Yes, we are fully licensed under DOT# 2005212 and MC# 707471.

We are also insured to the eyeballs, with general liability, cargo, auto, and workers compensation policies. This is big expense for us, but obviously an important one in our profession. Many other moving companies are not insured and may leave you in the lurch in the case of damage, or worse, an injury. Be careful out there.

We are also accredited by the Better Business Bureau.

We keep it simple by charging a flat hourly rate for our services. In 90% of moves there are NO extra charges.

The hourly rate varies by month and the time of the month (everyone wants to move during summer weekends, so we charge more then), but the general range breakdown is below:

$90 – $110 / hr: 2 movers, 16′ truck, moving pads, handtrucks, dollies and any other equipment typically needed
$135 – $165 / hr: 3 movers, 24′ truck, moving pads, etc
$75 – $95 / hr: Labor job – 2 movers, NO truck or equipment (predominately used to loading or unloading a pod or truck for a long-distance move)

The typical one bedroom apartment takes 3 hours, however there’s a substantial range here too, depending on the clients possessions, how well those possessions are packed up, the length of the walk from apartment to truck, the number of stairs to climb, and more.

To get the exact rate we’d charge for your move, as well as our time estimate, please fill out our free estimate form. We generally respond back within just a few hours, often a few minutes. Seriously, we’re kind of obsessive about it.

In our estimate, we’ll also let you know if any other charges would apply in your case. A fairly comprehensive list of extras that might apply here:

Extra mover: $20-30 approx.
Travel charge if you’re kind of far from us – Equal to 1/2 hour charge, approx.
Box charge if you want us to supply boxes for your packing: $1 – $15 / ea, depending on the box size

Again, we’ll always let you know if these apply to you before the time of the move. We never charge any surprise fees.

Lastly, we prorate hours worked to the last quarter hour. We always round down, not up.

Never. We only use full-time, well experienced, and highly skilled employees. Many of our movers have done over a thousand moves by now and we consider them the best in the business.

Our movers work very fast. They are quick, strong, and execute efficiently. There is no padding of the clock *ever*, period. We have healthy demand for our services and lots of jobs. We have zero incentive to pad the clock. Not that we would anyway — we’re good people! Lastly, reputation is so crucial in this industry of traditional ill-repute. We have an immaculate one and we would never risk tarnishing it to make a few extra bucks. No way, not even close.

Sorry, at this time we are limited to moves within the greater D.C. metro area only. But if you are moving farther, go ahead and shoot us an email and we can recommend several quality long-distance carriers. Having us load a POD or truck for you is also an option.

We take cash and checks due at the completion of your move. No credit cards. Paypal is accepted only in exceptional cases, but with a 3% surcharge to cover their fees.

No deposit is required for moves.

We do, and they are always extremely appreciated. There are myriad expenses involved in providing a licensed and insured moving truck and crew, so movers rely on tips as a significant portion of their take-home pay. If you appreciated their work, let them know.

We do have a cancellation fee. We wish we didn’t have to, but when clients cancel on short notice it can be difficult to impossible to find a replacement job, and so canceling on short notice does in fact cost us a lot of money each and every year. If you cancel or reschedule within a week before your move it amounts to one hour’s fee. Inside of 48 hours is two hours fee.

If the rescheduling is due to an Act of God (blizzard, terrorism, collapsed bridges) these fees do not apply and we reschedule for free.

Lots! Preparation is essential to a smooth and shorter/cheaper move.

Booking
Book your move as early as possible to ensure you get a slot. Weekends at the turn of the month, especially during the warmer months, are very popular. This is especially important if you have limited date/time flexibility.

Parking
Reserving parking is key as a distant spot means we have to carry items farther than necessary and this can add significant time and expense.

If you move in DC, here’s the site where you can reserve parking:
https://tops.ddot.dc.gov/DDOTPERMITSYSTEM/DDOTPERMITONLINE/Landing.aspx

For Arlington it is:
http://www.arlingtonva.us/departments/EnvironmentalServices/cpe/custserv/css/EnvironmentalServicesRow.aspx

Reserve any elevators or loading docks that might be used. You generally do this by contacting the property manager of your building. Weekend and month-end dates are the most popular, sometimes getting fully booked weeks, even months ahead of time.

Packing
1. Box up as many items as possible. Hiring us to make hundreds of trips back and forth with small, loose items is not a good use of our time or more importantly your money.
2. Remove and box up items from any dresser, desk, file cabinet, wardrobe or armoire. This makes these items easier and safer to move.
3. Take smaller and fragile items yourself, if possible.
4. Dis-assemble large furniture items beforehand, if possible.
5. Dense items like books and papers should be packed in small-sized book boxes.

Make sure you have plenty of boxes and tape. You’ll probably need twice as many as you realize. Craigslist is a great place to find free boxes. Or if you opt to purchase them, most places will let you return any leftovers for a refund. Another great resource is Rentourboxes.com. We can also generally bring some for you for $5-$15 depending on the size of the box. We do also offer packing services if the schedule permits. But we do need an accurate sense for the amount of items we will be packing for you.

Labeling a box’s contents makes a mover’s life simpler and helps us take better care of your possessions. Noting particularly if a box is fragile or extremely heavy. Also, unpacking will be significantly more streamlined if your boxes designate their new destination by room so we can take it straight there and you don’t have to face a Himalayan mountain chain of boxes in your living room.

Leave yourself enough time for packing . This usually takes far longer than you expect. We’ve had many clients still packing when we arrive, and it can really complicate the logistics of loading items into the truck in an optimal manner. We recommend trying to have it all done the night before to give yourself a cushion.

Make sure your new place is clean and that you have a sense for the arrangement of the furniture before your rooms get crowded with boxes and are harder to navigate with your larger items.

Pack a box of things you will need imminently when you get to your new abode, such as your rental agreement, cleaning supplies, snack, trash bags, toothbrush, etc.

If at any time you realize you have many more boxes or items than you initially thought, it’s good to let us know so we can judge if it makes sense to add a mover or send a larger truck. Having too small of a crew or truck can add time and therefore cost to your move, especially if we have to make two trips. It is also important to let us know of any unusual circumstances or particularly heavy or valuable pieces during the estimate process, not after we have arrived. This allows us to make special arrangements and make sure we are fully equipped for any situation.

We thought you’d never ask. Please fill out our free estimate form here. Or feel free to email us at bookstoremovers@gmail.com or call at (202) 570-4697.