Companies usually underestimate how long an office move takes. The search itself is rarely the longest part. What takes time is everything around it: agreeing on what you need, negotiating and documenting the deal, and getting the space ready.
The right start date depends on one question more than any other: what condition will the new space be in when you get the keys?
The sequence
- Define the briefHeadcount for the term, rooms, neighborhoods, budget, timing and decision-makers. See what to decide before you start touring.
- Build the marketEvery option that fits the brief, listed and not, organized so you can compare them.
- TourSee the spaces worth seeing, then narrow to a shortlist.
- NegotiateProposals, counters and a letter of intent with the finalists.
- Lease documentationAttorneys negotiate the lease; security, insurance and any guaranty are arranged.
- Design and build-outTest fit, drawings, pricing, permits where required, and construction.
- Furniture, IT and moveOrder furniture and equipment, install cabling and networks, plan the move.
- Move-inFinal walk-through, punch list, access and the first week in the space.
These steps map to how we run a search: define the brief, build the market, tour and refine, compare and negotiate, then sign and deliver. See how we work.
What the space condition does to the timeline
Four broad kinds of space come up in most searches. They move at very different speeds.
| Condition | What you get | What sits between signing and move-in |
|---|---|---|
| Furnished / plug-and-play | A built, furnished office, often with IT infrastructure in place | Mostly access, network setup and the move |
| Prebuilt | A newly built installation, usually unfurnished, delivered by the landlord | Furniture, cabling, IT and any small changes |
| Second-generation | A previous tenant’s build-out, used as is or refreshed | Anything from paint and carpet to partial reconstruction, then furniture and IT |
| Custom build | Raw or white-box space built to your plan | Design, pricing, permits where required, construction, then furniture and IT |
General guidance. The same building can offer more than one condition.
A furnished or prebuilt space can compress the whole process into the search and negotiation; many of the spaces on our Properties page are built. A custom build adds a construction project that can be longer than everything before it. For more on the trade-offs, see build-out vs. renovation.
| Stage | Planning range | What moves it |
|---|---|---|
| Brief | 1–3 weeks | How quickly leadership agrees on headcount, budget and neighborhoods |
| Market and tours | 3–8 weeks | How specific the brief is and how much inventory fits it |
| Proposals and LOI | 2–6 weeks | Number of finalists, landlord responsiveness, internal approvals |
| Lease documentation | 3–8 weeks | Complexity, guaranty or security requirements, attorney availability |
| Furnished / prebuilt readiness | 2–8 weeks | Furniture lead times, cabling and network installation |
| Second-generation refresh | 1–3 months | Scope of changes, building rules, permits where required |
| Custom design and build | 4–8+ months | Design decisions, permits, long-lead equipment, contractor schedule |
Planning ranges for discussion, not commitments.
How early to start
Add the stages together for the kind of space you are likely to take, then add a buffer. Start from the date your current lease or membership ends, and read its notice and holdover terms before you do anything else. Holdover rent is typically set at a steep premium to your current rent, and the lease may add liability for the landlord’s damages.
As a rule of thumb, a company that can move into built space needs to start earlier than it thinks, and a company that needs a custom build needs to start much earlier than that. Larger requirements take longer, because there are fewer spaces that fit and more people involved in the decision.
Can a company move in under three months?
It can be done, if the space is furnished or prebuilt, the brief is clear and the company can make decisions quickly, because some stages can overlap. Speed depends on accepting an existing layout, moving quickly on approvals and running legal review in parallel with other work, not after it. It rarely works with a custom build.
What causes delays
- An unclear brief. Tours start before the team agrees on size, budget or location, so the search restarts.
- Slow internal approvals. A board, investor or parent company that must approve the lease, discovered late.
- Legal review started late. The lease draft sits while business terms are reopened.
- Credit and security. Letters of credit and guaranties take time to arrange.
- Design changes. Decisions made after drawings are priced or permits are filed.
- Long-lead items. Furniture, mechanical equipment and specialty finishes ordered after the lease is signed.
- Building rules. Work hours, freight access and landlord approvals that were not built into the schedule.
When to plan furniture and IT
Earlier than most companies do. Furniture lead times, network design and cabling can take as long as a light refresh of the space. Start furniture and IT planning as soon as you have a shortlist, so the budget is realistic and orders can go in soon after signing. Check your internet provider’s availability in each finalist building before you choose one.
Before you start touring
- Current lease or membership expiration, notice and holdover terms
- Target move-in date and the latest acceptable date
- Who approves the lease, and what they need to see
- Whether the company will consider furnished or prebuilt space
- A budget for rent, build-out, furniture, IT and the move