Three planning scopes. Nine cost categories. The inventory and specialist handoffs that make laboratory moving quotes easier to compare.
A Bay Area laboratory move is priced from the actual inventory and written scope. A dry-bench relocation differs from a project involving BSCs, ULT freezers, fume hoods or specialist analytical instruments. Confirm the physical move, lab preparation, specialist work and destination checks before comparing totals.
The moving quote is one part of the project budget. Ask whether cabinet services, OEM work, EH&S, waste handling and IT are included or contracted separately. Generic national averages cannot establish the price of your Bay Area move.
Use these profiles to organize the quote, not as fixed price tiers. The actual equipment, required specialist work and access determine the scope.
| Tier | Lab Profile | Mover Line Item | Total With Vendors |
|---|---|---|---|
| Small (Tier 1) | Dry-bench equipment and supplies with no regulated-material transport in the moving scope | Packing, handling, crew and vehicle scope | Add any separately required facility or equipment work |
| Mid-Size (Tier 2) | Analytical or biotech inventory that may include BSCs, ULT freezers and fume hoods | Equipment-specific physical handling and transport | Add the lab's required specialist services and temporary arrangements |
| Large (Tier 3) | Multiple equipment groups, specialist systems and potentially phased access | Phased physical relocation if agreed | Combine separately scoped facility, equipment, safety and IT work |
The commercial moving portion covers the agreed physical relocation. Laboratory equipment can add specialist preparation, release and receiving requirements. Have the lab's QA team identify any qualification records needed, and ask each provider to quote its own work explicitly.
Use this list to check what is included in each bid and what the lab must arrange separately. Not every project needs every category. Resolve overlaps and omissions before choosing a provider.
Ask the moving carrier to identify the crew, vehicles, materials, packing and physical handling included for the actual inventory. Provide equipment dimensions and weights, route restrictions, distance and access windows. Confirm how waiting time and scope changes affect charges under the written agreement.
Have EH&S and a qualified cabinet provider assess the cabinet's history and relocation circumstances. Their quote should identify preparation, decontamination if required, release records and destination certification. Our BSC guide explains the handoffs; it does not prescribe a universal chemical method or two-sticker rule. For an institutional reference, see Wisconsin's BSC moving page; confirm your own institution's requirements.
Ask facilities and EH&S to identify clearance, utility isolation, disconnection, physical handling and destination testing responsibilities. Cornell's guidance illustrates the need for consultation before removal. Obtain the applicable building and specialist scope rather than assuming a per-hood price.
The freezer model instructions and lab-approved sample plan determine preparation and handling. A short drive does not establish permission to move a loaded freezer. Confirm who supplies any required temporary storage, sample transport, monitoring and destination service; these are not standard inclusions on every move. See the ULT freezer guide.
Ask the manufacturer or designated service provider and lab QA team which preparation, installation, verification, calibration or qualification work each model needs. Obtain a separate written scope for the relevant systems:
Get the equipment service scopes before finalizing the physical moving quote so each provider's handoff and exclusions are clear.
Have the lab's safety team identify required notices, inspections, release records and destination approvals. The NIH guide describes NIH's process; it is not a universal Bay Area inspection or fee schedule. Confirm any consultant services and charges directly.
Have EH&S distinguish retained chemicals, approved transfers and designated waste, then arrange the appropriate specialist pathway. Stanford's deactivation guidance is an institutional planning example. Quote disposal from the classified inventory; Ontrack does not transport regulated hazardous chemicals.
Obtain each building's current insurance, endorsement, access and reservation requirements. Confirm any fees and responsibility for submitting documents in writing. Acceptance and processing time depend on the property manager, insurer and requested terms. See our COI guide for the document questions to ask.
Separate physical IT equipment relocation from data retention, sanitization, network work, system cutover and application checks. The lab's IT team determines those requirements and the approved providers. Confirm the scope and records for any hardware leaving service.
An initial hourly figure and a complete project quote can cover different work. Ask any carrier or broker what is included before comparing the totals.
Check cabinet services, utility work, equipment preparation, destination checks, safety support, access charges and permits. Identify who contracts and pays each provider. A lower headline price does not prove the final project will cost less, and broker status alone does not establish a fixed premium.
Use the same inventory, access information and specialist assumptions for each quote. Record exclusions and the process for authorizing changes.
Check these local access and scheduling details for the actual origin and destination:
Building requirements vary. A Tower Place vendor packet on file for GNS North Tower LP and GNS South Tower LP, managed by Transwestern, specified $1,000,000 per occurrence and $2,000,000 aggregate in general liability plus $5,000,000 in excess liability. That is one documented example, not a standard for all Bay Area labs. Confirm the current packet and access windows with your own property manager. Discuss local access through our South San Francisco laboratory moving page.
Confirm which service providers can prepare and recommission your exact equipment and obtain their appointment windows. Do not assume same-day attendance, a regional priority queue or a standard booking interval.
Have the lab and manufacturer identify shock, orientation, temperature and other handling constraints for each instrument. Confirm the packing, monitoring, vehicle resources and responsibilities actually included in the written scope; specialist protection is not a universal standard-service promise.
A cabinet-only service quote and one that also includes filter work, release records and destination certification are different scopes. Ask each provider to list the work it has assessed and priced. Use the same inventory and building requirements when comparing physical moving quotes.
Provide these eight inputs so the quote can identify the actual work, dependencies and exclusions:
Ontrack Moving® plans physical laboratory equipment relocation as an asset-based carrier operating since 2010 (USDOT #2551548, CA License CAL-T190721). The lab's chosen specialists handle the decontamination, utility, certification and equipment service work required for the project. Confirm the physical move, records, monitoring and responsibilities in writing. Ontrack has a $10M combined insurance stack that includes building and premises liability. Customer equipment liability is separate: basic $0.60 per pound per article under the applicable moving agreement. Ontrack does not sell insurance or valuation. Discuss third-party options, exclusions and any sample or research-loss coverage with your insurance provider before the move.
See our laboratory moving service for the physical move scope, the mover vetting guide for provider questions, the timeline guide for dependencies, and the decommissioning checklist for the clearance handoffs.
Request an inventory-based physical move scope. Bay Area asset-based carrier operating since 2010. USDOT #2551548.
or call (888) 914-8787
