Planning a factory relocation: timeline, downtime and who does what

Updated 6 November 2026 · By the Heavy Equipment Movers team

Short answer: A factory relocation should be planned backwards from the date production must be running at the new site. Start with the floor plan and service requirements, survey every machine, decide between a single shutdown and a phased move, build stock to cover downtime, and line up electricians, services contractors and machine suppliers. Small workshops need a few weeks of planning; larger factories often need three to six months.

Start with the dates

Most relocations are driven by a fixed date, such as a lease ending or a new building becoming available. Work backwards from it. Allow time for building works at the new site, delivery of new services, the move itself, commissioning and a buffer for problems. Lease handback obligations, such as removing fixings, repairing floors and clearing waste, also take time after the machinery has gone.

Speak to your landlord, your insurers and your key customers early. Landlords may need notice of heavy deliveries or alterations at the new site, insurers often need to know when equipment is being moved and stored, and customers will appreciate knowing about any temporary changes to lead times well in advance.

A typical planning timeline

When	What to do
3 to 6 months before	Confirm the new floor plan, floor loadings, foundations and power, air and extraction needs
2 to 4 months before	Survey every machine, choose movers, and book machine suppliers for commissioning
1 to 2 months before	Agree the move sequence, build stock, and notify customers of any lead time changes
2 to 4 weeks before	Install services at the new site, mark machine positions, and confirm road or lift permissions
Move week	Isolate, drain, move, position and reconnect each phase
After the move	Commission, run accuracy checks, inspect under PUWER, and clear the old site

Lead times for new electrical supplies are often the longest single item. If the new building needs a supply upgrade from the network operator, this can take months, so check the available capacity against your machines' power requirements at the earliest stage.

Single shutdown or phased move?

	Single shutdown	Phased move
Downtime	One longer stop	Several shorter stops by department
Overall duration	Shorter	Longer
Stock build needed	Large	Smaller, per phase
Running two sites	No	Yes, for a period
Typical fit	Small workshops, holiday shutdown periods	Larger factories that must keep supplying customers

Many firms move during an existing holiday shutdown, such as the summer or Christmas break, to reduce the impact on customers.

If you are running two sites for a period, plan how materials, tooling and people will move between them, and who is in charge at each site. Running two buildings costs money in rent, rates, utilities and travel, so keep the overlap as short as the move plan allows, but not so short that commissioning is rushed.

Who does what

Task	Usually handled by
Floor plan and layout	You, sometimes with a layout consultant
Building works, foundations and floor repairs	Your building contractor
Electrical isolation and reconnection	A qualified electrician
Compressed air, extraction and water	Your services contractors
Lifting, rigging, transport and positioning	The machinery mover
Levelling, commissioning and accuracy checks	Your engineers or the machine supplier
Racking reinstallation and inspection	Racking installer and inspector
Waste and redundant equipment	Mover or licensed waste carrier

Appoint one person in your business to manage the relocation and coordinate everyone in this table. Contractors work best when there is a single decision-maker who can approve changes, resolve clashes and keep the programme on track, rather than several managers giving different instructions.

Keeping downtime low

Number every item and mark its position on the new floor before move day
Have services live at the new site before the first machine arrives
Move the machines with the longest commissioning time first
Keep spares, tooling and fixtures with the machine they belong to
Use evenings and weekends for the heaviest or most disruptive moves
Hold a short daily briefing during the move with one decision-maker from each team

Build a simple move register listing every item, its number, its old and new position, the method of moving it, who disconnects and reconnects it, and the planned date. Share it with everyone involved and update it daily. It becomes the single source of truth and stops machines being forgotten or placed in the wrong spot.

Health and safety during the move

A relocation brings contractors, vehicles, lifting operations and part-dismantled machines onto a working site. Agree who controls each area, keep production staff out of lifting zones, and make sure contractors have seen the site rules and emergency arrangements. Where building works are involved, the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015 may also apply, and your building contractor should advise on this.

Machines that have been moved should not go back into production until they have been reinstalled, inspected and any guards and interlocks checked, in line with PUWER. Pallet racking should be inspected before it is loaded. Keep the method statements, lift plans and inspection records from the move with your health and safety records.