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Commercial Catering Equipment Removal & Storage
Moving a commercial kitchen is very different from moving ordinary office furniture. Ovens, refrigeration, stainless-steel preparation units, dishwashers, coffee machines and specialist food equipment can be heavy, awkwardly shaped and difficult to manoeuvre through service corridors, stairs and restricted loading areas.
Now We’re Moving provides commercial catering equipment removal and storage for businesses that are relocating, refurbishing, closing a site, replacing equipment or moving assets between premises. We can plan the physical move, protect equipment for transport and place suitable items into short or long-term storage until the next stage of your project.
Commercial Catering Equipment Removal & Storage
Commercial catering equipment removals need to be planned around the equipment itself, the building it is leaving and what is happening at the destination. A freestanding stainless-steel table may be straightforward to move, while a combination oven, refrigerated counter or large commercial dishwasher can require much more detailed access planning.
We handle catering equipment as part of wider commercial removals and business relocations, as well as standalone equipment moves. That means a restaurant can ask us to relocate an entire kitchen, while another business may only need one coffee machine, freezer or preparation unit collected and delivered.
Before moving day, the important questions are practical: What are the dimensions and approximate weight of each item? Can it pass through the doors and corridors? Is there lift access? Does any equipment need to be separated into manageable components? Where can the vehicle load safely?
By answering those questions before lifting begins, we can organise the removal around the real constraints of the site rather than trying to solve access problems once heavy equipment is already in motion.
What Types of Catering Equipment Can Be Moved?
Commercial kitchens contain a mixture of heavy-duty appliances, fragile components, stainless-steel furniture and smaller specialist machines. Each category needs a different approach to handling and protection.
Typical catering equipment may include:
- Commercial ovens, combination ovens, ranges, fryers and griddles
- Commercial refrigerators, upright freezers, chest freezers and blast chillers
- Refrigerated preparation counters, display refrigeration and bottle coolers
- Commercial dishwashers, glasswashers, sinks and wash stations
- Stainless-steel preparation tables, cupboards, shelving and hot cupboards
- Bain-maries, serving counters, catering trolleys and heated holding equipment
- Food mixers, slicers and other food preparation machinery
- Commercial coffee machines, ice machines and specialist catering appliances
Weight is only one part of the challenge. A tall refrigerator can become difficult in a low doorway, a long preparation bench may not turn through a narrow corridor, and equipment with glass panels or electronic controls can require more protection than its solid appearance suggests.
Loose shelves, trays, doors and removable accessories also need to be controlled so they do not move independently in transit. Where equipment can be safely broken down into separate components, that can make both the removal route and vehicle loading more manageable.
Restaurants, Hotels, Schools & Other Commercial Kitchens
Catering equipment is found in far more than restaurants. We can plan removals for kitchens in hotels, pubs, cafés, takeaways, schools, colleges, universities, hospitals, care homes, staff canteens, event venues, leisure centres, bakeries, production kitchens and contract catering facilities.
The building often influences the move just as much as the equipment.
A basement restaurant may have stairs and a narrow service entrance. A hotel may require equipment to pass through back-of-house corridors while guest areas remain open. A school kitchen project may need to be completed within a fixed holiday period. A hospital or care setting may require routes to remain clear for other building users.
In these environments, commercial kitchen relocation is less about simply taking an appliance from A to B and more about controlling access, timing and movement through a working property.
Where other parts of the building remain operational, we can plan the sequence of the move so equipment is removed in manageable stages and access is maintained wherever practical.
Planning the Removal Route Before Equipment Moves
A successful catering equipment move starts before the first item leaves the kitchen. Large appliances can become difficult to manoeuvre very quickly if the route has not been checked in advance.
Our planning can take account of:
- Equipment dimensions and the space needed to turn or tilt safely
- Doorway, corridor and stair widths along the removal route
- Steps, thresholds, ramps and changes in floor level
- Passenger or goods lift dimensions and stated capacity
- Rear access alleys, service yards and restricted loading points
- Vehicle positioning and the distance between the building and loading area
- Floor, doorway and wall protection where required
- Whether removable components should be separated before transport
A survey is particularly valuable for basement kitchens, upper-floor restaurants, listed or older properties and premises with limited rear access.
For example, a refrigerated preparation counter may fit comfortably through the kitchen door but fail to turn through the next corridor. Identifying that during planning gives us time to consider an alternative route or determine whether suitable removable parts can be taken off before the move.
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Preparing Catering Equipment for Removal
Commercial catering equipment should be ready to move before physical handling starts. Depending on the appliance, that may involve emptying contents, removing food residue, allowing equipment to cool, draining water and securing loose internal components.
Where gas, fixed electrical supplies or refrigeration systems require specialist disconnection, that work should be completed by an appropriately qualified contractor before our removal team handles the equipment. We do not assume that an appliance is ready to move simply because it has been switched off.
Preparation also helps protect the destination. Residual water from a dishwasher or ice machine can leak during handling, while loose shelves from refrigeration can shift or damage the interior.
For delicate accessories and smaller components, our commercial packing and protection service can complement the main removal. The aim is to keep components organised, reduce avoidable movement and make it easier to identify what belongs with each appliance when equipment reaches storage or its new site.
A clear inventory is especially useful on larger kitchen moves where equipment is being split between storage, another branch and a newly refurbished premises.
Commercial Refrigeration & Stainless-Steel Equipment
Refrigeration and stainless-steel equipment often make up a large proportion of a professional kitchen, but they present different handling problems.
Commercial refrigerators, freezers, bottle coolers, display cabinets, refrigerated counters and blast chillers can be tall or deep, with doors, shelves, glass and electronic controls that need protecting. Cold-room components may also form part of a wider refurbishment or relocation project and should be clearly identified before anything is moved.
Stainless-steel preparation benches, sinks, cupboards and shelving are less fragile internally, but exposed finishes can still be scratched or dented. Long benches can also be surprisingly awkward in narrow corridors even when they are relatively light compared with an oven or refrigeration unit.
- Protect exposed stainless-steel faces and vulnerable corners
- Secure or remove loose shelves, trays and fittings
- Protect glass panels and control areas from direct impact
- Keep accessories associated with the correct appliance
Different equipment therefore needs different protection rather than one standard wrapping method for an entire commercial kitchen.
Catering Equipment Storage During Refurbishments & Relocations
Storage can be as important as transport when a commercial kitchen is being refurbished or a business is moving between sites. The old premises may need to be cleared before the new kitchen is ready, or contractors may need a completely empty room while flooring, services and finishes are replaced.
Our storage and collection service can provide a holding stage between removal and redelivery.
Typical situations include:
- Restaurant or hotel kitchen refurbishments lasting several weeks
- Delayed lease completions or handover dates
- Temporary closures while building work is completed
- Equipment being retained for use at another branch
- Phased relocations where the new kitchen is not ready all at once
- Equipment being held while a business arranges resale or collection
Before storage, equipment should normally be clean, dry and empty, with removable components secured or labelled. Water should be drained where appropriate and food residue removed so the item is suitable to remain out of use.
Short-term storage may bridge a refurbishment or delayed opening. Longer-term storage may suit businesses retaining valuable equipment for a future premises. In both cases, a planned inventory makes later redelivery much easier because equipment can be matched to its intended destination rather than treated as anonymous stored stock.
Commercial Catering Equipment Removal FAQs
Commercial catering equipment removals involve the physical relocation of appliances, stainless-steel furniture and specialist kitchen equipment from one commercial premises to another location, storage facility or collection point.
This can include ovens, refrigeration, preparation benches, dishwashers, freezers, coffee machines and other catering assets. The service can form part of a complete restaurant or commercial kitchen relocation, or it can be used for an individual item.
The exact approach depends on the equipment dimensions, access conditions and whether specialist disconnection has already been completed where required.
Yes. A business does not need to be moving its entire kitchen to arrange catering equipment collection and delivery.
Individual items may need to be collected from another branch, a supplier, a commercial kitchen, an auction, a closed restaurant or a storage facility. The important information is the equipment type, dimensions, approximate weight, collection access and delivery access.
Single-item work can be particularly useful when a restaurant purchases a replacement appliance or transfers useful equipment between sites without carrying out a full commercial relocation.
The cost of moving commercial catering equipment depends on the amount and type of equipment, access at each property, travel distance, staffing requirements, vehicle requirements and whether the job includes storage or multiple collection and delivery stages.
A small collection of stainless-steel benches will usually involve a different level of planning from relocating heavy refrigeration, ovens and dishwashing equipment from a basement kitchen.
For an accurate quotation, the equipment and access conditions should be assessed before the move. A survey also reduces the risk of unexpected difficulties such as restricted doors, unsuitable lifts or long carries between the kitchen and vehicle.
Heavy catering equipment can be moved when its size, weight, access route and handling requirements have been properly assessed.
Large ovens, commercial refrigeration, solid preparation units and other heavy items may require additional people, suitable moving equipment and a carefully planned route. The equipment must also be secured correctly once loaded so that it cannot shift unnecessarily in transit.
Where an item is connected to fixed gas, electrical or specialist refrigeration services, the relevant disconnection should be completed by an appropriately qualified contractor before the removal team begins handling it.
Equipment may require preparation before removal. At a minimum, appliances should normally be emptied and made safe to handle. Depending on the item, this can also involve cleaning, cooling, draining water, securing loose shelves and removing detachable accessories.
Specialist gas, electrical or refrigeration disconnection should be completed by a suitably qualified person where required.
Preparing equipment properly is not simply about making it easier to lift. It also helps prevent leaks, loose components and avoidable contamination when equipment is transported or placed into storage.
Commercial catering equipment can be stored when a restaurant, hotel or other organisation needs a gap between removing equipment and putting it back into use.
This is common during kitchen refurbishments, delayed premises handovers, temporary closures and phased moves. Equipment can also be held when it is being retained for another branch or a future commercial kitchen.
Before storage, equipment should be clean, dry and suitably prepared. Removable parts should be secured or labelled so they remain associated with the correct appliance when it is later collected or redelivered.
Yes. Commercial kitchen equipment does not always need to move in one operation. A phased removal can be useful when part of a kitchen or building needs to remain in use, when contractors are working through a refurbishment in stages, or when the destination is becoming available gradually.
For example, unused refrigeration and preparation equipment might be removed first, followed by cooking equipment once the kitchen closes for building work.
Planning the sequence in advance helps prevent equipment that is still required operationally from being removed too early.
Now We’re Moving states that removals and storage can be provided 24 hours a day, seven days a week by arrangement. For commercial catering environments, that flexibility can be useful where equipment needs to be moved outside the busiest trading or operational periods.
The practical timing will still depend on access, staffing, the building and the equipment involved. Restaurants may prefer work after service, while schools may plan removals during holidays and hotels may need movements coordinated around back-of-house operations.
The best approach is to discuss the required working window during the survey so the removal can be planned around the site rather than disrupting it unnecessarily.