High-Rise & Condo Moving Guide for the DMV

The short version

Call both buildings as soon as you have a date. Get four things in writing from each one, send the insurance requirements to your mover the same day, and book the freight elevator for longer than you think you need.

• The days and hours when moves are allowed
• A freight elevator reservation, and how long the slot is
• Where the truck parks, and the height limit if there is a dock or garage
• The insurance certificate requirements, and the deadline for sending it

Step 1: Call both buildings (3 to 4 weeks out)

You are dealing with two sets of rules, the building you are leaving and the one you are moving into. Call or email both management offices and ask the questions below. Ask for the answers by email so you can forward them to your mover.

• Which days and hours are moves allowed? Many DMV buildings limit moves to weekdays or to set weekend windows.
• How do I reserve the freight or service elevator, and how long is a slot?
• Is there a fee or a refundable deposit for the elevator or the move?
• Where does the truck park, and is there a height limit on the dock or garage?
• Do movers need a certificate of insurance? Who does it go to, and by when?
• Does the building pad the elevator and protect the floors, or should the movers bring their own?
• Which entrance and route should the crew use?

Step 2: Send the insurance requirements to your mover

A certificate of insurance, or COI, is a one-page form from the mover's insurer that shows their coverage and names your building. Most buildings have a written requirement sheet. Ask for it and forward it to your mover as soon as you book, because the building has to accept the certificate before it releases the elevator.

The list below comes from a requirement sheet a downtown Bethesda building sent us. Yours will differ, so go by your own building's sheet.

• An ACORD 25 certificate, the standard form insurers use
• Three named companies tied to the building listed as additional insured, and a copy of the policy endorsement that adds them
• General liability of $1,000,000 per occurrence and $2,000,000 aggregate
• Auto liability of $1,000,000
• Workers' compensation for the crew
• The certificate delivered to the management office before move-in day

Step 3: Book the elevator and the truck spot

Reserve the elevator at both buildings for the same day, with the move-out slot first and enough of a gap to drive between them. A one-bedroom usually needs about two hours of elevator time at the move-out end, where the wrapping and loading happen, and a little over an hour at the move-in end. A two-bedroom needs about an hour more at each end. Book a longer slot than you expect to use. A shared or slow elevator is the most common reason a high-rise move runs late.

Then sort out where the truck goes.

• Loading dock. Ask for the clearance height. A 15 foot box truck needs about 12 feet, which is more than most parking garages allow.
• No dock. The truck needs legal curb space near the service entrance. DC and Arlington let you reserve it with a permit, and our city guides list the steps.
• Ask whether the dock has to be booked separately from the elevator.

Step 4: Get your home ready (the week before)

The elevator clock starts when the crew arrives, so anything you finish ahead of time buys you room inside the window.

• Finish packing two days before, and stack boxes near the door.
• Take apart anything you plan to disassemble yourself. Bag the hardware and tape it to the piece.
• Measure your longest pieces against the elevator door and cab. Tell your mover about anything over 7 feet.
• Photograph TVs, mirrors, and art before they are wrapped.
• Label every box with the room it goes to at the new place.
• Confirm both elevator reservations two days out, and ask each office to confirm by email that the insurance certificate was accepted.

What move day looks like

This is a typical day for a one-bedroom moving between two elevator buildings with a three-person crew and an 11am start.

• 11:00. The crew checks in at the front desk, pads the elevator if the building has not, and walks the unit with you.
• 11:10 to 12:05. Furniture is wrapped in moving blankets, TVs are boxed, and mirrors and art are wrapped.
• 12:05 to 1:20. Loading. One mover stays with the elevator while the others run carts between the unit and the truck.
• 1:20 to 1:55. The drive to the new building.
• 1:55 to 3:10. Check-in, unloading, placing furniture where you want it, and unwrapping.

What goes wrong, and how to avoid it

Nearly every bad high-rise move traces back to one of five things.

• The certificate is rejected the day before. Send the requirement sheet when you book and get the office's acceptance in writing.
• The elevator slot runs out. Book extra time and have everything packed before the crew arrives.
• The truck does not fit the dock. Get the clearance height and pass it to your mover.
• Another resident has the elevator. Confirm your reservation two days out and note who confirmed it.
• The building only allows weekday moves. Ask about days and hours before you set your date.

How this affects the price

With a flat rate, a slow elevator or a long hallway does not change what you pay, as long as we knew about it when we quoted. Tell us about both buildings up front. Shared elevators and long walks from the truck are part of what we price, along with how much you are moving.