Moving your home, office or business is a big decision that requires planning and care.
To help you get started we’ve compiled brief answers to some of the most common queries we get from our clients.
Don’t see what you are you are looking for?
Check out our moving tips or contact us, we’re always happy to help.
Picking a trusted certified mover is key to making sure your relocation goes smoothly. All Service Moving brings decades of experience to your transfer and is fully insured and licensed by both state and federal authorities. Our business core is providing above-expectation delivery and personalized service.
Beyond meeting your scheduling and financial requirements, we recommend you read a company’s reviews and research their certifications and awards. Learn more about hiring the right mover.
Since every move is unique, our sales team performs a detailed intake with you to plan for the most efficient number of trucks, movers, and length of your move. We only bill for time used, and our vehicles arrive with all equipment necessary to transport your items safely and securely. See our rates.
Additional materials, such as boxes, packing tape, padding material, or articles you wish to keep (such as moving blankets) are also available. If needed, you should plan for parking permits or tolls (such as the Washington ferry). Additional stops for donation or disposal in your move plan are also a consideration.
A small deposit is required to reserve a specific date and time on our schedule. This deposit is credited toward the cost of the move unless the move is canceled or rescheduled. The final payment is collected on-site at the end of your relocation by the crew lead. We accept major credit cards or checks accompanied with valid ID.
Why do you require a deposit? As a service-based company, we pride ourselves on delivering quality and prompt executions of your move. To best schedule our teams, we require a deposit from our clients to hold preferred dates and time. If you have additional questions regarding our deposits, feel free to call our office 503.810.2770.
Nope, not at all. Our highly trained staff has a unique intake process to quickly and efficiently assess your moving needs.
The best part? You do not have to list out every item in your move in order to receive a realistic, well-informed quote!
If you have oversized furnishings, or specific directions on any items, let your move coordinator know so they can notate these items for your crew in advance. Before the movers arrive you’ll want to make sure you’ve unplugged all appliances, defrosted the fridge and kept your plants dry for at least 48 hours.
For detailed checklists and in-depth advice see our moving tips.
Preparing your home for a move can seem daunting, we recommend slicing your work up into phases and going room by room. Decluttering before the move will save you both time and money.
When packing, here are few things to keep in mind:
Use comparably sized containers. Primarily when re-purposing boxes (think Amazon), utilize similar sized boxes. Even sizing makes loading and unloading faster.
Use standard size boxes. Sure, you can pack that refrigerator container full of clothing. We can move it, but the container itself likely won’t hold up. If you need boxes, we also sell them.
If it’s too heavy to lift easily, it probably shouldn’t be boxed. Heavy items can break boxes and may get damaged. Our expert crews will pad wrap bulky or heavy items to ensure their safety.
Be aware of padding and weight. Make sure fragile items are well padded inside their containers to prevent shifting and damage. Stay away from over-stuffing or over weighing boxes, as even a standard size box full of books may break.
Label your boxes by room, and stack room types together. Labeling as you pack will help your movers quickly unload your items at your final destination.
Pay attention to drawer contents. When packing up your dressers, it’s ok to leave lightweight items that are not fragile, as long as the furniture is heavy or made of solid wood. Do not leave delicate or heavy items inside (such as jewelry or books). Empty drawers before the move if your furniture is light, made of particleboard, or self-assembled.
For more tips and tricks from the biz, see our blog here.
All Service Moving always recommends you personally transport valuables such as jewelry, medical records, financial paperwork, or highly sentimental items. Putting these aside when you pack will keep these items readily accessible for you to bring to your new home.
We can’t move Fido. By law, there are certain items prohibited from household goods transportation. These include combustible or flammable items, perishable or open foods, propane tanks, cleaning products or ammunition, and yes, pets. The American Moving & Storage Association (ASMA) offers an excellent overview on this topic. If you’re unsure about a particular item, give us a ring. We’re always happy to help.
Yes! We’ve got everything from boxes to shrink wrap, handtrucks and moving blankets.
Our supplies and equipment rates can be found here. You can also stop by our warehouse any time during business hours.
Customers are responsible for any parking needed for the trucks. All of our trucks require at least two spaces, and about a 15′ clearance. If your home or business doesn’t have private parking, you’ll want to secure permits in advance (generally 5 – 7 business days processing time). Parking permits for Portland , Seattle and most locations are available through the city’s transportation office. Our team is happy to help if you require additional assistance or an email for an HOA or apartment manager.
As a household mover, we are legally obliged to charge only for services provided. For local moves, you are charged for time and supplies used beyond any mandated minimums. See our rates.
Long-distance services are quoted based on the options you choose for your relocation plan, and are binding flat rates unless additional services are added.
Our standard commercial rates are billed by the hour. Flat-rate services are available on a case-by-case basis at our management’s discretion. Call us for a complimentary evaluation!
Because every commercial move is different, we conduct an on-site review to ensure we include all the services required in your move plan. For the most accurate estimate, it is good to have the following information on hand:
Our estimators will help you strategize the most efficient execution to maximize your work-flow during your relocation. In addition to moving your infrastructure, we can also assist with internal team and external vendor coordination. Learn more about our commercial move services.
Absolutely! No job is too small or too large.
We have contracted to move hot-tubs, cement blocks, a china hutch, and other too-big-for-me items on a one-off basis.
However, since we are a licensed moving company, we do have minimum billing hours.
Always!
Donating unneeded items not only helps your community, it can lessen the load of your move. We only bill for the time to complete donation drops, no additional charge. We always recommend checking with the donation center you would like us to go to in advance to make sure they accept the items.
In addition to donation centers, we are a proud partner with Move For Hunger. Included in all moves is free pick-up of unexpired non-perishable food items which we will donate on your behalf.
If you specify a dump or transfer station, we only bill for time, plus the station’s dump fee. If you do not want to specify a disposal location and would like us to handle the logistics, we bill a disposal rate based on volume.
All household moves come with standard valuation insurance at a minimum. However, insurance preferences vary by client, and may require inventory. For a breakdown of insurance types please see our insurance information to assess which plan is right for you.
Most of our customers prefer to perform their own inventory prior to our arrival. An inventory of your items is only performed at your request and may incur additional costs. If you would like inventory services included in your move, please let your move coordinator know when booking.
You are always welcome to give us a call with specific questions to help you make the best decisions for your relocation.
We most certainly do!
We offer private, secure, climate controlled storage pro-rated to your move in and move out dates. As a secure private facility, storage visits are chaperoned and require advance booking to protect our clients’ property.
We are a full-service provider, you are not required to be present for the move-in and move-out. Sit back and relax in the comfort of your home or a coffee shop etc while we take care of your storage transfer!
We recommend you set aside the essentials you and your family will need for the day or two following your move. Prepping the basics will help you minimize the stress of finding necessities after a 10-hour move amid 70 boxes. A good foundation will cover snacks, toiletries, and entertainment for your whole family. If you have small children, bringing one or two toys to keep them entertained during the move is also helpful. We’ve also got a blog about that – see our things not to forget on your move day.
While we always recommend that you are present during your relocation, you can assign the move management to someone else if they are at least 18 years of age.
Whoever will be taking point on your behalf will be required to sign the initial paperwork. If you plan on being absent through the end of your relocation, we’ll need advance payment approval, as we charge upon completion of the day’s work. Please let us know at least 48 hours in advance if you will be assigning another person to take point so we can accommodate your needs.
We book moves based on a firm arrival time, or arrival window.
If you are given a window, you will always receive a call at least 30 minutes prior to arrival, unless arranged otherwise. If you require a specific arrival time, please let your move coordinator know during booking.
After booking your preferred dates, you receive a confirmation email with the time and date of your move. This email also includes state and federal guidelines as applicable to your relocation.
During your relocation, you receive a Bill of Lading, which functions as your service receipt for the day. For multiple-day transfers, you receive a Bill of Lading for each day of service. When using a credit card, we send a copy of the charge transaction to the email given during booking.
A bill of lading is your physical receipt for your move.
It denotes in detail the number of hours your crew worked, pricing and the final cost of your move day. For multiple day transfers, you will receive a Bill of Lading for each day of the move.
You can view a sample Bill of Lading here, and find out more about your Bill of Lading and other moving terminology on our blog.
As part of our five-star service, we make it a point to always be on-time. However, even we can’t control traffic (we wish we could!) Your Crew Lead will always contact you with updates if we are deviating from the scheduled arrival.
If for any reason we are running behind, rest assured that you will only be billed for actual time spent performing your relocation.
We are required to have an authorized person approve the start of the move. If you are running late, please let us know, billing starts upon arrival of the crews.
If you anticipate potentially running behind, please let us know at least 1 day in advance. We will try to adjust the schedule as allows. For arrival window appointments, the contact person on the booking will receive a call 30 minutes prior to the crew’s arrival. We will always try and work with you inasmuch as scheduling allows.
Thank you! We hope to always exceed your expectations, and love to hear when any of our team goes above and beyond.
To give props to a specific member of our crew you can call us, or email move@allservicemoving.com
We always appreciate a shout out on Yelp, Angie’s List or Google. Reviews from our clients help spread the word about our excelling service.
No problem, please call our office at least 1 day in advance to make arrangements if you will not be at the location.
(And may we mention that’s a very nice gift!).
Tipping, although greatly appreciated, is never expected.
Gratuity may be added to the overall cost of the move, if you so choose. You can also tip your movers in cash separately from the billing transaction.
We collect payment on-site at the end of each day’s move. Payments are processed by your crew lead.
We accept all major credit cards or personal checks with valid ID. We do not accept cash, however you are welcome to tip your movers with cash if you choose to apply a gratuity.
Our goal is always to provide impeccable service from your first inquiry, but we understand that sometimes concerns do arise.
As part of our commitment to our you, we want to address these as quickly and efficiently as possible. Please give our office team a call as soon as possible during or after your move. Our team will listen to your concerns and work with you to rectify any issues promptly and professionally.
We look forward to exceeding your expectations.