How to Plan an Office Relocation Without Losing Your AV Investment
- Chris Gore
- 3 minutes ago
- 4 min read
How to plan an office relocation without losing your AV investment. What to take, what to leave, what to replace and how to avoid the most common mistakes.
Chris Gore | Updated 2026
Most organisations treat the AV estate as an afterthought in an office relocation. Hardware gets moved without a condition audit. Old specs get applied to new rooms with different dimensions. Devices that should have been left under the dilapidation terms get removed and cost the organisation money to make good. Devices that should have been replaced get moved and create problems in the new building within six months.
This guide covers the four categories every AV device falls into during an office move, the mistakes that add the most cost and how SPOR Group manages the AV workstream of relocations across the UK.
The Four Categories Every AV Device Falls Into
Relocate — take it with you
Video bars, compute devices, touch controllers and headsets are typically relocatable provided they are in good condition and the new room specification matches the old. Before assuming a device should be moved, run a condition check and confirm the new room dimensions are compatible with the existing spec. A video bar sized for a twelve-person room will underperform in an eight-person space and vice versa.
Leave — stays with the building
Structured cabling stays. It is fixed into the building fabric and removing it typically creates dilapidation obligations. Ceiling microphone arrays often stay for the same reason. Check the lease terms before removing any fixed installation. In some cases, leaving hardware in place and writing it off is cheaper than the cost of removal and reinstatement.
Dispose — do not bring it
End-of-life hardware that will not meet the specification of the new space. Old consumer displays. Devices with expired warranties that will fail within the first year. Legacy hardware that is not compatible with current Teams or Zoom platform versions. Responsible electronic waste disposal is important for ESG reporting, use certified recyclers and document the disposal.
Replace — new specification for new space
New meeting rooms require a new specification based on the dimensions, use case and occupancy of each room in the new building. Do not assume the old specification works in new rooms. Room dimensions, ceiling height, natural light and table layout all affect the correct camera angle, microphone coverage and display size. Use the AV brief generator to produce a specification for the new rooms before any hardware is ordered.
The AV Office Relocation Mistakes That Cost the Most
Moving hardware without a condition audit
Hardware that looks fine in the old office and is moved without testing frequently develops problems in the first three months at the new site. A pre-move condition audit identifies devices that should be replaced before the move rather than after.
Applying the old specification to new rooms
New rooms need a new specification. If the table is longer, the camera needs a longer throw. If the ceiling is higher, the microphone needs a different array configuration. If the room is wider, a second display may be needed for hybrid calls to work effectively.
No recommissioning budget at the new site
Relocating a device does not mean it continues to work correctly in a new space. Every setting needs to be reviewed and adjusted for the new room. Calendar integration needs to be retested. Echo cancellation needs to be retuned. Recommissioning is as important as the original commissioning. Read why most AV installations fail six months after handover for the full picture.
SPOR Group manages the AV workstream of office relocations for businesses across the UK. Pre-move audit of the existing estate. New site specification per room. Coordinated relocation logistics. Full recommissioning at the new address. SPORTrack monitoring active from the first day in the new office.
Planning an Office Relocation and Not Sure What to Do With Your AV?
SPOR Group audits existing estates and specs the AV for new sites. Tell us about the move and we will give you a clear plan.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What happens to AV equipment when you move office?
Every device falls into one of four categories: relocate if it is in good condition and the new room spec matches, leave if it is fixed infrastructure covered by lease dilapidation terms, dispose responsibly if it is end of life, or replace with a new specification for new rooms.
Can you take AV equipment when you move office?
Generally yes for loose devices, video bars, compute units, touch controllers. Generally no for fixed infrastructure, structured cabling, ceiling microphones, fixed displays that are part of the building fabric. Check lease dilapidation terms before removing any fixed installation.
Do I need to recommission AV after an office move?
Yes. Every device moved to a new room needs its settings reviewed and adjusted for the new space. Calendar integration needs retesting. Audio settings need retuning for the new room dimensions. Assuming relocated hardware continues to work correctly without recommissioning is one of the most common causes of AV problems in the first months after a move.
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