Upgrading Commercial Mailboxes During Renovations

A commercial mailbox upgrade is perhaps one of the most overlooked aspects of a commercial building renovation. Even a new construction project provides the opportunity to upgrade to more modern commercial mailboxes.

In this article by The MailboxWorks, the nation’s leading supplier of commercial mailboxes, you’ll find some helpful tips to successfully transition to your commercial mailbox upgrade during construction and/or renovations.

These tips include advice on:

• Checking with your local postmaster
• Using temporary mailboxes during the transition
• The relocation of commercial mailboxes

Check with Your Local Postmaster Prior to Commercial Mailbox Upgrade

Whether your site has outdoor or indoor, pedestal or surface mounted commercial mailboxes, the launch of a new construction project or renovation provides the perfect opportunity to upgrade. You can now integrate commercial cluster mailboxes into your construction project.

While new construction is certainly easier because there’s no ongoing mail delivery to transition, renovations require careful planning. You can successfully manage a commercial mailbox upgrade during renovations by discussing two key mailbox transitions with your local postmaster:

1. Transitioning from current to temporary commercial mailboxes
2. Re-location of the new commercial building mailboxes

Transitioning from Current to Temporary Commercial Mailboxes

The first transition to discuss with your postmaster is the one that most project managers either forget or make it low on the priority list. How will you transition from your current commercial mailboxes to your temporary commercial cluster mailboxes?

New construction and renovations invariably create havoc for regular mail delivery. Often safety considerations for the project mean limited access to the indoor or outdoor cluster mailboxes (or no access at all), depending on their location to the construction.

In many scenarios, project teams remove commercial cluster mailboxes during the demolition schedule. In these instances, they must plan where mail delivery will occur during the interim period, as construction often limits or restricts access to the project’s commercial mailboxes.

Experienced project managers suggest that the temporary relocation is positioned safely away from the renovation or construction to reduce the potential for injury to your tenants, the mail carrier, and the public.

In all such instances, it is wise to consider a few safe locations for the temporary commercial cluster mailboxes and then present such proposals to your local postmaster for their approval prior to commercial mailbox upgrade.

Re-location of the New Mailboxes

The second transition to discuss with your local postmaster involves the new location of the commercial building mailboxes. This location has likely already been submitted for approval to your local and state building officials.

Even if local and state building officials have approved the new location for your commercial mailboxes, it’s still essential to consult your local postmaster. Seeking the postmaster’s input and approval can help ensure a smooth transition.

It is suggested that in this second transition, you should meet twice with the local postmaster.

1. First, meet with the postmaster before the project’s launch to gain approval for the final location of the new or relocated commercial mailbox.
2. Second, since many months often pass between the initial approval and the final commercial mailbox installation, reconnecting with your local postmaster is advisable. This follow-up should occur before moving from the temporary location to the newly approved commercial mailbox location.

Strong communication will provide smooth transitions from one location to the next but the real coup de gras during renovations or construction is the commercial mailbox upgrade.

To learn more about USPS regulations regarding a commercial mailbox upgrade, visit this USPS PDF file entitled, Centralized Mail Delivery Commercial Applications.

For additional advice or for helping placing a commercial mailbox order, please contact our commercial mailbox experts at 1-866-717-4943.

Categorized in: Commercial Mailboxes, Mailbox Installation & Upgrades