Moving FAQ
Booking
How do I reserve a time slot for my 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.
Do you require a deposit to book?
Yes, for most services we require a $150 deposit to reserve your time slot. The deposit is applied to your final balance.
What payment methods do you accept for the deposit?
You can pay the deposit by debit card, credit card, or ACH bank transfer. We do not accept cash or checks for deposits.
What happens if my inventory or access details change?
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
What is your cancellation 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.
Insurance
What insurance do you provide?
We provide building-specific Certificates of Insurance (COIs) for moves at no extra charge. 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.
What does a COI cover—and what doesn’t it cover?
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.
What coverage applies to my belongings during the move?
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
Are there items you don’t cover?
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.
What if something is damaged?
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 Supplies
What’s included when I rent reusable moving bins?
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.
How do reusable bins compare to cardboard boxes?
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.
How much do the bin rental packages cost, and what’s the rental period?
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.
Payment
What payment methods do you accept for the deposit?
You can pay the deposit by debit card, credit card, or ACH bank transfer. We accept all major credit card providers. We do not accept cash or checks for deposits. Our payment processor is Square.
Can I pay for my move over the phone?
We do not accept payment information over the phone
When do I pay for my move?
You will be charged for the remaining balance of your move once the move is complete. Sometimes, we offer an upfront payment discount. If you pay upfront, after the move you will be credited or charged for any rate adjustments since your last quote.
Pricing & Move-Day Costs
What’s included in your flat rate?
Our flat-rate estimates include the crew, truck, fuel, blankets, dollies, basic assembly/disassembly, and building Certificate of Insurance (if needed). We also include tolls, meters, and parking tickets—no surprise add-on fees. The flat rate is based on your confirmed inventory and access conditions, so it’s important to update us if anything changes before move day. There are no taxes on moving services.
How do hourly moves work?
Hourly moves are billed by the hour with a two-hour minimum and a travel fee. The hourly rate varies based on the size of the moving crew. The clock starts when the crew arrives within your arrival window and ends when the service is complete, or when you tell the team to stop working.
Do you ever charge for tolls, meters, or parking tickets?
No. We don’t add fees for meters, tolls, or parking tickets—those are a cost of doing business that we plan for in our pricing. This applies to flat-rate moves, hourly moves, furniture delivery, and last-minute moves.
What tip do you recommend for the crew?
Tipping is optional but appreciated. A clear guideline is 15–25% 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, tip on the pre-discount amount.
What does “binding flat-rate estimate” mean?
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.
What happens if my inventory or access details change?
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.
Rescheduling
What is your rescheduling policy?
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.
Services
What does a move include?
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.
Do you offer full and partial packing services?
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 says that we are the best in the city for packing help!
Can you disassemble and reassemble furniture?
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.
Can you do moves within the same building?
Yes, we provide packing and moving services for clients moving between units in the same building. You can also rent our reusable bins. Our same-building service includes furniture wrapping and art protection, plus any services you may choose to add on, like bed disassembly and reassembly.
Can I hire movers to load a truck or pod?
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.
Can I hire movers to unload a truck or pod?
Yes, our team can meet you at your destination to unload a truck or container and bring everything inside.
Does Cool Hand Movers move offices?
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.