Working with a Server Moving Company? Get a Visual Estimate First

by Stephanie Faris on Monday, October 06 6:00

If you're planning an IT move in the near future, chances are you have concerns that it will stay on budget. Businesses often set money aside for moving costs and search for a server moving company that can stay within that budget. But with most costs estimated on the front end, it's easy for the final cost of a server move to far exceed what was originally estimated.

One problem with moving estimates is that often the chosen moving company is basing the quote on information provided by the business. As much effort as an organization puts into inventorying every piece of equipment, however, it's inevitable that something will be left out. When major components of a move are excluded from the original quote, a business could end up paying hundreds, if not thousands of dollars more on the tail end of the move.

Visual Moving Estimate

After the initial request for information, a server moving company will often ask to come on site to perform a visual inspection of the area in question. If a business is merely relocating server equipment, the site survey could consist of a brief tour of the server room. Once the server moving company has personally inventoried each item to be moved, a more accurate cost estimate can be designed.

In addition to surveying existing server space, a moving company may want to conduct a site survey on the destination site. By getting an idea of what the new room will be like, a moving company can plan out where server equipment will go once it arrives on move day. This will help with calculating man hours and the amount of cabling that will be needed to be installed ahead of time, if it's possible to do so.

Find Potential Problems

By visiting both sites ahead of time to create a visual moving estimate, a server moving company may also be able to identify potential problems that have escaped the business's attention. A doorway may be too small to accommodate a rack, for instance, leading the business to make a quick decision about whether to purchase new shelving or try to find an alternate route into the server room with that equipment.

As the server moving company works to put together the estimate, the business may find itself considering the move in depth. While creating the visual estimate, a moving company will often come back with questions that prompts a business to think through the preparations and the moving process itself. This careful preparation will ensure the move goes more smoothly, since things have been carefully considered well in advance of the move date.

When a server moving company creates a visual moving estimate, a business not only gets an idea about how much the total server move will cost. The process also introduces professionals to the many steps that will be involved in making sure the move goes smoothly. A server moving company will help a business take a look at existing equipment and the new location and make sure everything has been included in the planning process.