Movers in Watertown, MA

The upstairs unit problem

Watertown has a lot of two-family houses where the second-floor unit has its own staircase. Those stairs are often steep and narrow, with a tight turn halfway up. A queen box spring can be the hardest piece in the whole move. We check the tricky items against the stairway before we lift them, and we take legs, headboards and table tops off when that's what it takes.

If you're not sure something will fit, measure the narrowest point of the staircase and the item, and put both numbers on the quote form. Big sectionals and old armoires are the usual troublemakers.

Attic bedrooms on the third floor add another flight. Tell us about them so the estimate reflects it.

Old two-families also have old railings and plaster walls. We pad door frames and railings where things are tight, so if there's a newel post or a wall corner you care about, point it out and we'll keep a blanket on it.

Where the truck goes

Side streets off Mount Auburn Street and Main Street fill up with parked cars, and many driveways are shared between the two units. If you can, ask your neighbors to keep a stretch of curb clear in front of the house on moving day. The closer the truck is to the door, the fewer billed minutes we spend walking.

We don't know of a set moving permit rule for every Watertown street, so check with the town before your date.

Newer apartment buildings around Arsenal Street and Arsenal Yards usually have a loading area and reserved elevator time. Those moves are about booking the slot, not about parking.

In winter, snowbanks can eat half the curb. If a storm is coming the week of your move, shovel out a truck-length space in front of the house and keep a path clear from the door to the street. Rain doesn't stop us, but it does mean more blankets and a slower pace on the porch steps.

Short hops to Cambridge, Belmont and Newton

Many Watertown moves are short hops across the river to Newton, over to Belmont, or into Cambridge along Mount Auburn Street or Arsenal Street. Moving into Cambridge means the Cambridge side needs a moving van permit and posted no-parking signs through the city's Traffic, Parking & Transportation department, so apply early. September 1 is a heavy day in Cambridge too.

A full two-family with a basement might need 3 movers at $169/hr. You get the exact number in writing first.

We bring blankets, pads, dollies, straps and tools at no charge, and basic disassembly and reassembly is included.

If you're moving out of Watertown entirely, up to the North Shore or out toward Metro West, we can do that the same day. We also take labor-only jobs if you've already rented a truck or a container and just need people to load it.