Move Info

Things you should do

Reserve parking

Reserving Parking is especially key as a distant spot means we have to carry items farther than necessary and this can add very significant time and therefore cost. Seriously, you’d be surprised how much of a difference a 30 foot walk, residence-to-truck, and a 200 foot walk makes. We cannot reserve parking for your move. You will need to visit your city’s website to secure those parking reservations. We highly recommend that you reserve parking all day as well, even if your reservation is in the afternoon. We ask you reserve parking ON THE SAME SIDE of the street as your residence. We do not cross streets or want to interact with traffic while carrying heavy objects. This is a safety hazard for us.

When applying for a permit, you’ll need to select “home owner,” “tenant,” or “individual,” instead of choosing “business/organization” since it is a permit you apply for yourself. Detailed instructions for obtaining DC parking permits can be found here, Arlington here, and Alexandria here.
Please note, once you’ve applied for, printed, and posted your parking reservations, please call to activate your signs 72 hours in advance of the move.
Our 16’ truck is 35′ total when the ramp is down and is 11 feet in height. The truck needs about 2-3 car lengths and at least a 10 foot wide alley.
Our 26’ truck is 55’ total when the ramp is down and is 13’ in height. The truck needs about 5 car lengths and at least a 12 foot wide alley.

Reserve loading dock and elevator

We always recommend reserving the loading dock and elevator at your building if relevant and possible. Not having these reserved adds significant time to moves. Reserving the widest reservation possible is generally the best bet. We’re used to dealing with buildings’ limited reservation windows so don’t panic if it seems like the available reservations don’t match well with our availability. Just send us an email about it and we can help you select the best reservation for your move.

Things you should know

Cancellation and Rescheduling Fees

Standard Cancellation Fee Policy

We wish we didn’t have to, but when clients cancel on short notice it can be difficult to find a replacement move for our crews. We are determined to pay our crews a living wage and three hour minimums and cancellation fees are both aspects of that commitment.

If you cancel or reschedule:

within one week, we charge 1 hour’s fee, based on your hourly rate
within 48 hours, we charge a 2 hour fee
after close of business the night before your move or on the day of your job, we charge the full quoted minimum

All adjustments to your reservation, either rescheduling or canceling, must be requested via email; we absolutely do not accept cancellations via telephone. So please try to do everything in your power to not cancel your move! One thing to check is that your buildings don’t have any move date/time restrictions, or elevator restrictions. These fees do not apply if the rescheduling is due to an Act of God (blizzard, terrorism, collapsed bridges).

Insurance

We are fully licensed under the Department of Transportation (DOT# 2005212) and Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (MC# 707471). Many other companies in this industry are not. You can check here.

Please be aware that the industry standard coverage and our coverage for damaged/lost items is $0.60/lb. If you would like more protection we offer Full Value Protection for purchase on some or all of your items. Please let us know if you are interested! FVP needs to be finalized at least 10 business days prior to a move.
We are also insured to our eyeballs, with general liability, cargo, auto, workers compensation, and a general umbrella policy. This is a very large expense for us, but 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 to a loading dock, or worse, an injury. Be careful out there and remember to ask for proof of insurance before booking a move.
If your building requires adding them to our insurance policy as an “Additional Insured”, please let us know at least 5 days ahead of the move date. Most buildings do not require this. We cannot guarantee day of move insurance update requests.
We also have an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau.

Tips for your Move

These preparations help make for a more efficient move:

Reserve any relevant elevators, loading docks and parking spaces.
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.
Remove and box up loose items and contents from any dresser, desk, file cabinet, wardrobe or armoire. This makes these items easier and safer to move. We cannot move these items while full as it might damage the structural integrity of the piece.
Take smaller and fragile items yourself, if possible.
Disassemble large furniture items beforehand, if possible. Please note, if you handle the disassembly, we can not reassemble.

Questions to ask yourself as your move approaches

Will someone be at each location?
- You (or a proxy) must be present at all locations for the duration of your move. We hold ourselves to a high standard and want to make sure the job is completed fully and the client (or proxy) then signs the paperwork.
Does Bookstore Movers have all addresses involved and the best number to reach you on the day of your move?
- If you already gave us this information, there’s no need to resend. Just let us know if there are any updates.
Has the parking situation been addressed? Have you reserved parking, if necessary?
Have any unusual circumstances come up that Bookstore Movers should be informed about?
Does Bookstore Movers have an accurate furniture list and box count?
- 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 two trips are required. Please note the sooner you can notify us, the better chance we’ll be able to change your crew or truck size. Please note we cannot always even make a second trip. Getting an accurate inventory list from our clients is the best way to guarantee a smooth move.
Do I have transportation to my second location?
- Due to insurance reasons we cannot take passengers in the truck
Do I have payment available at the completion of the move?
- Bookstore Movers accepts cash, check, and all major credit cards.
Should I expect a follow-up email from Bookstore Movers before my move?
- Yes! We’ll be in touch by the night before your move with your specific crew assignment including your crew chief’s name and phone number for communication on the day of your move.

Your team

We only hire the best movers. Because there are a myriad of expenses involved in providing a safe moving truck and crew, our movers rely on tips as a portion of their take-home pay. If you appreciate their work, let them know.
Learn more about the Bookstore Mover family here.