Tenant Buildout Move-In and Move-Out Planning

In an occupied building, the property manager sets the rules for both suites: which elevator, what hours, and where the truck stands. Move-ins generally happen after business hours or on a Saturday so other tenants are not disturbed, and the manager typically asks for our Certificate of Insurance before handing over an elevator key. We confirm those rules at both addresses and book our time in writing.

The GC’s schedule decides the order inside the new suite. We ask for the release list the week before and again the day before, because punch lists move. If a room slips, we hold its furniture back instead of stacking it in a hallway where trades need to work. At the old end, we set the clear-out date early enough for the restoration crew and the landlord’s inspection before your lease ends. Between June and November, allow a buffer day in case a storm delays either contractor.

A newly built suite scuffs easily and the GC will notice every mark. Runners go down from the elevator to each room, the fresh door casings get padded, and the cab is lined. Furniture keeps its wrap until it reaches the right room, so paint touch-ups and dust do not reach it.

The old suite needs care too, since the landlord will inspect it. We lift rather than slide across carpet, pad door frames on the way out, and leave wall anchors and cabling where they are for the restoration crew. As rooms empty, we note what is left behind: a monitor arm bolted to a wall, a cable tray, a mounted TV bracket. That list helps your lease contact assign each item to the right contractor before the inspection.