Twelve things facility and admin teams should settle before the dismantling crew arrives, so the deposit isn’t held back.
The last month of a lease is where security deposits get stuck. Most disputes come from small things: a ceiling grid that wasn't removed, a DB left on the wall, carpet glue still on the floor. This checklist is what we walk through with facility managers before any office dismantling job.
Lease and handover
- Read the handover clause. Does the landlord want a bare shell (everything the tenant installed removed) or a warm shell (some fit-out left in place)? Ask for this in writing if the lease is vague.
- Get the original handover photos or drawings. They settle arguments about what was there when you moved in.
- Fix the inspection date. Work backwards from it, leaving at least two days of buffer.
Assets and approvals
- List what is being kept, moved or sold. Tag items that go to another office so the crew leaves them alone.
- Get internal approval for the asset sale. Many companies need a finance or admin sign-off before assets can be sold. Start this early; it's often the slowest step.
- Get a written offer that covers everything. Furniture, ACs, UPS, batteries and scrap in one offer, with dismantling included. Buying and dismantling together usually turns the job into a payout.
IT, power and utilities
- Remove or wipe data-bearing devices. Laptops, desktops, servers and storage should be handled by your IT team before any sale. E-waste must go to authorised recyclers under India's E-Waste (Management) Rules, 2022.
- Plan UPS and server room shutdown. Decide the date the network goes off; UPS and battery removal follows.
- Arrange electrical isolation. The building's maintenance team usually isolates the incoming supply before DBs, panels and cabling are removed.
Building permissions
- Book lifts, loading bay and night slots. Most towers only allow heavy movement at night. Confirm how many nights you can have.
- Prepare the gate pass and worker list. The dismantling vendor supplies worker IDs; your company signs the material gate pass.
Final inspection
- Walk the floor with the landlord's representative. Check ceiling slab, floor (glue marks, anchor bolts), walls (fixings, cable holes) and utilities before signing off.
How long does it take?
For a 50–80 seat office, furniture-only dismantling usually takes one to three days. Bare-shell handovers with ceiling, partitions and flooring can take a week or more on a large floor, especially where only night work is allowed. If your deadline is tight, see our two-week office closure plan.
Quick questions
What is a bare-shell handover?
A bare-shell handover means removing everything the tenant installed — furniture, partitions, false ceiling, flooring, cabling and fittings — and returning the space as the landlord originally gave it.
Who is responsible for electrical isolation during dismantling?
Usually the building maintenance team isolates the incoming supply, after which the dismantling crew’s electricians disconnect and remove DBs, panels and cabling.
Adarsh Old Office Furniture Buyer
Old office furniture buyers and office dismantling crew based in Sector 94, Noida. Written from our own jobs across Delhi NCR.
