NYC Moving FAQ | Cool Hand Movers

Moving FAQ Topics

Booking

Cancellation

Insurance

Moving Supplies

Payment

Pricing

Rescheduling

Services

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Booking Your NYC Move

  • You can reserve your move by clicking the confirmation link we email you after you approve your estimate. Completing that form and paying the deposit officially books your team.

  • Yes, for most services we require a $150 deposit to reserve your time slot. The deposit is applied to your final balance.

  • You can pay the deposit by debit card, credit card, or ACH bank transfer. We do not accept cash or checks for deposits.

  • If you add items, change buildings, or otherwise adjust the details after booking, we’ll issue a new binding estimate before move day. This keeps your rate accurate and transparent. Move day rate adjustments based on changes to inventory or location access are made on site by the team lead.


Cancellation & Refund Policy

  • Deposits are non-refundable if you cancel:

    • Within 7 days of a peak service date, or

    • Within 3 days of an off-peak service date.
      If you prepaid for the move, we refund the full payment minus the $150 deposit/cancellation fee.


NYC Moving Insurance & COI Requirements

  • We provide building-specific Certificates of Insurance (COIs) For moves at no extra cost. These custom documents extend our liability coverage to your building. We carry $1,000,000 in general liability insurance, with a $2,000,000 limit per policy, $5,000,000 in excess liability, $1,000,000 in auto coverage, and workers compensation coverage.

  • A Certificate of Insurance (COI) protects the building, not your personal belongings. It extends our general liability and workers’ comp coverage to your landlord or condo board so you can use the freight elevator or loading dock. A COI won’t cover damage to your household goods. Every service includes standard valuation coverage of $0.60 per pound per item. You can purchase additional insurance at movinginsurance.com.

  • Like all licensed movers, we provide federally mandated basic liability coverage at no extra cost. This is called “valuation coverage” and it pays $0.60 per pound per item if something is lost or damaged. For example, a 100-lb dresser would be covered for $60 under this default option.

    If you’d like more protection, you can purchase third-party moving insurance that reimburses at replacement value at movinginsurance.com.

  • Yes—some items are excluded under standard liability: cash, jewelry, collectibles, perishable foods, and items packed by the customer that have no visible damage to the exterior carton. We recommend you move high-value personal items yourself when possible. We’ll provide a list of exclusions when you book.

  • Let us know as soon as possible, before the crew leaves, or within 7 days of your move. If you purchased additional insurance, you can pursue a claim for repair or replacement value with your insurer. If you did not, your item is covered at $0.60 per pound per item. In that case, we will review what happened, look at photos, and offer a resolution. Additional insurance is the only way to receive replacement value for a damaged item.


Moving Reusable Moving Bins & Packing Supplies in NYC

  • You’ll get a package of sanitized, stackable, heavy-duty reusable moving crates with lids, a dolly for rolling bins, a package of zip ties for securing the bins, and a wax pencil for writing on the bins’ reusable labels. You’ll also receive any add-ons you order like dish dividers, glass dividers, or packing paper. 

  • Reusable bins are more durable, easier to carry/stack, come clean and ready, and eliminate the need to build/tape/breakdown cardboard. They also are more eco-friendly. Cardboard boxes may still be useful for overflow or non-stackable odd shapes, and deployments where rental or return of bins is impractical. CHM's guide “Moving Boxes vs. Reusable Moving Bins” goes into pros/cons. 

  • Prices vary by the size of your bin rental package, the duration of your rental period, add-ons, and delivery method. You can view details on pricing on our reusable bins page.

  • If you add items, change buildings, or otherwise adjust the details after booking, we’ll issue a new binding estimate before move day. This keeps your rate accurate and transparent. Move day rate adjustments based on changes to inventory or location access are made on site by the team lead.

  • Our standard moving bin rental packages are available for one, two, or three weeks. For longer rentals, please reach out for a custom quote.

  • We can always help you extend your rental. The rates for rental extension are available in our equipment rental agreement under “Payment.”


Payments, Deposits & Balances for NYC Moving Services

  • All moves are booked with a deposit that will be credited toward your final bill. You will be charged for the remaining balance of your move once the move is complete. If you opt to pay upfront, after the move you will be credited or charged for any rate adjustments since your last quote. Unless otherwise noted, your moving quote does not include gratuity.

  • For moving deposits and bin rentals, you can pay by debit card or credit card. For the final balance of your moving service, you can pay by debit card, credit card, or ACH. We accept all major credit card providers. We do not accept cash or checks. Our payment processor is Square.

  • No, you will not be charged a fee for paying with a credit card.

  • We do not accept payment information over the phone.

  • We do not accept cash payment for services.

Flat-Rate & Hourly Pricing for NYC Movers

  • Flat-rate moves are designed to give you complete price certainty. We start by collecting a detailed inventory of your items, along with building access details (stairs, elevators, long carries, etc.). Using that information, we create a binding flat-rate estimate — meaning the price is locked in as long as the details stay the same.

    On move day, there’s no hourly clock running, so you don’t have to worry about traffic, elevator delays, or slow loading docks adding to your cost. The team lead will review your items versus the inventory you submitted. If there are any additions, they will adjust the rate accordingly before the move begins.

  • If you add items, change buildings, or otherwise adjust the details after booking, we’ll issue a new binding estimate before move day. This keeps your rate accurate and transparent. Move day rate adjustments based on changes to inventory or location access are made on site by the team lead.

  • Our flat-rate pricing is designed to be all-inclusive so you can plan with confidence. Every flat-rate move includes:

    • A professional in-house crew sized to your job

    • The right vehicle and all necessary equipment (blankets, dollies, straps)

    • Wrapping and protection for furniture and fragile items

    • Certificates of Insurance (COIs) if your building requires them

    • All tolls, parking meters, and even parking tickets.

    • Plus any services you decide to add on, like packing or furniture disassembly.

    Flat rate pricing does not change based on how long it takes to complete the move. If your inventory or access details change, we simply update your estimate before move day so you always know the cost. This is why so many clients choose flat-rate moves — for the budget certainty, built-in costs, and peace of mind they provide.

  • A binding flat-rate estimate means that once you book with us, we’re committed to completing the services listed in your estimate request form for the price we quoted. The price will not change as long as the details you gave us stay the same.

  • Hourly moves are simple and flexible. We send a professional crew with the right equipment. The clock starts when they arrive and ends when the last item is placed where you want it—or when you ask the team to stop working.

    Hourly rates are based on the size of the team. All hourly moves have a two-hour minimum & a travel fee. After the first two hours, we bill in 15-minute increments.

    This setup is perfect for projects where the scope might change — like home staging, loading or unloading a rental truck, or moving items within the same building. You don’t need a detailed inventory you can add or remove tasks as you go.

  • Our hourly rates cover everything you need for smaller, flexible jobs like staging, loading, unloading, or moving within the same building. Every hourly job includes:

    • A professional crew sized to the work requested

    • All necessary moving equipment (dollies, tools for basic disassembly)

    • Careful handling and placement of your items

    Hourly service is ideal when you don’t have a full inventory list or when the scope might change mid-job — you simply keep the clock running. Because you’re paying only for time, it’s often the most cost-effective choice for quick staging projects, small moves, or labor-only services like loading and unloading a rental truck.

  • If a crew needs to carry more items or climb more flights of stairs than included in the estimate, we adjust the rate to reflect that additional work. There is no penalty charge for this adjustment. We adjust rates in line with the original estimate.

    There are a few rarely charged fees that cannot be assessed until move day:

    • If there is a need for additional dis/reassembly or door removal, the team lead will inform the client of the necessary rate adjustment.

    • Excessive distance (long carry fee) applies when there is a distance of more than 150 feet from the truck to the entrance of the building. The long carry fee is +10% on the estimated rate, plus a 5% increase for every additional 50 feet.

    • Wait-time or delay fees are applied when movers arrive at either move location and cannot begin work. The wait-time fee applies after a 30-minute grace period. The wait-time fee is $30 per mover.

  • No. We don’t add fees for meters, tolls, or parking tickets. This applies to flat-rate moves, hourly moves, furniture delivery, and last-minute moves.

  • Tipping is optional but appreciated. A clear guideline is 18–25% of the total for good service; consider tipping a higher percentage when the team goes above-and-beyond (e.g., complex access, heavy items, long carries, weather). If you received a discount, you can tip on the pre-discount amount. 

  • We offer off-peak pricing every 2nd through 26th of the month, excluding holidays. Peak dates are the 27th of the month through the 1st of the following month, plus holidays.


How to Reschedule Your NYC Move

  • We do our best to accommodate schedule changes. If you need to reschedule:

    • Off-peak services (3rd–26th of the month, excluding holidays): Rescheduling within 3 days of the service date incurs a $75 rescheduling fee.

    • Peak services (27th–2nd of the month, plus all holidays): Rescheduling within 7 days of the service date incurs a $75 rescheduling fee.


Moving Services Offered Across NYC & Beyond

  • Our moving service includes licensed, in-house movers (never contractors), professional wrapping of furniture, electronics, mirrors, and transport of your items to your new space. The team will put furniture where you want it and remove any materials used for protecting your items in transit.

  • Yes, we can handle everything from packing your entire home to just the kitchen or other fragile areas. Our crew uses professional packing materials and techniques to keep your items safe in transit. If you’d like to pack yourself, we can provide just the supplies or mix-and-match services to fit your budget. Curbed/ New York Magazine say that we are the best in the city for packing help!

  • Yes, your Cool Hand Movers can disassemble and reassemble most furniture items. For particularly complex items we may recommend an outside provider, like the Couch Doctor. Our teams do not assemble furniture that we did not disassemble. Please note that while our crews are always careful, some particle board furniture is not meant to be disassembled and reassembled and could suffer damage in the process, without mishandling.

  • Yes, Cool Hand Movers offers loading services for trucks and pods. The crew will arrive with equipment like dollies to help expedite the move. They will also wrap and protect your furniture, load items strategically for a safe ride, and secure everything in place. You can either provide your own moving blankets, or purchase ours. You get the same in-house movers and professional care as a full move.

  • Yes, our team can meet you at your destination to unload a truck or container and bring everything inside. 

  • Yes, we move offices and small businesses. Our commercial clients can make specific add-ons like reusable bin rental for employees’ personal items, assembly of new-in-box furniture, and gratuity included on the invoice.

  • If a crew needs to carry more items or climb more flights of stairs than included in the estimate, we adjust the rate to reflect that additional work. There is no penalty charge for this adjustment. We adjust rates in line with the original estimate.

    There are a few rarely charged fees that cannot be assessed until move day:

    • If there is a need for additional dis/reassembly or door removal, the team lead will inform the client of the necessary rate adjustment.

    • Excessive distance (long carry fee) applies when there is a distance of more than 150 feet from the truck to the entrance of the building. The long carry fee is +10% on the estimated rate, plus a 5% increase for every additional 50 feet.

    • Wait-time or delay fees are applied when movers arrive at either move location and cannot begin work. The wait-time fee applies after a 30-minute grace period. The wait-time fee is $30 per mover.

  • No. We don’t add fees for meters, tolls, or parking tickets. This applies to flat-rate moves, hourly moves, furniture delivery, and last-minute moves.

  • Tipping is optional but appreciated. A clear guideline is 18–25% of the total for good service; consider tipping a higher percentage when the team goes above-and-beyond (e.g., complex access, heavy items, long carries, weather). If you received a discount, you can tip on the pre-discount amount. 

We get it: planning a move can be stressful, and you don’t have time to dig through pages of small print. That’s why we put our most-asked questions all in one place. From rates and COIs to packing, bins, and day-of policies, here is your quick guide to how Cool Hand Movers keeps NYC moves simple, fair, and drama-free.