Relocating a laboratory isn’t like moving an office. The equipment is irreplaceable, the materials are often sensitive or hazardous, and the research underway can’t simply be paused and picked back up without consequence. Choose the wrong lab relocation partner, and you’re not just looking at a stressful moving day – you could be setting your organization’s research back by months, or longer. This article is the first in a four-part series designed to help organizations navigate a successful lab relocation, starting with the decision that shapes everything else: who you hire to do it.
Choosing the right partner: Why experience matters
When it comes to laboratory moving, proven experience isn’t a nice-to-have, it’s the whole ballgame. General commercial movers may be perfectly capable of relocating furniture and filing cabinets, but scientific equipment, frozen lab samples, and hazardous materials require a level of specialized handling that most moving companies simply aren’t equipped to provide. You don’t want your lab to be anyone’s test case.
When evaluating potential lab relocation service partners, start by asking whether they’ve moved labs similar to yours in scope and complexity and ask for recent references, not just a general track record. Then get specific: Show them your large equipment and ask exactly how they plan to move it. A qualified, experienced lab mover will have a clear answer. They’ll be able to recommend the right transport conditions for different types of equipment and research materials – whether that means dry ice, generator trucks, or specialized refrigerated vehicles – and identify whether the move will require specialized equipment like Stevedores, lab carts, or table lifts.
For highly technical or oversized instruments, partnering with specialists who also provide industrial machinery moving services can significantly reduce the risk of damage and ensure your move stays compliant with safety standards. Organizations planning healthcare facility relocations that involve both laboratory and medical equipment will want a partner with deep expertise in both areas, including the FFE logistics coordination that complex healthcare moves require.
Questions to ask your mover before your lab move:
The right questions can quickly separate qualified certified lab movers from those who aren’t ready for the job. Before signing anything, ask every prospective mover the following:
- Do they have access to refrigerated trucks for work-in-progress that must be kept at controlled temperatures?
- Do their trucks have electrical outlets, including specialty outlets, that your equipment may require in transit?
- Can they provide thermal polar packs and dry ice for frozen lab samples?
- Do they have experience decommissioning and recommissioning your specific equipment and instruments?
- Do they have established partnerships with specialty carriers for transporting animals and hazardous materials?
- Are their crews certified through the International Office Moving Institute (IOMI®) in office and lab moving?
- Do they have table lifts for bio cabinets and lab carts for heavy tabletop equipment?
- Are their move crews, not subcontractors, specifically trained in laboratory relocation?
- Do they have documented experience packing and transporting highly specialized lab equipment?
If a mover hesitates on any of these, that’s useful information.
Common risks during laboratory relocation
Even well-planned lab relocations can go sideways without the right partner in place. Understanding where things tend to go wrong is part of choosing someone who knows how to prevent them.
Equipment damage is the most obvious risk, but it’s rarely just about rough handling. Sensitive instruments can be compromised by vibration, improper positioning during transport, or inadequate packing materials. A certified lab mover will assess each piece of equipment individually and develop handling procedures specific to it.
Temperature control failures are among the most costly risks for research organizations. Biological samples, reagents, and certain instruments have strict temperature requirements — and any lapse in the cold chain during a move can destroy months or years of work. This is why refrigerated transport capacity and dry ice availability aren’t optional extras; they’re baseline requirements for any credible lab relocation service partner.
Research disruption and downtime compound quickly. Every day a lab is non-operational has a real cost in lost productivity, delayed timelines, and potential funding implications. Experienced lab movers build relocation schedules designed to minimize downtime, with phased approaches that keep critical work running as long as possible.
Hazardous material compliance requires more than good intentions. Moving biological agents, chemicals, and other regulated materials across state lines or between facilities involves specific regulatory requirements. A qualified lab relocation management company will be well-versed in these requirements and have the certifications and carrier partnerships to stay compliant.
Improper packing is a surprisingly common source of damage, particularly for high-value equipment lab relocations. Specialized lab equipment often requires custom crating, anti-static packaging, or shock-absorption materials that a general mover won’t have on hand. Ask to see examples of how your prospective mover has packaged similar equipment in the past.
How to ensure a successful laboratory relocation
Once you’ve identified the right lab moving partner, the rest of the process comes down to planning and communication. A few principles that consistently separate smooth lab moves from difficult ones:
Start earlier than you think you need to.
Most lab relocations require significantly more lead time than organizations initially expect, especially when hazardous materials, specialized carriers, or custom crating are involved. Build in buffer.
Identify your critical equipment and materials upfront.
Work with your lab relocation partner to flag anything that requires special handling, temperature control, or compliance documentation before the planning process begins. Surprises during a lab move are expensive.
Keep the lines of communication open between your internal team and your mover.
Your research staff understand the equipment and materials better than anyone. A good lab relocation management company will treat that knowledge as an asset and build their plan around it, not around what’s convenient for them.
Plan for recommissioning, not just transport.
Getting the equipment to the new facility is only half the job. A qualified certified lab mover will be able to help you think through the recommissioning process, including equipment qualification and validation, so your team can get back to work as quickly as possible after the move.
Frequently asked questions about laboratory relocation
What should you look for in a laboratory moving company?
Look for documented experience with labs similar to yours, verifiable references, IOMI® certification, and the specialized equipment capacity (refrigerated trucks, dry ice, lab carts, table lifts) your move will require. A qualified partner will ask detailed questions about your equipment and research materials before ever quoting the job.
Why are laboratory moves more complex than office moves?
The stakes are simply higher. Scientific equipment is expensive, often irreplaceable, and sensitive to movement, vibration, and environmental conditions. Research materials may be hazardous, temperature-dependent, or subject to regulatory requirements. And the cost of downtime – delayed research, missed funding deadlines, compromised samples – goes well beyond the cost of the move itself.
How do you protect sensitive lab equipment during a move?
Protection starts with assessment. Experienced lab movers evaluate each piece of equipment individually and develop specific handling, packing, and transport protocols. This may include custom crating, shock-absorbing materials, anti-static packaging, temperature-controlled transport, and positioning requirements for instruments that cannot be transported on their side or inverted.
How far in advance should you plan a laboratory relocation?
For most lab moves, six months of lead time is a reasonable minimum. Complex moves involving hazardous materials, large-scale equipment, or multi-site coordination may require considerably more. The earlier you engage a lab relocation partner, the more options you have and the better the outcome tends to be.
Conclusion
A laboratory relocation is one of the highest-stakes moves any organization will undertake. The right lab moving partner brings the experience, certifications, specialized equipment, and operational discipline to protect your research, your equipment, and your timeline. The wrong one, however well-intentioned, can set you back in ways that are difficult and expensive to recover from.
JK Moving’s Biotech and Lab Moving Services team has the experience, certifications, and specialized capabilities to manage even the most complex laboratory relocations. From high-value equipment and frozen lab samples to hazardous materials and full decommissioning and recommissioning support, we’re built for the work that general movers aren’t.