Here’s What You Need to Know
The key to a smooth, safe and science-first move
Let’s be honest, no one enjoys moving. Sure, it can be refreshing to change spaces, but that comes with a large laundry list of disparate moving parts that all need to come together in the end. Moving a lab involves sensitive equipment, strict safety requirements, complex utilities, and the ever-present risk of disrupting active research.
At Venture Forward Partners, we’ve helped dozens of life sciences and R&D teams navigate this process successfully. If you’re preparing to relocate a lab, whether you’re expanding, downsizing, or moving into a newly built space, here are the major factors to consider.
Why Lab Relocations Are Different
Unlike traditional commercial moves, a lab relocation touches every part of your operation — from live science and sample preservation to equipment calibration and compliance.
Poorly planned lab moves can lead to:
- Sample loss or data integrity issues
- Voided equipment warranties
- Compliance violations
- Weeks of unplanned downtime
A lab move is a high-stakes puzzle. Every piece, scientific timelines, vendor coordination, staff workflows, and infrastructure readiness needs to fit perfectly.
What Makes Lab Relocation Complex?
Scientific Continuity
- Experiment Scheduling: Long-running studies can’t be paused mid-way. Your move must work around live science.
- Sample & Reagent Integrity: Biologicals, chemicals, or cold storage items often require tightly controlled environments during transit.
- Minimizing Downtime: The faster your science can resume safely, the better. But speed can’t come at the expense of quality or compliance.
Specialized Equipment Handling
- Decommissioning & Recommissioning: Freezers, BSCs, incubators, and other lab equipment must be shut down, transported, and validated again at the new site.
- MEP Compatibility: Your new space must support the electrical, gas, vacuum, and exhaust needs of your lab. This must be confirmed well in advance.
- Vendor Lead Times: Some manufacturers require scheduling weeks if not months in advance for calibration or relocation — especially for equipment under warranty.
Facility Readiness
Even if a space is labeled “lab ready,” it often needs customization:
- Bench layout and utility positioning
- Network and IT setup
- Gas and water line extensions
- Clean room and hood certifications
Cross-Team Coordination
- Relocations involve scientists, EHS, facilities, IT, movers, vendors, and leadership — all with competing priorities and schedules.
- Without a centralized plan, communication gaps and delays are almost guaranteed.
- For the smoothest relocation, with the least hiccpups, it’s vital to have a team like Venture Forward Partners to be your centralized point of contact.
When Should You Start Planning?
- The further out the better, but at least 4–6 months ahead of your desired move date.
- The key stakeholders, timelines, and responsibilities should be identified.
- If VFP is already managing your lab fit-out or renovation, we can integrate the relocation schedule to align seamlessly, avoiding gaps, overlap, or costly delays.
Plan a Last Day of Science
Planning the Last Day of Science is a critical milestone in any biotech laboratory relocation. It marks the point at which all scientific activity must pause so that relocation work (packing, decommissioning, transporting, reinstalling) can proceed safely, efficiently, and without risk to data, samples, or personnel.
Here’s why this day matters so much:
- Protects Sample Integrity
- Minimizes Scientific Risk
- Supports Safety and Compliance
- Facilitates Equipment Decommissioning
- Coordinates Team Activities
- Clarifies responsibilities
- Improves Relocation Efficiency
Best Practices for the Last Day of Science
- Announce it well in advance (4–6 weeks minimum).
- Create a countdown checklist for experiments, samples, and shutdown tasks.
- Designate personnel responsible for closing out areas (e.g., freezers, tissue culture rooms).
A date should be set for when all lab work will stop. While it’s great to draw a line in the sand, sometimes that’s just not possible, and some flexibility is necessary. VFP collaborates with your scientists to identify which equipment must remain online and incorporates this information into the relocation schedule.
Downtime
- The longer the relocation takes, the longer your work is put on hold.
- Be cautious – it’s essential not to compromise safety for speed.
- At VFP, we schedule the actual move to work best for you, the science, and all players.
Haste Makes Waste
Improper handling of costly lab equipment can result in damage that could impede your work more than the move itself. Not to mention the hassle of insurance claims, repairs, or replacement. We only work with companies who are properly trained in the handling of lab equipment.
When to Bring in the Pros
Working with an experienced lab relocation partner helps you avoid the most common (and costly) mistakes. Look for a partner who can:
- Coordinate scientific, safety, and facility stakeholders
- Oversee vendors, logistics, and certifications
- Align the relocation with your broader project goals
- Ensure nothing falls through the cracks — from signage to gas lines
At Venture Forward Partners, our Lab Relocation Team works hand-in-hand with your scientists, facilities team, and vendors to plan and execute a move that prioritizes safety, continuity, and science.
We have extensive experience in relocating laboratories and maintain a list of trusted companies that we can rely on to complete the job quickly, efficiently, and safely.
We don’t just handle the move — we help you transition into a better-operating lab, ready to go on day one.
Key Take Aways
Less is more:
Minimize the amount of materials to be moved! This includes outdated or broken equipment, as well as chemical, biological, or radioactive supplies and materials. Now is a good time to take stock and pare down.
Update Chemical and Equipment Inventories
Planning and preparing for your move is an ideal time to update your chemical and equipment inventories, clean out unnecessary or outdated materials, make necessary repairs, and ensure that adequate safety measures are in place for your new space.
Coordinate with your team.
You know your people. Some may have moved labs four or five times, while others may never have. Some may be more comfortable with the disruption and require little guidance, but don’t assume people know what they need to do unless the tasks are clearly spelled out and delegated.
Keep Everyone In the Loop
Communication and a good understanding of the science, the equipment, and how a lab operates are crucial for a successful, problem-free relocation. Ensure you have someone like Venture Forward Partners to make your move as smooth as possible.
Venture Forward Partners is a full-service Laboratory Planning, Project Management and Lab Services provider for life science and biotech laboratories in Greater Boston. From site selection and lab relocations to setting up and maintaining your lab, we provide a broad range of services and solutions to support your lab operations. Our team possesses unparalleled energy and enthusiasm towards the work we do and we have the expertise, training, hands-on lab experience and industry connections to ensure your lab’s success. Whatever your lab needs – we make it happen.