Common questions about moving with Smooth Movers
Here are the questions we hear most from people moving around Northampton and the Pioneer Valley. If yours is not covered, call our office and we will answer it straight.
01 Good to know
Are you a moving company?
Yes — Smooth Movers is a fully licensed and insured Northampton, Massachusetts moving company running our own trucks and uniformed crews, with Massachusetts MDPU license and USDOT/MC authority. We are not a broker or matching service. The crew that loads you is the crew that unloads you.
How does flat-rate pricing work, and what if you quote hourly?
For most local moves we quote one flat number based on your home size, the stairs and access, and the distance — that price is the price, no meter. If you prefer hourly, a two-mover crew with a truck is $179 an hour and a three-mover crew is $249 an hour, with the one-hour minimum waived. Local flat rates open at $415 for a studio or one-bedroom.
Do you handle third-floor walk-ups, triple-deckers, and steep narrow stairs?
All the time. Downtown Northampton walk-ups, Holyoke triple-deckers, and 1890s Victorians with tight original staircases are our normal week. We pad the rails and corners, send the right crew size, and Gabe Tierney chiefs the toughest stair jobs. Tell us the floor and the staircase when you call so we bring the right gear and number of movers.
Can you move during the college move-in and move-out weeks?
Yes, and we plan our calendar around them. Late August and September around Smith, UMass, Amherst, Hampshire, and Mount Holyoke, plus the May move-out, are our busiest stretch. Those weekends book up early, so the sooner you reach out, the more date options we can hold for you.
What happens if there's a Nor'easter or ice storm on my move day?
We watch the forecast and talk to you ahead of time. If a storm is going to make the day dangerous, we would rather reschedule around it than drag your belongings through ice and salt. On snowy days we lay heavy floor protection at both doors and keep the walkways clear. We move through real New England winters every year.
How much deposit do you take, and is it refundable?
A $110 deposit holds your date, and it is credited straight to your final bill — it is not an extra charge. All it does is set aside a crew and a truck for the day you picked. If your plans change, call the office and we will work it out.
How is my stuff protected if something gets damaged?
Every shipment includes released-value protection at sixty cents per pound at no extra cost, which is the federal standard. You can upgrade to full-value protection, and we carry up to $1,000,000 in cargo coverage per shipment. We also pad, shrink-wrap, and floor-protect to keep claims from happening in the first place.
Do you move out of state from Northampton?
Yes. We hold USDOT and MC interstate authority and run our own long-haul crews — Dev Patel leads them — to Boston, Providence, New York, Burlington, Portland, Philadelphia, and farther. The same Smooth Movers crew loads in Northampton and unloads at your destination. We do not pass interstate moves off to another carrier.
Can you clear out a full basement and attic, or store things short-term?
Basements and attics are part of nearly every older valley home, and we clear them as part of the move — just flag them when we quote so we plan the time and crew. For timing gaps between homes we can arrange short-term storage; ask the office and we will set it up.
Do you supply packing materials and parking permits?
We bring pads, shrink wrap, dollies, and tools on every job, and we can provide and handle packing if you want it. For tight downtown and historic-district streets we will tell you when an on-street parking permit or reserved loading zone is needed and help you arrange it before move day.