A SMART MOVE FAQs

Local Move: This type of move is confined within the boundaries of your state and typically covers distances up to 150 miles. Local moves are generally completed within a single day and are calculated based on time and manpower required.

Interstate Move: An interstate move involves relocating goods across state lines or international borders. This type of move is subject to federal regulations and is typically based on the weight of your belongings and the distance traveled. It requires detailed planning and coordination due to the involvement of different jurisdictions.

Intrastate Move: Unlike interstate moves, intrastate relocations occur within the same state and exceed the local move distance of 150 miles. Although the move does not cross state lines, it still requires considerable planning and follows state-specific regulations and pricing structures.

At present, A SMART MOVE does not directly handle long-distance, interstate, or international moves. However, we understand the importance of finding reliable and efficient moving solutions for these types of relocations. To assist our clients, we have established partnerships with several reputable moving companies that specialize in these areas.

We specialize in relocating office and commercial spaces. For personalized assistance and detailed information, please contact our Moving Experts at 858-790-8394.

Complimentary 1 hour on-site estimates are available for properties exceeding 1,000 square feet, with no obligation attached. For properties under this size, we provide free virtual assessment options.

Our fees for local relocations are primarily determined by the quantity of Relocation Associates required, the duration of the move, and the travel time between your current and future locations, with a basis of a 3 hour minimum after which you get charged in 15 minute increments.

In compliance with California regulations, we are required to apply a double-drive time charge. This cost is incorporated into the hourly rate provided and will not be itemized as a separate fee.

The Double Drive Time Law (DDT), passed by the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC), requires California based moving companies to double the amount of time it takes to get from the origin point to the destination point at the agreed upon hourly rate. This law applies to ALL moving companies in the state of California.

Your move Includes FREE:

- Floor & Door Protection

- Use of 4 Wardrobe Boxes

- Shrink Wrap & Tape

- Blankets & Moving Pads

- Furniture Disassembly/Reassembly

- TV Dismount only

- Dollies, Power Tools & Straps

** NO HIDDEN FEES OR FUEL CHARGES**

We do not offer flat rate pricing as we prioritize providing personalized and tailored moving experiences. We believe each client and move is unique, and our pricing reflects only the services you specifically require, ensuring you do not pay for unnecessary extras.

Our local move pricing is based on an hourly rate, which encompasses all aspects of the move, including the use of stairs, elevators, and navigating long driveways or walkways. There are no additional charges specifically for these conditions.

Rest assured, you will not incur charges for any break time taken by our movers.

Gratuity is not included in our pricing and is not obligatory. However, if you feel the service provided merits it, tips are gratefully accepted.

Our services are available every day of the week, with the exception of National Holidays.

Due to our insurance regulations, we are unable to permit clients to accompany our movers in the vehicle.

We provide valuation protection for your belongings, which differs from traditional full-coverage insurance. Valuation determines the compensation a moving company is responsible for if items are damaged or lost during transit. The coverage levels are established by state regulations for local moves and federal guidelines for interstate relocations.

In California, the standard valuation coverage included in your move equates to $0.60 per pound per item. This means the valuation is strictly based on the item's weight, regardless of its actual value—both a one-pound bag of sugar and a one-pound bag of diamonds would be valued at $0.60.

Should your possessions hold value exceeding the basic $0.60 per pound coverage, we strongly recommend considering additional insurance to ensure full protection during your move. For further details or to explore your options, please contact our Moving Experts at 858-790-8394.

Regulatory guidelines prevent us and other reputable moving companies from providing exact time estimates for local moves over the phone. Instead, we are required to offer rates based on typical moving scenarios. Each move is distinct, influenced by various factors unique to your situation, hence the duration of your move can vary.

To ensure a smooth moving process, we recommend contacting our Moving Experts at 858-790-8394. They will provide you with a comprehensive moving and packing checklist. Kindly note that if we are moving fridge, freezers, washers, dryers or similar items, these need to be disconnected and emptied prior to our arrival.

If you opt for self-packing, it is essential that all your belongings are fully packed in boxes and ready for transport by moving day. Our team will take care of securely wrapping your larger pieces and furniture. For inquiries about our comprehensive packing services, please contact our Moving Experts at 858-790-8394, who are available to provide detailed information and answer any questions you may have.

Our team provides a range of packing and unpacking services designed to accommodate various budgets. For more details and to discuss your specific needs, please reach out to our Moving Experts at 858-790-8394. We are here to answer any questions and assist you throughout the process.

For an estimate of the number of boxes required for your move, please refer to the guide available on our website. Should you require additional assistance or have specific questions, our Moving Experts are available at 858-790-8394 to provide personalized support. Keep in mind, most people find they have more belongings than initially anticipated.

We provide four complimentary wardrobe boxes for use during your move, which are to be returned upon completion of the relocation process.

Currently, A SMART MOVE does not offer direct on-site storage facilities. Recognizing the significance of secure and dependable storage for our clients, we have formed collaborations with a selection of storage providers throughout San Diego. We are committed to assisting you in finding the most suitable storage solutions to meet your needs.

At this time, A SMART MOVE does not provide direct car moving services. However, understanding the necessity for reliable and secure vehicle transportation, we have partnered with various esteemed car moving service providers. We are committed to assisting you in finding suitable solutions for your vehicle relocation needs.

We can relocating upright pianos, which are subject to an additional charge due to their size and care requirements. For grand or larger pianos, we are pleased to recommend expert services dedicated to their safe and professional transportation.

We accommodate the transportation of plants for local relocations. However, please be advised that while we handle your plants with care, we cannot assume responsibility for any damage, such as broken leaves or branches, that may occur during transit.

We provide specialized services for the safe handling and transportation of antiques and artwork. This includes custom crating solutions, available for an additional fee, designed to protect your valuable items during the move. We kindly request that all high-value pieces be declared at the time of booking, and we recommend ensuring these items are fully insured for their protection.

We do not provide moving services for lithium batteries or items containing lithium batteries. For safety reasons, these items must be personally transported by the client.

We do not transport open alcohol containers or any other types of open liquids. Unopened liquids can be moved but must be securely packaged, preferably in a plastic container, to minimize the risk of damage to other items. Please inform our Relocation Associates on moving day about boxes containing liquids and group them together for efficient handling. While we can accommodate these items, we recommend that you personally transport your liquids whenever possible.

Yes, we are comprehensively licensed, holding a US DOT number, CA number, and Cal T number. You can find links to verify our licenses at the bottom of our website. For detailed explanations of these credentials and their importance, please visit https://bhgs.dca.ca.gov/. Whether you use us of not, we highly recommend that you never use a moving company that is not fully licensed and insured.

We encourage you to review our hundreds of five-star ratings on all the regular platforms, all provided by genuine customers sharing their experiences. These testimonials reflect the quality and reliability of our services.

A+! We have held this distinction for many years!

Our commitment to excellence in service has been recognized with numerous awards, including the prestigious Forbes Award for Best Mover in San Diego, Best House Mover, and Entrepreneur of the Year, among others.

Our commitment to transparency and fairness in pricing is reflected in our outstanding reputation and industry accolades. A strong reputation is built on consistent customer satisfaction, not on exorbitant fees or hidden charges. This principle underpins our business ethos, ensuring that we provide excellent service at competitive rates. Our numerous awards and the plethora of five-star reviews from our clients attest to our commitment to value and integrity. Rest assured, with us, you will receive a fair and transparent quote aligned with our high-quality service standards.

Our company has been providing exceptional moving services since 2013, marking over a decade in the industry. The longevity of a moving company is a crucial indicator of its reliability and the quality of service it provides. Extensive experience means we've honed our skills over many years, ensuring efficient, effective, and customer-focused moving solutions. Our sustained operation over more than ten years demonstrates a continued trust from our clients, affirming our commitment to excellence and customer satisfaction in every move we undertake.

On moving day, ensuring the safety and comfort of your pets is crucial. Place your pets in a quiet and secure area, such as a bathroom or a crate, away from the moving activity. This helps reduce their stress and prevents them from running out of the house as movers come and go. Remember, moving can be stressful for pets, so it's important to give them extra attention and care during this time.

On moving day, ensuring the safety and comfort of your children is crucial. If possible, arrange for a trusted friend, family member, or professional childcare provider to look after young children during the move. This keeps them safe and reduces their stress associated with the chaos of moving. Remember, each child is different and may react to moving in their own way. Be supportive and open to their feelings throughout the moving process.

Included in our Total Move Management package, we offer coordination services to connect you with trusted professionals, such as handymen, electricians, plumber, cleaners or similar services, to address any pre or post move requirements. For more details on how we can facilitate a seamless transition through our Total Move Management process, please contact our Moving Experts at 858-790-8394.

Ideally, you should book your moving service at least four to six weeks in advance, especially if you plan to move during peak season (summer, weekends, end of the month). This ensures you secure the desired date and time for your move. However, we understand that situations can vary, and we will do our best to accommodate last-minute bookings when possible.

We require a 10% deposit at time of booking to secure service.

In the unlikely event that an item is damaged or lost during the move, please notify us immediately. We will guide you through the claims process. Our team is committed to addressing and resolving any issues promptly to ensure your satisfaction.

Moving companies cannot transport perishable foods or hazardous materials. We recommend consuming or donating perishable items and properly disposing of hazardous materials before your move. Please ask one of our Moving Experts on 858-790-8394 if you require a comprehensive list of hazardous materials.

Yes, it is best that you or a designated representative are present during both the loading and unloading phases to oversee the process and answer any questions the movers might have.

Unexpected circumstances may arise, leading to a need to cancel or reschedule your service. To assist us in managing our schedule efficiently and to avoid unnecessary costs, we kindly request that you notify us of any changes to your service plans. Please contact us at 858-790-8394 or email us at hello@asmartmove.co at least 72 hours prior to your scheduled service date. You must also receive written confirmation of our receipt of your cancellation or rescheduling of service. Failure to provide timely notice may result in you being responsible for the full cost of the move, as outlined in our agreement. We appreciate your understanding and cooperation in this matter.

Our moves are exclusively handled by A SMART MOVE’s fully trained and background-checked employees, who have undergone rigorous training to excel in their respective fields. We do not use subcontractors, ensuring a high standard of service and accountability directly from our dedicated team.

Our estimation process involves a comprehensive review by a Moving Expert, either through an in-home or virtual visit. During this assessment, the expert will evaluate the weight and volume of the items you intend to move. They will also discuss key details of your move, including dates, optional services such as packing and unpacking, the rental of moving boxes, and any other total mve management requirements you might have. Throughout this visit, we encourage you to ask questions to ensure all your concerns are addressed. Following the evaluation, you will receive a personalized, written estimate via email for your review.

Contact your Moving Expert if you need to add or subtract any items from your move plan and they can assist you with any changes or updates. Keep in mind your cost estimate may change.

All loose items must be packed in boxes to prevent loss or damage while moving. It is recommended that you pack all items and leave the drawers empty.

We strongly recommended that you carry irreplaceable and expensive articles with you. Items of extraordinary value such as jewelry, money, antiques, stamp collections and similar, are best to stay with you or make alternate arrangements for their transport.

Our hard eco-friendly plastic boxes are waterproof, crushproof, clean and sanitized. They also have an easy grip handle, come with free labels and zip ties, and can hold up to 2 times more than cardboard moving boxes.

The boxes may be free but you do not know what has been in there before. Cardboard boxes can trap dirt, bed bugs, pet dander, chemicals or bacteria that you do not want to transfer onto your clothes, linens, and personal items! And do you really want to spend hours of hassle with finding, picking-up, building, breaking, and then disposing of cardboard boxes. Collecting cardboard boxes is not as easy as it sounds. Either you're going to be dumpster diving in the back of grocery stores or driving to the home of a stranger you found on Craigslist. And Did we mention they don’t have handles? We could go on, but you get our point!

• Absolutely! Here are five ways you'll save:
  
  

1. A SMART MOVE moving boxes are much stronger than cardboard so you'll be able to pack more in our boxes without worrying about the bottom falling out. This means you'll need fewer boxes.
2. If you value your time and would rather NOT spend hours gathering, building, breaking, and disposing of cardboard boxes, our moving boxes are delivered to you ready to be packed, saving you hours of valuable time.
3. A SMART MOVE moving boxes have self attached lids which means you won't need to spend extra money on rolls of packing tape. Our boxes don’t need tape. Just close the interlocking lids and you're done.
4. A SMART MOVE moving boxes are designed to uniformly stack on top of one another making it super easy for movers to wheel them in and out of your home/office and into a moving truck. With movers charging an average of $150/hr, even shaving just 1 hour off the total move time will have the boxes pay for themselves. 
5. Our green moving boxes are being reused time and time again allowing us to pass those savings onto you. Avoid the additional cost associated with purchasing cardboard boxes. 

A SMART MOVE moving boxes come in two sizes: Our standard green moving box comes in 27 inches long by 17 inches wide by 12 inches high and our small gray moving box, designed for packing books and delicate items comes in 21 inches long by 15 inches wide by 12 inches high. Both sizes have been ergonomic designed to make our eco-friendly moving boxes easier to stack and pack into a moving van or truck. 

• Our standard green moving box can hold between 40-50lbs and have approximately 3.2 cubic feet of storage

• Our small gray moving box can hold between 30-40lbs and have approximately 2.2 cubic feet of storage

Our cleaning crew thoroughly cleans and sanitizes each moving box by hand after each use, to get them ready for the next happy customer. Used cardboard boxes can contain bugs, dirt, rodent droppings and bacteria. Even new cardboard retains water and moisture, making it a breeding ground for insects and bacteria. Our moving boxes are made from heavy duty plastic, which is dense, durable, waterproof and very bug-unfriendly.

No! We offer free delivery and pickup within our San Diego County, Orange County, and Los Angeles County service area when you order one of our moving box packages. There is an additional delivery and pick-up fee to some zip codes outside of our service area calculated on a per order basis.

Please refer to the residential and commercial packages on our pricing page to determine which moving box package would best fit your moving needs. If you’re between packages and need additional moving supplies, you’ll have an opportunity to add them to your order after you select a moving box package.

• Based on our experience we suggest the following: 

1 bedroom - 20 boxes

2 bedroom - 35 boxes

3 bedroom - 50 boxes

4 bedroom - 75 boxes

5 bedroom - 100 boxes

If you have any other questions, just simply call one of our moving experts on 858-790-8394 who would be happy to guide you

We offer delivery and pickup on our moving boxes Monday through Saturday between the hours of 9am and 5pm. When placing your order you will select the date and time that work best for your schedule. We will contact you by text or email the day before your scheduled delivery date to confirm your two-hour delivery window. If you have a day and time that you’d like to receive your moving boxes when we’re not open, please leave your special request in the notes/comments section of your order. We’ll contact you to discuss potential options in order to meet your moving needs.

Yes, someone over the age of 18 should be there to electronically sign the rental agreement. A copy will be sent to the email we have on file. During the collection someone needs to be present to electronically sign the release form while we count and inspect your moving boxes and dollies. In certain situations we will consider delivering to or picking up from a safe, unattended location.

If you need more moving boxes or moving supplies just call us at 858-790-8394 and one of our moving experts can help you out. Delivery fee may apply, depending on where you live.

We offer delivery and pickup service in most of San Diego County, Orange County, and Los Angeles County. For a detailed list of the cities we serve, you can view our locations page. There is an additional delivery and pick-up fee to some zip codes outside of our service area calculated on a per order basis.

From our experience, a 2-week rental is perfect for a majority of residential customers to get their stuff packed, moved and unpacked. However, we understand that smaller moves can sometimes be done faster and larger moves may need more time. When you place your order, you can select a rental period anywhere from 1 to 4 weeks. If you are doing a home remodel or putting your belongings into storage for a longer period of time, we can sometimes offer discounted monthly pricing (if booked and paid for in advance) depending on box availability.

Yes we will! We offer packing and unpacking services in the San Diego County Area. Our professional packing team is made up of experienced packers and organizers who know the best way to pack your precious items safely.

You will be charged the following for rental items that are not returned:

• $10 - Per File Bar
• $20 - Per Laundry Bag
• $30 - Per Glass Divider
• $40 - Per Plate Divider
• $50 - Per Small Gray Moving Box
• $60 - Per Standard Green Moving Box 
• $100 - Per Wardrobe Box
• $150 - Per Moving Dolly

Renting Moving Boxes In Five Easy Steps:

1. Start by choosing the moving box package that best fit your home or office needs
2. Then, choose your preferred delivery date and time, select the number of boxes you need as well as any add-ons like wardrobe boxes or packing supplies
3. To finish the order enter your contact information and payment method
4. A SMART MOVE will deliver your moving boxes straight to your front door in the San Diego County, Orange County, and Los Angeles County service area. You pack and move enjoying the ease of doing so with stackable, water-resistant bins.
5. A SMART MOVE will pickup your moving boxes, dollies, and any other packing supplies from your new home or office after and you enjoy your new home stress free

Even though the boxes are sturdy and made from heavy duty plastic, which is dense, durable, and waterproof we recommended using our bubble wrap or packing paper to insure your fragile items are secure from damage during moving in transit.

Don’t forget we offer packing and unpacking services in the San Diego County Area. Our professional packing team is made up of experienced packers and organizers who know the best way to pack your precious items safely.

No, our minimum order is 20 boxes.

No. A SMART MOVE moving boxes can only be used for moves within the San Diego County, Orange County, and Los Angeles County service area as there would be no way for us to retrieve the boxes from far away. However for our long distance and overseas moves we do still offer our packing services but will pack into cardboard moving boxes. 

Yes! Please give one of our moving experts a call at 858-790-8394 and they will be happy to help you with that.

Yes! Please give one of our moving experts a call at 858-790-8394 and they will be happy to help you with that. Please note there is no refund or discount for an early collection but we are happy to take them out of your way subject to availability.

Yes! Please contact us by noon the day before your scheduled delivery, and we can add moving boxes or packing supplies.

We understand moving plans can change for any number of reasons. If you would like to cancel an order, it must be done by noon the day before your scheduled delivery date to receive a full refund. If an order cancellation is made after this time but before the delivery, there is a 25% restocking fee. If an order is canceled at the time of the delivery, there is a restocking charge of 50%

Yes! We will happily deliver the moving boxes to your apartment door. 

Here’s a quick rundown on how to put together a wardrobe box.

1. To assemble the wardrobe box, first hold the box bottom side up. Fold the short flaps down first, followed by the larger flaps. Secure the cardboard flaps with packing tape.
2. Next, flip the box over so that the bottom is now on the floor and the top flaps are open at the top.
3. Secure the ends of the hanger bar inside the cut outs located on the top crease of the box. The hanger bar should pop right into these cut outs without a problem.
4. After the hanger bar is secured to the box, you can begin hanging your clothes inside the wardrobe box. Each hanger bar should be able to hang eight or more pieces of clothing on hangers.
5. Once you’ve finished hanging your clothes inside the box, close the two longer flaps on top. These pieces should have a cut out in the middle.
6. Next, take the two shorter flaps and bend the outside edges (these should be cut out) down. As you close these flaps on top of the box, the bent pieces should fit perfectly into the middle center cut out. Secure the last top piece with packing tape.

For a visualization of these instructions, check out this helpful video below.
https://youtu.be/qgFodGRUPs4