Movers in Somerville, MA

The Parking Office permit and the 48-hour rule

To reserve curb space for a moving truck, you need a moving van permit from the city's Parking Office, and the signs must be posted 48 hours before the move. Give yourself more lead time than that around the first of the month, when half the city seems to be doing the same thing.

Most Somerville streets are resident-permit parking, and many are one-way and narrow enough that a box truck stopped in the travel lane blocks everyone. A permitted spot right out front saves real time. Without one, we may be carrying from the end of the block, and that time shows up on the bill.

Hills, porches and third-floor apartments

Winter Hill, Spring Hill and Prospect Hill are steep. On a steep street, the truck ramp sits at an angle, and a loaded dolly wants to roll. We go slower there, strap things tighter and keep someone at the bottom of the ramp.

Inside, the classic Somerville layout is a front door, a narrow hall and a staircase that turns twice on the way to the top floor. Some units also have a back porch stair that's wider on paper but has a low railing. Tell us the floor, the number of turns, and whether there's a basement storage unit or a shed out back we should empty too. A bike or two in the hallway is normal, but let us know so they're out of the way before we start.

Mattresses and box springs are the items most likely to fight a Somerville staircase. A queen usually goes up on edge with one person below and one above. A king box spring sometimes doesn't make the second turn at all. If you're buying a new bed for a top-floor unit, a split box spring is easier to get upstairs.

Around Davis Square and Union Square, and near the newer Green Line stops, you'll also find some newer elevator buildings. Those are easier on the crew if the elevator is reserved. Assembly Row has its own set of larger buildings with move-in rules, so send those over with your quote.

A typical apartment move, and the cost

For a one-bedroom on a second or third floor, a crew of 3 tends to make sense, with one person wrapping and staging upstairs and two carrying. The exact number depends on the date, the stairs and how much you have.

Blankets, pads, dollies, straps, tools and taking apart the bed frame are included. You get a written estimate before moving day, built from the room-by-room list on our quote form, which takes about two minutes to fill out. If you're short on time, we also do packing and can bring boxes.