1. Moving Furniture During Major Home Renovations and Extensions

Home improvements can create substantial moving challenges, particularly when several rooms are affected at once.

A kitchen extension, loft conversion, ground-floor refurbishment or complete property renovation may require much of the household furniture to be removed before contractors can begin.

Even when you’re continuing to live in the property, keeping furniture and belongings out of the construction area can become a major logistical problem.

Why clearing a property before building work matters

Builders need space to work safely and efficiently. Furniture left in working areas can restrict access, obstruct materials and expose belongings to dust or accidental damage.

Moving everything into another room may appear to be the easiest option, but this can cause problems of its own.

Dining tables end up in bedrooms. Sofas block hallways. Boxes fill the spare room. Before long, the parts of the property that aren’t being renovated become difficult to use.

For larger projects, professional furniture clearance can provide a more practical alternative.

Example: Clearing a ground floor before an extension

Imagine a homeowner in Swindon who is extending their kitchen and completely refurbishing the ground floor.

The work affects the kitchen, dining room, lounge and adjoining hallway. Existing flooring must be removed, walls altered and new services installed.

Before construction begins, the property needs to be cleared of:

• Sofas, armchairs and occasional furniture.
• Dining tables and chairs.
• Sideboards, cabinets and display units.
• Freestanding shelving and suitable storage furniture.
• Pictures, ornaments and other household belongings.
• Items stored in cupboards and furniture being removed from the work area.

Instead of asking the builders to work around these belongings, the homeowner can arrange a planned removal of the affected rooms.

Depending on the project, the furniture might be moved into unaffected areas of the house or collected for temporary storage.

Once the building work is finished, the contents can be returned and positioned in the refurbished rooms.

This approach can be especially helpful when work is expected to continue for several weeks or months.

When should you arrange the removal?

Ideally, the moving requirements should be discussed while the building schedule is being prepared, not the day before contractors arrive.

That allows time to establish which rooms need clearing, how much furniture is involved and whether temporary storage will be required.

It also gives everyone involved a clearer understanding of the working area that needs to be empty.

Practical advice: Ask your builder which rooms and access routes must be cleared, rather than assuming only the room being refurbished is affected. Contractors may also need access through hallways, staircases and adjoining rooms.

2. Furniture Storage During Renovations: Where Does Everything Go?

One of the most overlooked parts of planning a renovation is deciding what to do with the furniture.

Homeowners often concentrate on choosing builders, materials, kitchens, flooring and finishes. The practical business of emptying the property is left until much later.

For a major refurbishment, however, furniture storage can become an important part of the project.

When temporary storage makes sense

Storage is particularly useful when:

• Several rooms are being renovated simultaneously.
• A complete ground floor must be cleared.
• New flooring is being installed throughout the property.
• Building work involves significant dust or disruption.
• There isn’t sufficient space elsewhere in the house.
• The project is being completed in several phases.
• The property will be temporarily unoccupied during refurbishment.

At A. Luckes & Son, our storage services in Swindon can be combined with an appropriate removals arrangement, so customers can discuss collection, storage and subsequent delivery together.

A three-stage approach to renovation storage

Stage 1: Preparing and collecting the furniture

Before work starts, the agreed furniture and belongings are prepared for removal. Fragile contents may need packing, larger suitable items may need dismantling and furniture is assessed for handling and transport.

An inventory is particularly useful for projects involving several rooms.

It helps establish what has been moved, what has remained in the property and what must eventually be returned.

Stage 2: Storing belongings during construction

Furniture can be placed into suitable storage for an agreed period, removing the need to keep relocating it as the builders progress.

The storage period should be considered carefully. Renovation schedules can change, particularly where unexpected structural problems, material delays or additional work arise.

Before arranging storage, customers should discuss how extensions to the original period would be handled and what notice is required for redelivery.

Stage 3: Returning and positioning furniture

Once the relevant rooms are finished, clean, dry and ready for occupation, stored furniture can be returned.

Where included in the quotation, suitable furniture can be reassembled and positioned in the agreed rooms.

For phased renovations, it may be useful to discuss whether the return can be coordinated around different stages of the project.

What should you consider before storing furniture?

Furniture should be clean and dry before storage. Drawers and cabinets should be emptied where appropriate, fragile items need suitable protection and any dismantled components should be clearly identified.

Also consider which belongings you’ll need during the building work. Important documents, essential clothing, medication and everyday equipment should remain accessible rather than being packed into storage unintentionally.

The objective is to make the renovation easier, not to create another problem when you suddenly need something that’s been packed away.

For further advice on preparing household belongings, see our guide: Should I Book a Packing Service for My Move? Although written for house moves, many of the same packing considerations apply to renovation projects.

3. Larger Internal Household Moves: Reorganising a Home Without Moving Out

Not every substantial household move involves a removal lorry travelling to another property.

Some families are changing the way they use their existing home.

A growing household might convert several bedrooms into different uses. A property owner could be moving furniture between floors following an extension. Someone renovating a large house may need the contents of an entire floor relocated into other rooms before decorating and flooring work begins.

These projects can involve numerous items, awkward access and furniture that must be dismantled before it can be moved safely.

Whole-floor furniture relocation

Consider a property where the entire first floor is being refurbished.

Several bedrooms, a study and a landing may need to be emptied so contractors can replace flooring, redecorate and alter the layout.

This could involve moving beds, wardrobes, desks, chests of drawers, bookcases and other household furniture.

Where suitable space exists, some contents might be relocated to another floor. Otherwise, a removal into temporary storage may be more practical.

The work benefits from planning because moving several rooms of furniture through the same stairwell presents different challenges from shifting an occasional item.

Reorganising a property after major building work

A large extension can completely change how a house is used.

The former dining room might become a study. An existing lounge could become a playroom. Furniture previously used upstairs may now be needed in a new ground-floor room.

Once several rooms are involved, the work begins to resemble a small internal relocation project.

A professional moving team can assess the quantity of furniture, moving routes and any dismantling required as part of a larger agreed job.

A. Luckes & Son focuses on substantial, planned removals projects rather than standalone one-item furniture call-outs.

4. Your Business Doesn’t Have to Be Moving Premises to Need a Removals Company

For businesses, this is perhaps the biggest overlooked opportunity.

When an organisation thinks about hiring a removals company, the obvious reason is an office relocation.

But what if the business is staying in the same building?

Offices are continually changing. Teams grow, departments move, workstations are replaced and buildings are refurbished.

Each change can create a substantial physical moving project.

At A. Luckes & Son, our office removals service includes furniture handling, dismantling and reassembly where agreed, phased moves, packing, archive relocation and commercial storage.

Moving an entire office department between floors

Imagine a Swindon business with 35 members of staff occupying the ground floor of an office building.

The business is expanding and decides to move that department to the first floor while another team takes over the vacated space.

Nobody is changing business address.

Nevertheless, the project may involve:

• Dismantling and relocating 35 desks or workstations.
• Moving office chairs and pedestal units.
• Relocating meeting-room furniture.
• Packing and transferring departmental files.
• Protecting and labelling computer monitors and peripherals.
• Moving storage cupboards and suitable shelving.
• Reassembling and positioning workstations.
• Coordinating the work with the company’s IT team.
• Completing the work around normal business operations.

That is a genuine office moving project, regardless of whether a removal vehicle is required.

It needs a plan, suitable resources and an agreed schedule.

Reconfiguring an office for new working arrangements

Changes in staffing, hybrid working arrangements and departmental structures can lead businesses to reconsider how their existing space is used.

An organisation might consolidate three departments onto two floors, create more meeting areas or replace rows of fixed desks with a different working layout.

The physical changes may involve moving substantial quantities of furniture and equipment.

A removals company can handle the agreed furniture relocation work, while office designers, electricians and IT contractors complete their respective specialist tasks.

Moving office furniture outside normal business hours

Some businesses cannot afford to have their working areas inaccessible during the day.

Where agreed and subject to availability, office removals can be scheduled around business hours or completed in phases.

For example, one department could be cleared, moved and prepared before the next department is relocated.

It is important to agree which areas need to remain operational, what equipment is essential and when each workspace must be ready.

The earlier those priorities are established, the easier it is to develop a practical moving schedule.

5. Commercial Refurbishments: Clearing and Reorganising Working Premises

Office furniture moving is only one part of the wider commercial refurbishment market.

Businesses regularly undertake improvements to their premises without relocating.

New flooring, decorating, internal alterations, replacement furniture and changes to the use of rooms may all require substantial amounts of equipment and furnishings to be moved.

Office refurbishment projects

An established office may need several floors of furniture removed before new carpets are fitted.

Desks, chairs, cupboards and suitable storage units may need moving to another part of the building or into temporary storage.

After the contractors finish, the furniture needs returning to its correct location.

For a larger project, this can require careful coordination between the building manager, contractors, removals company and the staff responsible for the space.

Professional practices and administrative premises

Solicitors, accountants, consultancies and other office-based organisations may have rooms containing desks, filing cabinets, meeting furniture and substantial quantities of records.

When such premises are reorganised or refurbished, maintaining the order and identification of their contents is important.

Records may need to be labelled and relocated in a way that allows the business to find them afterwards.

Where appropriate, customers can also discuss A. Luckes & Son’s commercial relocation services, including archive moving and storage arrangements.

Confidential records should be handled according to the customer’s data protection and security procedures, with access responsibilities agreed before moving.

Phased refurbishment projects

Not every commercial building can be emptied at once.

Some organisations need to remain operational while building improvements take place.

A phased approach may involve clearing one working area, allowing contractors to complete their work and then returning or repositioning furniture before the next stage begins.

This requires more coordination than a single collection and delivery, particularly if furniture is moved several times during the project.

A clear inventory, labelling system and timetable can help prevent unnecessary handling and confusion.

Working with facilities managers and contractors

The most effective projects usually begin with a clear division of responsibilities.

The facilities manager may organise access and building permissions. Contractors manage building work. IT providers handle technical disconnection and reconnection.

The removals company takes responsibility for the agreed furniture moving, packing, transport, storage and reassembly work.

Knowing who is doing what helps avoid delays, particularly when a building needs to be handed back for use by a particular date.

6. Furniture Dismantling and Reassembly as Part of a Larger Moving Project

Dismantling furniture is often an essential part of a substantial removal or refurbishment.

Large office desks, meeting tables, bed frames, suitable wardrobes and modular furniture may be easier to move once separated into manageable components.

However, dismantling is not simply a matter of removing a few screws.

Different furniture designs require different methods, and some items aren’t suitable for dismantling without specialist knowledge or manufacturer instructions.

Why dismantling needs to be planned

When dozens of items are involved, organisation becomes particularly important.

Fixings need to remain associated with the correct furniture. Components must be protected. Individual pieces should be labelled so they can be returned to the right location.

For example, dismantling 25 similar office desks without identifying their components can create avoidable complications when everything needs rebuilding.

An agreed system for labelling furniture and keeping associated parts together can make reassembly more straightforward.

Furniture reassembly after refurbishment

Once the moving work is complete, suitable items may be rebuilt as part of the agreed removals service.

This can be particularly useful for office reorganisations or household renovation projects where large quantities of furniture have been taken apart.

A. Luckes & Son includes appropriate furniture dismantling and reassembly within its removals capabilities, subject to assessment and the agreed quotation.

Specialist installations, electrical connections and furniture that requires an approved manufacturer or installer must be dealt with by the appropriate provider.

7. Moving Services for Property Managers, Landlords and Refurbishment Projects

Landlords, property managers and refurbishment contractors can also encounter substantial moving requirements that don’t involve a conventional household relocation.

A property may be undergoing a major refurbishment between tenancies. Several furnished rooms may need clearing before work begins. An owner might be preparing a large inherited property for renovation or sale.

In these circumstances, planning the movement and storage of furniture can be an important part of the overall project.

Clearing furnished properties before refurbishment

Imagine a furnished property that requires significant improvement work before it can be let again.

Furniture may need to be removed from multiple bedrooms, reception rooms and communal areas.

If the contents are being retained, they need to be moved and stored appropriately rather than simply disposed of.

A professional moving and storage arrangement may help the property owner coordinate the clearance and eventual return of suitable contents.

Multi-room and multi-property furniture moves

Property owners managing several furnished properties may occasionally need substantial quantities of furniture relocated between buildings.

Where a project involves several rooms or significant amounts of furniture, a planned removal can offer a structured alternative to organising numerous smaller collections.

Items can be inventoried, suitable pieces protected and the collection and delivery arrangements agreed in advance.

Working around other trades

For refurbishment work, timing is especially important.

Removing furniture too late can delay contractors. Returning it before painting, flooring or other work is finished can expose the contents to unnecessary risk.

The property should be ready to receive furniture before redelivery is arranged.

For larger projects, it can be helpful to agree a named contact responsible for confirming that access is available and the relevant areas are complete.

8. Why Use a Professional Removals Company for These Projects?

There are plenty of transport options available today, including van hire and smaller man-and-van operators.

For straightforward jobs, these can be perfectly suitable.

However, projects involving several rooms, numerous workstations, temporary storage or phased moving arrangements involve a different level of planning.

One coordinated project rather than several disconnected jobs

Consider a house renovation involving four rooms of furniture, storage for two months and redelivery after the building work.

That isn’t simply one transport job. It involves preparation, collection, protection, storage arrangements and a later delivery.

Having those elements planned together can reduce the amount of coordination required from the homeowner.

Appropriate staff and moving arrangements

The quantity, dimensions and weight of furniture influence the resources needed for a moving project.

For commercial moves, the work may also involve stairs, lifts, shared access areas and coordination with building management.

The Health and Safety Executive’s guidance on manual handling explains the importance of avoiding hazardous handling where reasonably practicable, assessing unavoidable tasks and reducing the risk of injury.

These principles are especially relevant when planning work involving heavy furniture, team handling and repeated movement of equipment.

Protecting furniture and premises

Large moving projects require more than simply carrying furniture from one location to another.

Items may need wrapping or other suitable protection. Fragile contents require appropriate packing, and moving routes must be considered to reduce the risk of damage.

For office reorganisations, labelling also helps ensure that furniture and equipment reach the correct department or workspace.

Storage as part of the moving arrangement

Temporary storage can make a complicated refurbishment easier to organise.

Instead of repeatedly shifting furniture around a building, suitable belongings can be removed and stored until the work area is ready.

The storage arrangements, access conditions, handling requirements and redelivery terms should be discussed before the project begins.

Established local experience

A. Luckes & Son has operated from Swindon since 1996, providing household removals, office moves, packing and storage services.

That existing removals experience provides a practical foundation for assessing larger non-standard moving projects.

We don’t treat every enquiry as though it requires the same solution. The aim is to understand the work, establish what can be undertaken and provide a suitable quotation.

9. How to Plan a Renovation or Office Moving Project

The earlier moving requirements are identified, the easier they are to incorporate into the wider project.

For homeowners, that means considering furniture clearance while discussing the building schedule.

For businesses, it means including furniture movement in the office refurbishment or reorganisation plan rather than leaving it until the final few days.

Step 1: Define the work

Start with a clear description of what needs to happen.

Are you clearing three bedrooms and a lounge? Moving an entire department upstairs? Relocating furniture into storage for a refurbishment?

The objective should be specific enough for the removals company to understand the overall scale.

Step 2: Identify the furniture and equipment involved

Prepare a basic inventory of the larger items and estimate the quantity of boxed contents.

For office moves, include the number of desks, chairs, storage units, filing cabinets and meeting-room furniture.

For renovation projects, identify the rooms being cleared and which contents will remain in the building.

Step 3: Establish the moving routes and access

Consider whether the work involves stairs, lifts, restricted parking, shared corridors or limited loading areas.

Commercial buildings may have specific rules about lift use, access times and protection of shared spaces.

For domestic projects, builders’ materials or temporary structures may affect the usual access routes.

Step 4: Decide whether storage is required

If the furniture cannot remain on site, consider how much needs storing and for how long.

Remember that refurbishment and building schedules may change, so discuss what happens if the storage period needs extending.

Step 5: Coordinate the different contractors

Make sure the builder, facilities manager or project coordinator understands when furniture will be removed and when it can return.

For office moves, agree who is responsible for disconnecting computers, managing network equipment and ensuring the new workstations are ready.

Step 6: Arrange a survey and quotation

For larger or more complicated requirements, a survey helps establish access, furniture volumes, dismantling requirements and other practical considerations.

Our article How Removal Quotes Are Calculated explains several of the factors that influence a professional removals quotation.

Step 7: Agree the scope before work begins

The quotation should make clear what work is included, what the customer or other contractors must arrange and whether storage, packing or reassembly form part of the service.

For phased projects, confirm the intended schedule and how changes will be managed.

Clear arrangements at this stage can prevent misunderstandings once the work is underway.

10. How Much Do Custom Moving Services Cost in Swindon?

Because these projects vary considerably, there isn’t a single standard price.

Clearing the contents of several rooms before a renovation is very different from relocating an entire office department between floors.

A project that includes two months of furniture storage and a later redelivery will also have different requirements from a move completed entirely within one building.

What affects the quotation?

Volume of contents: The amount of furniture and belongings determines how much handling, transport and potentially storage is required.

Number of rooms or workspaces: Clearing multiple rooms or reorganising several departments can increase the time and coordination needed.

Building access: Stairs, lifts, narrow corridors, restricted loading areas and carrying distances can influence the moving plan.

Furniture dismantling: Suitable furniture requiring dismantling and reassembly adds work that should be identified during the survey.

Packing and protection: Fragile items, office equipment and furniture may require additional materials and preparation.

Storage: Collection, the quantity of goods stored, storage duration and eventual redelivery may all form part of the quotation.

Timing and phases: Work arranged around business operations or split across multiple visits may involve different resources.

Project coordination: Larger commercial moves may require detailed scheduling, departmental labelling and coordination with building managers or other contractors.

Rather than relying on a generic online price, it is better to request a quotation based on the actual work.

That also helps establish whether the project is of a suitable size and scope for A. Luckes & Son’s services.

11. Professional Moving Support Across Swindon and Wiltshire

A. Luckes & Son is an established Swindon removals company serving households and businesses across Wiltshire and surrounding areas.

Our existing removals operations provide a foundation for discussing substantial renovation clearances, internal office relocations, commercial furniture moves and associated storage requirements.

Enquiries may come from customers undertaking projects in Swindon itself or surrounding towns and villages, including Wroughton, Royal Wootton Bassett, Highworth, Marlborough, Chippenham and other parts of Wiltshire.

Whether a project is suitable will depend on the scale, location, access, required services and availability.

For traditional relocations, customers can also explore our established Swindon removals services.

For further practical advice, visit our moving guides, checklists and free planners, where we explain packing, surveys, quotations and other aspects of organising a professional move.

12. Frequently Asked Questions About Custom Moving Services

Can a removals company help even if I’m not moving house?

Yes. Professional removals companies can undertake suitable larger moving projects within existing properties. Examples include clearing multiple rooms during renovations, relocating substantial quantities of office furniture and moving contents into storage during refurbishment work.

Can A. Luckes & Son help clear our home before an extension?

A. Luckes & Son can discuss substantial furniture clearance and storage projects associated with home improvements. The work will need to be assessed to establish the volume, access, timing and services required.

Can you store furniture while our house is being renovated?

Yes. A. Luckes & Son offers storage services that can be incorporated into suitable removals arrangements. Collection, storage duration and redelivery can be discussed when planning the project.

Can you return our furniture after building work is complete?

Redelivery can be included in an agreed moving and storage arrangement. The property should be ready to receive the furniture, and the return date should be coordinated with the completion of building work.

Can you move an entire office upstairs without changing business premises?

Internal office relocations can be considered as part of A. Luckes & Son’s commercial removals service. This may involve moving workstations, furniture and suitable office equipment between floors or departments, subject to a survey and agreed quotation.

Can you dismantle and reassemble office furniture?

Suitable furniture dismantling and reassembly can form part of an agreed office removals project. The work depends on the furniture’s construction, condition and manufacturer requirements.

Can you move an office while the business remains open?

Commercial moves can sometimes be arranged in phases or outside normal business hours, subject to access, staffing and availability. Planning around business operations should be discussed during the initial consultation.

Do you help with furniture moving during commercial refurbishments?

A. Luckes & Son can discuss substantial furniture moving projects associated with office and commercial refurbishments. This may include clearing working areas, moving suitable furniture between departments and arranging storage where required.

Do you undertake small, one-item furniture moving jobs?

A. Luckes & Son primarily focuses on complete removals and substantial planned furniture-moving projects. Standalone one-item transport and specialist lifting jobs are not the focus of this service.

Can you coordinate furniture moving with our builders or refurbishment contractors?

For suitable projects, moving arrangements can be planned around the agreed building schedule. The customer or project manager should confirm when areas will be ready for clearance and when furniture can safely be returned.

How far in advance should we contact you?

It’s best to make contact while the renovation or office refurbishment is still being planned. Larger projects may require surveys, storage arrangements, access permissions or coordination with other contractors.

How do we obtain a quotation?

Contact A. Luckes & Son with details of the project, including the property location, rooms or workspaces involved, approximate amount of furniture, timing and any storage requirements. The team can then discuss the next steps and whether a survey is appropriate.

13. Not Moving House? Talk to A. Luckes & Son About Your Project

A removals company isn’t only useful when you’re buying or selling a property.

It can also provide valuable support when you’re undertaking a major renovation, reorganising a workplace, refurbishing commercial premises or temporarily moving the contents of a property into storage.

These projects can involve significant quantities of furniture and several stages of work, from initial preparation and clearance through to storage, redelivery and reassembly.

At A. Luckes & Son, we understand the importance of planning the practical details properly.

Since 1996, we’ve helped households and businesses across Swindon and Wiltshire with professional removals, packing, storage and commercial relocations.

If your home or business has a substantial moving project coming up, we’d be pleased to discuss the requirements and assess how our services may help.

You don’t have to be changing address to need professional removals expertise.

Planning a Renovation, Refurbishment or Office Reorganisation?

Tell us about the rooms, furniture or workspaces involved, the expected timescale and whether you require storage or furniture reassembly.

Our team can discuss the project and advise on suitable arrangements, subject to the work involved and availability.

A. Luckes & Son Removals & Storage

Telephone: 01793 431 431

Email: info@removals-swindon.co.uk

Website: www.removals-swindon.co.uk

Professional moving support for projects that don’t involve moving premises.