Lab Relocation Services
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What are Lab Relocation Services
Lab relocation services involve much more than simply moving equipment. They require careful planning and management to safely transport sensitive instruments, chemicals, and supplies while ensuring compliance and staying on schedule.
These projects depend on close coordination between teams, vendors, and facility managers. Every part of the laboratory move must be handled with precision, including the relocation of equipment, the setup of new office space, and the integration of updated inventory systems.
Lab relocations are complex, high-stakes efforts designed to protect research, reduce downtime, and keep scientific work moving forward.
LAB RELOCATION SERVICES OVERVIEW
Why Professional Lab Relocation Services Matter
Downtime
Lab relocations can become costly when landing site requirements are missed and the job isn't done right the first time, leading to delays and unexpected expenses..
What's the cost?
Lost productivity, lost revenue, lost clients and a lost reputation can easily be the consequences of a disorganized relocation.
Peace of Mind
Peace of mind means leaving lab relocations to the experts. Relocations are one of the most critical and costly events in the life of the business. Why take the chance?
Experience Counts
Overbrook personnel are uniquely qualified to
manage and support your lab relocation, as we specialize in providing expert lab relocation services.
Whether with your Client Group, Design Group or Construction Group, our protocols, plans and processes insure an operationally sound laboratory relocation plan with the lab moving team, scientists, facilities personnel and outside vendors.
Relocations are Full Time Jobs
Most laboratory personnel assigned to the relocation already have full time jobs, increasing the risk of something being omitted or overlooked. The devil is in the details.
Those labs that attempt to absorb the burden of managing a lab relocation internally, quickly regret it. You already have a full-time job so adding the intricacies of relocating a lab denies you of the peace of mind required to carry out your daily responsibilities.
What are the Main Elements of a Lab Relocation?
Lab relocation services require careful planning to avoid mistakes and delays, as moving a lab involves many moving parts. Success depends on four main areas:
- Communication Management: Keeps everyone on the same page by coordinating client teams, designers, builders, and vendors. Clear communication helps prevent errors and keeps the project on schedule.
- Laboratory Operations: Ensures work continues during the move by understanding current laboratory operations as well as anticipated requirements to guide the process.
- The Relocation Plan: Lays out the steps for logistics, scheduling, and proactive risk mitigation to avoid disruptions and stay within budget. Having a lab relocation plan is critical to the success of any laboratory relocation.
- Move Management and Execution: Handles the actual move, from taking down and transporting delicate instruments and lab equipment to testing it in the new space to ensure it works correctly.
These four elements are essential to executing a lab relocation successfully.
What Role Does Communication Play in Lab Relocation Services?
From start to finish, communication is essential for a successful lab relocation. With multiple moving parts and active operations, clear and strategic information sharing ensures that all stakeholders stay aligned. Miscommunication can lead to delays, costly errors, and disrupted timelines.
A
well-structured communication plan helps manage evolving priorities, time-sensitive tasks, and the flow of critical updates. By maintaining transparency and consistency, communication reduces risks, keeps the project on schedule, and ensures a smoother transition for all involved. This level of coordination requires
a company experienced in lab relocation services.
What is the Chain of Accountability in a Lab Relocation?
A successful lab relocation requires clear roles and responsibilities that are determined and defined among four key groups:
- Client Group: This group includes team members like user representatives, budget managers, Facilities, EH&S staff, and consultants. They provide input for key details, such as phases and timelines, and ensure proper input for communication so it flows smoothly in alignment with clear relocation plan responsibilities in place.
- Design Group: Architects and engineers, design the new lab space. They handle plans and are responsible for the design of the lab and its umbilical systems, safety requirements, and permits before passing the finalized plans before construction/
- Construction Group: Led by the General Contractor, this team constructs the new lab, overseeing subcontractors, and ensuring construction meets the design specifications.
- Vendor Group: Movers, EH&S, and other service providers handle the physical move, including packing, transporting, and installing lab equipment and instrumentation. This group may also include suppliers for new or replacement instruments.
Each group plays a vital role and must work together through established communication channels as established by the relocation project manager to ensure the relocation stays on track, on time and on budget.
Thought Leadership on Lab Relocation Services
Article: G2 Intelligence Feature
Overbrook CEO Ted Palashis shares key insights on avoiding costly lab move mistakes in this exclusive G2 Intelligence feature.
Webinar: IFMA on Lab Relocations
Hear from Overbrook’s Ted Palashis & Diane Lynch on best practices for lab relocations and why getting it right is critical.
Whitepaper: Lab Relocation Services
A quick guide to the essential steps, common pitfalls, and expert strategies for ensuring a smooth, successful lab move.
Why is a Relocation Project Manager Critical to the Success of a Lab Relocation?
A detailed asset matrix is the foundation of a successful lab relocation, guiding design, construction, and the move itself. It includes essential details like equipment dimensions, bench requirements, and utility needs.
Accurate, up-to-date information prevents costly oversights requiring change orders, delays in construction change orders, rescheduling contractors and additional expense. Proper relocation management keeps timelines and budgets on track while ensuring all stakeholders have the input and data they need.
What are Some of the Challenges of a Lab Relocation?
Lab relocations often struggle due to poor planning or a lack of specialized knowledge. Many organizations rely on internal teams or project managers who may not fully understand the technical requirements of lab equipment or operations. This can lead to costly delays, oversights, and disruptions.
To avoid these challenges, it’s essential to have a
clear understanding of the laboratory assets, routine and anticipated workflows, and the needs of bench level lab personnel. This expertise builds trust and cooperation among scientists, facilities teams, and lab management, ensuring the
lab relocation process runs smoothly.
CLIENT TESTIMONIALS
Quality Operations Manager
Head of Facilities, Biotech Lab
Lab Director, Biotechnology Laboratory
How Do You Manage and Mitigate Unexpected Problems in a Lab Relocation?
Lab relocations are complex, with tight schedules and many moving parts, making unexpected challenges likely. The key to managing these challenges is strong contingency planning and a flexible approach to decision-making.
An experienced lab relocation specialist is essential. They understand the complexities, identify potential operational vulnerabilities, and ensure resources are deployed effectively. With careful planning, attention to detail, and clear accountability, anticipated issues can be addressed prior to having a negative effect on the project and keep the project on track.
What is the Proper Planning, Budgeting and Cost Management Factors in Lab Relocations?
Budgeting for a lab relocation requires proper planning to manage costs and avoid unintended challenges. Key considerations include:
- Anticipating delays in inspection certificate, permitting, and construction timelines.
- Additional scope of work for movers and service vendors for tasks like packing, deinstalling, and reinstalling equipment.
- Time required for the safe and secure delivery, setup, and certification of new equipment.
To stay on schedule and on budget, the
activities of a laboratory moving services must be sequenced logically, with enough time for each phase. This process requires precise coordination, as most labs are required continue operating during the move— “changing the wheels on a car while it’s moving.”
What is the Role of Asset Surveys in Laboratory Relocations?
Lab asset surveys are essential for successful lab relocations. These surveys provide a detailed inventory of equipment and facilities, forming the foundation for the relocation plan. Walkthroughs of both the current and new sites, along with meetings with key stakeholders, help gather the necessary information.
A skilled relocation project manager’s role is to engage lab personnel and leadership to ensure accurate information is captured and considered in determining the
lab’s layout and functionality in the new location.
Every Successful Lab Relocation Begins with a Plan. Do You Have One?Download Our Lab Relocation Organization Plan.
Why Are Qualified Equipment Specialists Essential for Lab Relocations?
Qualified equipment specialists are critical for a successful lab relocation. Their expertise during procurement and fit-out ensures that equipment is installed correctly, allowing labs to resume operations quickly and efficiently.
By avoiding oversights, equipment specialists can avoid costly post-move remedials, such as reconfiguring spaces or remediating improperly installed equipment issues. Involving experts ensures a smooth transition, minimal downtime, and long-term operational success.
Hire an Experienced Lab Relocation Partner
At Overbrook, we make lab relocations smooth and stress-free. Through careful planning, seamless coordination, and precise execution, we meet even the most demanding timelines and production schedules.
Our expert engineers and project managers are committed to your success. We work closely with movers to ensure your equipment is safely transported and properly re-installed at the new location, so your lab is operational with minimal delay.
Your peace of mind is our priority. We manage every detail of your lab relocation to ensure it is on time and within budget, allowing you to stay focused on your science without disruption.
Planning a lab move? Overbrook delivers better science, better service, and complete peace of mind.
Have a Lab Relocation Question?
What If There Was A Lab Relocation Company That Understood Your Business?
Overbrook is that company.
Lab Relocation Services Executed the Right Way
Lab relocations are complex, costly, and require careful planning and precise execution. Outsourcing to experts offers several clear benefits:
- Specialized Expertise: Professionals understand lab equipment, workflows, and facility needs, ensuring every step is handled correctly.
- Minimized Downtime: Experts streamline the process, so your lab can resume operations quickly.
- Cost Savings: Prevent costly mistakes and stay on budget with efficient planning and resource use.
- Reduced Risks: Protect sensitive equipment from damage or miscalibration with skilled handling.
- Stay Focused: Keep your team focused on their work while specialists manage the relocation.
- Smooth Coordination: Professionals handle logistics, communication, and compliance seamlessly.
- Peace of Mind: Trust that your relocation will be completed on time and without unnecessary stress.
Outsourcing your lab relocation project simplifies the process, saves time and money, and ensures a stress-free transition.
Lab Relocation Services for Lab Managers
Lab Managers play a critical role in ensuring that scientific operations run smoothly, managing daily workflows, staff, and research output. When a lab faces relocation, the added responsibility can quickly become overwhelming and increase the risk of costly mistakes, delays, and disruptions to productivity.
Bringing in a lab relocation specialist early in the planning process, ideally before a new location is even selected, helps mitigate these risks. With the right expertise, specialists handle technical logistics, safeguard sensitive equipment, and coordinate asset tracking and infrastructure needs. Their involvement allows lab managers to stay focused on science while ensuring a smooth, efficient, and secure transition to the new space.
Lab Relocation Services for Facilities Managers
Facilities Managers are skilled at keeping building systems and maintenance running efficiently, but relocating a laboratory introduces a level of complexity that extends beyond standard operations. From specialized gas lines and power loads to ventilation, clearance, and infrastructure alignment, lab environments come with unique technical demands. A lab relocation specialist helps bridge the gap between lab users and building systems, ensuring every detail is accounted for.
Involving a specialist at the beginning of the planning or construction phase helps prevent costly mistakes such as utility mismatches or last-minute change orders. The relocation expert works closely with vendors, architects, and construction teams to validate infrastructure needs and coordinate technical requirements. This partnership allows Facilities Managers to stay focused on current operations while ensuring the new space is designed to fully support lab functions from the start.
Lab Relocations for Architects & Engineers
Architects and engineers play a critical role in shaping lab environments, but successful lab design goes beyond standard floor plans and utility grids. Each piece of lab equipment has unique specifications such as power requirements, gas hookups, clearance dimensions, and workflow dependencies that directly impact space planning and system layouts. A lab relocation specialist provides this detailed data, ensuring the design supports both functionality and safety from the start.
Bringing a specialist into the process during early schematic planning helps prevent costly design revisions, delays, and miscommunications later in the project. With accurate equipment specifications in hand, architects and engineers can create lab spaces that align with operational needs, streamline collaboration with clients, and stay on schedule and within budget.
Lab Relocations for Venture Capital & Real Estate
Venture capitalists have a lot at stake when investing in laboratory spaces. These projects involve high-value equipment, strict regulatory requirements, and complex operational demands. A lab relocation specialist helps protect that investment by ensuring labs are planned, relocated, and launched with precision. Their oversight helps prevent costly delays, equipment issues, and tenant dissatisfaction that can impact financial returns and long-term success.
Involving a specialist early in the process, before leases are signed or spaces are built out, ensures that timelines, budgets, and tenant needs are aligned from the beginning. The specialist helps deliver labs that are compliant, move-in ready, and fully operational on schedule. This reduces risk, builds tenant trust, and allows scientists to stay focused on their work.
Expert Advice on Moving Your Lab
