting sensitive equipment
- Insurance suited to commercial values
- Agreed deadlines set out in the contract
- Confidentiality: careful handling of documents and data
Get your free quote for your commercial move
Frequently asked questions
Questions fréquentes
It depends on volume, distance and access, and the mover will estimate it in the quote. Furniture disassembly, transport and installation all take time. With a weekend moving strategy, you can reduce business disruption to a single working day.
Yes, commercial moving costs are generally deductible as operating expenses. Keep all invoices: mover, packing materials, cleaning, administrative updates. For a self-employed person moving a home office, a proportional share is deductible.
Several measures are essential: back up all data before the move, encrypt laptop hard drives, transport sensitive data carriers separately (by a responsible person), and have the mover sign a confidentiality agreement. For confidential paper documents, use sealed and numbered crates.
Yes, it is mandatory if the registered office address changes (Art. 937 CO). If you change cantons, the process is more complex and may require a notary. Submit the change within the deadline set by the competent authority.
Communicate early and regularly: inform teams well in advance, involve them in the layout design, distribute a practical guide (new commute, parking, nearby shops), and organise a visit to the new premises before moving day. Allow a settling-in day for everyone to get organised.
Saturdays yes, and this can affect the quote. Sundays are generally prohibited unless a municipal exemption is obtained. Weekend moves are the preferred solution for SMEs as they avoid any loss of productivity during the week. Plan as early as possible to secure mover availability.
For companies practising hybrid working, use the move to reorganise the space: shared desks, meeting rooms, collaborative areas. Remote workers can pack their personal belongings on the last working day and find them at their new desk on the return day. Plan an extra remote working day during the move.
Notice periods depend on the terms of your lease and the Code of Obligations. Notice must be given in writing, ideally by registered letter. Some leases include automatic renewal clauses. Check the early termination clauses and any penalties. In the event of a dispute, the Tenancy Conciliation Board can intervene.