You might’ve heard the phrase: If you have six hours to chop a tree, you should spend the first five sharpening the axe.
The same principle applies to manufacturing facility relocations.
If you want your relocation to run as smoothly as possible, you need to dedicate the majority of your time to gathering the information you need and planning every step of your move, before actually carrying out the project.
So, whether you’re consolidating your operations, expanding, downsizing, or simply wanting to be closer to customers or suppliers, you’ll need to start with a site survey.
In this article, we’ll run through all the key elements of an initial facility site survey, from outlining the scope of work to defining the job step details. So you can adequately prepare for all the intricate details your relocation contractors might require.
Laying the groundwork for a successful project
Successfully relocating your facility starts with knowing exactly what you’re dealing with. That’s what a site survey does.
It gives you the lay of the land before any equipment is unplugged or loaded onto a truck.
It’s much more than just a checklist. It’s your blueprint for a smooth and cost-effective project.
You’ll be collecting key data on physical spaces, site-specific limitations, and potential risks that could derail or slow things down later. These insights inform every part of the move, from logistics to labour.
You’ll need to conduct surveys at each site involved and eventually pull together a formal Risk Assessment and Method Statement (RAMS) to guide the relocation process safely.
In short, your survey gives you the visibility you need to make informed, confident decisions from day one. Here are a few of the critical elements involved in that.
See our article: What you should ask your relocation partner before starting a project.
1. Write up the scope of work
Think of the scope of work as your executive summary. It’s a short, high-level description of what the project involves.
At this stage, you don’t need to get into detailed measurements or specs. Just outline what the job includes, along with the expected start and finish dates.
This gives your contractors an initial sense of the project’s scale and helps them start thinking ahead.
2. Define your responsibilities
Clear roles and responsibilities are what keep a project from going off the rails.
So, an essential step in your site survey is to define exactly who is accountable for what, down to the very last detail.
That means clearly outlining what you’re responsible for as the customer (that might include providing permits, supplying equipment and skips for waste, and cordening off work zones), and what your contractor is responsible for.
Everyone involved should know what’s expected of them. That way, nothing falls through the cracks, and there are no last-minute surprises or panics.
3. Document key site details
Each site has its own unique quirks and requirements. And your survey needs to capture all of them.
Here are just a few things you’ll want to record:
- Access hours
- Induction or onboarding requirements
- Availability of welfare and first aid facilities
- Work permit processes
- Restrictions for vehicles or large equipment
To keep things organised, it’s helpful to use a table that lays out responsibilities by department or individual, with room for comments and notes. The more thorough this document, the easier it will be to communicate with your contractors later on.
Also, consider adding visual aids, such as site maps highlighting access routes, fire exits, and restricted zones. These help contractors quickly understand the environment they're working in.
4. Map out equipment locations
Manufacturing facility relocations can involve moving hundreds of thousands of tonnes of equipment.
That’s why you need to log as much information as you can about where that equipment currently lives, and where it’s headed.
This should include:
- Distance from the equipment to the packing area and loading bay
- Ground surface conditions
- Floor load capacity
- Whether floor protection will be needed
You should also flag any obstacles (like narrow doorways or low ceilings) that might require disassembly or creative moving strategies.
These details help your contractors design a safe, efficient plan for removing and transporting each item.
5. List out the plant requirements
Next, make a list of all the tools and equipment your contractors will need on-site to move everything securely.
This could include:
- Forklifts
- Cranes
- Dollies or pallet trucks
- Specialist rigging gear
Also capture:
- The number and type of vehicles needed
- The available power supply
- Any chemical hazards present (along with material safety data sheets, if available)
Depending on the complexity of your move, you may also need to coordinate with utility providers or identify on-site fueling or staging areas. Make sure this is all included in your survey notes.
6. Detail every piece of equipment
Once you’ve identified what’s being moved, dig into the specifics.
For each piece of equipment, include:
- Dimensions
- Weight
- Whether it needs to be decommissioned first
- Special packing instructions (crate type, wrapping, etc.)
If a piece of equipment has specific calibration settings that need to be preserved, note those too.
7. Record site-specific PPE requirements
Health and safety comes first. And every site has its own rules when it comes to Personal Protective Equipment (PPE).
You’ll need to create a list of mandatory PPE for each location. This might include:
- Safety boots
- Hard hats
- Safety glasses
- Ear protection
Be sure to specify who is supplying what gear and confirm whether any site-specific safety inductions or briefings are required.
These details help ensure full health and safety compliance from day one.
8. Break down the job step by step
Finally, map out every single step of the project in detail, starting from the moment your contractor arrives on-site to the final handoff at the destination.
This should be a detailed, step-by-step plan that covers:
- Task sequencing
- Dependencies (what needs to happen before what)
- Assigned responsibilities
- Time estimates
- Contingency plans for delays or complications
This job plan is ultimately your operational roadmap.
It ensures the work unfolds smoothly, in line with your site’s requirements and the needs of your equipment.
Looking for a relocation partner you can trust?
At IES, we’ve been helping businesses relocate business-critical assets since 1991. From precision equipment to full production lines, we handle every aspect of the move entirely in-house.
We’re trusted by some of the world’s leading manufacturers, and we’re the only global supplier equipped to manage your relocation end-to-end.
Find out more about our facility relocation services here.
