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Laboratory moving in Montreal
A laboratory is one of the most complex spaces to move. Instruments are expensive, sensitive to shocks and often need to be prepared and recalibrated by manufacturer technicians. Samples, reagents and chemicals are subject to strict rules. Researchers and lab staff cannot afford long interruptions, and some experiments run on timelines that cannot be paused. A lab move needs careful planning, the right packing methods and close collaboration between movers, lab managers, health and safety officers and equipment suppliers.
Déménagement NST Moving & Storage moves research labs, university and CEGEP teaching labs, clinical and medical labs, quality control labs, biotech and pharmaceutical facilities and technical workshops across Greater Montreal. Our laboratory movers pack and move instruments, benches, cabinets, fume-hood-adjacent furniture, refrigerators, freezers once emptied, computers and supplies, and we coordinate the move with your lab team and suppliers.
Every lab move is led by a dedicated coordinator who reviews your equipment list, surveys each lab and builds a phased plan. You receive a guaranteed flat-fee quote for each phase.
What we move in a laboratory
- Instruments: microscopes, centrifuges, balances, spectrophotometers, incubators, PCR machines and analysers, once prepared by your team or technicians.
- Lab furniture: mobile benches, tables, stools, cabinets, shelving and storage units.
- Cold storage: refrigerators and freezers, once emptied and defrosted. Samples are moved by your staff in appropriate containers.
- Computers and data equipment: workstations and instrument computers. See IT equipment moving.
- Supplies: glassware, consumables, tools and non-hazardous materials, packed by category.
- Offices and meeting rooms: desks, files and furniture, handled like an office move.
What we do not move
For safety and legal reasons, hazardous materials must be handled by qualified people. Chemicals, biological materials, radioactive materials, compressed gas cylinders and controlled substances must be packed and transported by your trained staff or by a specialised, licensed carrier, according to the applicable regulations, including transportation of dangerous goods rules. Equipment must be decontaminated and cleared by your safety officer before our crew handles it. We plan the general move around these specialised steps.
Our lab moving process
- Kick-off. We meet your lab manager, researchers, facilities and health and safety contacts.
- Equipment inventory. We list each instrument with its dimensions, weight, sensitivity and preparation requirements.
- Supplier coordination. You confirm which instruments need manufacturer preparation, and we schedule around those visits.
- Phasing. Labs are moved in phases to protect critical research and minimise downtime.
- Packing. Instruments go into padded crates or custom crates, glassware is packed with dividers and benches are labelled.
- Transport. Equipment travels upright, padded and strapped, kept separate from heavy furniture.
- Placement. Each item is placed according to the new lab layout, ready for reconnection and recalibration.
Protecting sensitive instruments
Many lab instruments contain optics, delicate sensors or precise mechanical parts. We pack them according to manufacturer guidance, use shock-absorbing padding and custom crates when needed and keep them upright throughout. Moving parts are secured, and accessories are packed with each instrument. For high-value equipment, see our custom crating service.
Lab moving costs
| Factor | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Number and type of instruments | Sensitive and heavy equipment requires special handling. |
| Custom crating | High-value instruments may need custom crates. |
| Lab furniture | Benches, cabinets and shelving add volume and labour. |
| Access | Freight elevators, docks and corridors in research buildings. |
| Phasing and timing | Moves scheduled around research and teaching. |
| Supplier coordination | Preparation and recalibration visits. |
| Storage | Equipment stored during renovation or construction. |
Lab moving checklist
- Appoint an internal lab move lead and a safety contact.
- Prepare a full equipment list with special requirements.
- Plan the transport of hazardous materials with qualified staff or carriers.
- Decontaminate equipment and obtain clearance before moving.
- Book manufacturer technicians for instrument preparation and recalibration.
- Plan sample transport and cold-chain requirements.
- Confirm utilities, gases and ventilation at the new lab.
- Label benches, cabinets and instruments with their destination.
Types of labs we move
University research labs often move into new research buildings, with many instruments and tight timelines. Teaching labs at schools, CEGEPs and universities are moved during session breaks. See also our school moving service. Clinical and medical labs need careful handling of equipment and coordination with healthcare operations. See medical office moving. Industrial and quality control labs are moved alongside manufacturing equipment. See industrial moving. Start-up and biotech labs move frequently as they grow, often into new incubator spaces.
Planning the new lab layout
A lab move is a chance to improve workflow and safety. Plan the new layout with your team, taking into account the location of fume hoods, sinks, utilities, electrical outlets and data ports. Share the plan with your coordinator so each bench, cabinet and instrument can be labelled with its destination. Check that doorways, elevators and corridors in the new building are large enough for your biggest equipment, and plan any partial disassembly with your suppliers.
Minimising research downtime
Research cannot always stop. We help by moving non-critical equipment and supplies first, scheduling critical instruments for weekends or holidays, and moving labs in phases so some work can continue. Your coordinator works with your researchers to identify which experiments and instruments are most time-sensitive, and we build the schedule around them.
Areas we serve
We move laboratories across Montreal, including university and hospital districts in Downtown Montreal, Côte-des-Neiges, Outremont and the Plateau, research parks in Saint-Laurent and Laval, and facilities in Longueuil, Brossard and the West Island.
Why labs choose NST
- Careful handling of sensitive instruments.
- Custom crating and padded transport.
- Phased planning around research and teaching.
- Coordination with suppliers and safety teams.
- Guaranteed flat-fee pricing per phase.
- Licensed and insured movers with trained crews. Explore our other specialty item moving services.
Working with health and safety officers
Every lab move involves a safety review. Before our crew handles any equipment, your health and safety officer or lab manager should confirm that each instrument and piece of furniture has been emptied, cleaned and decontaminated as required, and that hazardous materials have been removed. Many organisations use a clearance tag or form for each item. We follow your system, check for the clearance tag and will not move an item that has not been cleared.
During the move, our crews follow your building’s safety rules, wear the personal protective equipment you require in lab areas and stay out of restricted zones unless escorted. Corridors and elevators are kept clear, and spills or concerns are reported immediately to your safety contact.
Moving cold storage and sample freezers
Freezers and refrigerators are among the most time-sensitive items in any lab. Samples must stay within strict temperature ranges, so they should be transferred by your staff to backup freezers, dry ice shippers or validated transport containers before the unit is moved. Once a freezer is empty, defrosted and dry, our crew moves it upright, strapped and padded. At the new lab, the unit should be allowed to stand before it is switched on, according to the manufacturer’s guidance, and brought to temperature before samples are returned. We schedule cold storage moves early in the day so your team has time to verify temperatures before the end of the shift.
Moving lab benches and casework
Mobile benches, tables and cabinets move like heavy furniture, but they often carry shelving, power strips and accessories that must be removed and packed. Fixed casework that is built into the building is normally left in place or removed by a contractor. We label every mobile bench and cabinet with its destination room and position, wrap work surfaces to protect them from scratches and keep drawers secured or emptied. At the new lab, benches are positioned according to the floor plan so utilities line up and researchers can unpack straight away.
Lab relocation timeline
Three to six months before: confirm the new space, review utilities and ventilation and contact your movers and equipment suppliers.
Two to three months before: complete the equipment inventory, plan hazardous material transport with qualified carriers and design the new layout.
One month before: book manufacturer technicians, order crates and packing materials and confirm phases with researchers.
Two weeks before: begin decontamination and clearance, pack non-essential supplies and move archives and offices.
Move week: transfer samples, empty cold storage, pack instruments and move in phases.
After the move: reconnect utilities, recalibrate instruments, validate equipment and resume research.
Laboratory moving FAQs
Do you move chemicals and samples?
No. Hazardous materials, chemicals and biological samples must be packed and transported by your qualified staff or a licensed carrier. We move the equipment and furniture.
Can you move sensitive instruments?
Yes. We pack instruments with padding or custom crates, keep them upright and move them carefully, following manufacturer guidance.
Who recalibrates the instruments?
Recalibration should be done by your team or the manufacturer’s technicians after the move.
Can you move freezers and refrigerators?
Yes, once they are emptied and defrosted. Samples are moved separately by your staff.
Can you move our lab in phases?
Yes. Phased moves help protect critical research and teaching.
Do you offer storage for lab equipment?
Yes. We can store lab furniture and equipment securely during construction or renovation.
How is a lab move priced?
Each phase is quoted as a guaranteed flat fee based on instruments, furniture, crating, access and timing.
Do you move teaching labs at schools and CEGEPs?
Yes. Teaching labs are usually moved during session breaks, with benches, cabinets and instruments labelled by room.
Can you move equipment to another building on the same campus?
Yes. Campus moves often use carts and short truck runs, with the same careful packing and labelling.
Plan your lab move with NST
Share your equipment list, your timeline and your new lab layout. We will build a phased plan and a guaranteed flat-fee quote.
Call: (514) 458-7786 · Visit: 433 Jarry St W #201, Montreal, QC H3N 1E7
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- 433 Jarry St W #201, Montreal, QC H3N 1E7
- (514) 458-7786
- info@demenagementnst.ca