End-of-Lease Checklist: Managing Warehouse Racking During a Move

Relocating a warehouse can be a logistical challenge, especially when it comes to managing your racking and storage systems. Whether you’re relocating your existing racking, selling it, or looking to install a new system, here’s a comprehensive checklist to help you through this process: 

1. Evaluate Your Current Racking System

• Condition Assessment: Inspect your racking system for wear and tear. Schedule a professional inspection to ensure its compliancy with relevant Australian Standards - AS4084:2023 Steel Storage Racking. 

• System Audit: Determine if your current racking setup meets your future storage needs or requires upgrades. 

• True Cost Assessment: Get a valuation of your racking materials. This helps decide whether it’s more cost-effective to trade in, relocate, or invest in new materials. 

2. Decide on Your Next Steps

• Relocate: If your racking is in good condition and is suitable for your new warehouse, plan for its dismantling, transport, and reinstallation. 

• Sell: For surplus or unsuitable racking, consider selling it to reduce moving costs and make money back on your investment. 

• Trade In: If your current racking is unsuitable and you will need to purchase new racking, consider a “Trade In” - where the value of the material is credited and put towards your new racking. Shelving Supply Australia (SSA) can facilitate this process start to finish.  

• Supplement Existing Materials: Consider expanding your storage capacity by supplementing your racking with additional beams and frames. Be sure to factor in supplier lead time.  

• Calculate New Premises Pallet Capacity: Consult with SSA to assist you with a warehouse layout consultation. We will assess your storage requirements and design an optimal racking configuration to ensure your new space is utilised effectively.  

3. Consider Lead Times

• Size of Warehouse: Larger spaces or complex racking setups may require weeks for dismantling, transport, and reinstallation. 

• Relocation Logistics: Coordinating with installers, transport companies, and supplier suppliers, alongside relocating your inventory can take several weeks. Best to plan at least 2-3 months in advance - even earlier for larger facilities. 

• Purchasing ‘New’ Racking: Ordering ‘New’ materials may take longer due to manufacturing and delivery times. Always consult suppliers early in the process. 

4. Plan for Warehouse Setup

• Racking Layout and Configuration Design: Seek expert guidance for warehouse design services to optimise your layout for capacity, efficiency and safety. This is a complementary service offering provided at SSA.  

• Compliance: Safe Working Load signs, rack protection, providing load capacities, spatial requirements for pedestrian traffic and equipment operation are all key factors when it comes to an AS4084:2023 compliant system.  

• Engage Experts: Let the experts handle your project start to finish – remove the headache and minimise the business disruption. SSA can seamlessly manage inspections, trade-ins, racking layout designs, dismantles, relocations, supply, installations and certification.  

5. Additional Factors to Consider

• Storage Requirements: Evaluate your inventory and storage needs. Will you need cantilever racking for bulky items, shelving for picking, vertical racking for pipes/ timbers or perhaps need to optimise vertical space in your warehouse? 

• Temporary Storage: Arrange temporary storage solutions for stock during the transition to prevent disruptions to operations. 

• Cost Efficiency: Evaluate the cost of relocation versus trade in and purchase of new or budget friendly Used racking. 

• Materials Handling Equipment Selection: Will you purchase or hire machinery for your new premises. What type? Forklifts, reach trucks or walkie stackers all have their advantages. What’s right for you will depend on many factors. Specific machine types and models can have a substantial impact on your premises storage capacity. Reach capacity and working aisle width can reduce or increase capacity by sometime as much as 30%. Picking the right equipment is cheaper than finding a warehouse 30% bigger. 

6. Schedule Early Inspections and Bookings

• End-of-Lease Inspection: Plan an inspection of your current warehouse to ensure it meets the landlord’s exit requirements. Is hitting down dynabolts sufficient or do they need to be removed and filled with structural grout? 

• Rack Safety Inspections: Schedule annual inspections for your relocated or new racking systems to maintain compliance in line with AS4084:2023. 

Why Planning in Advance is Key 

By starting early, you can secure the necessary materials, book expert services, and ensure a smooth transition to your new warehouse limiting the disruption and/or costly business downtime.  

Go one step further – call us for a for a free site visit and warehouse design before signing the lease! We often see tenants moving into a warehouse expecting greater storage capacity – only to be let down once the laser measure comes up and the design is complete.  

Need Help with Your Relocation or Expansion? 
Shelving Supply Australia can offer you a comprehensive and efficient end-to-end service: 

• True Cost Assessments 

• Inspections 

• Site Measurements 

• Racking Layout and Configuration Design  

• Dismantles 

• Relocations 

• Supply (New or Cost-Effective Used Racking) 

• Installations 

• Annual Compliance Inspections 

Contact us today to learn how we can support your move. Our team is here to help you navigate your storage options—whether it’s relocating your system, sourcing new products, or finding the best solution for your business.