After 20 years of moving in metro areas, our moving crews have a lot of experience moving in and out of apartment buildings.  Unlike a single family home, apartment building management often have rules in place to ensure that moves in and out of the premises are smooth and successful.  Following is a checklist to make sure that you’re cooperating with the management of your new (or soon to be former) home.

  • Talk to your building management.  This is the first step to ensuring you know what needs to be done before your move.  It’s best to check the rules with both your origin and destination apartment buildings even before you call the moving company.  This helps move along the planning of your move.  Ask reception, the sales office, and management company of your building what they need from you and your moving company before move day, as well as any moving advice.  After all, they see residents make moves in their building almost every month, so they’re experts!
  • Make an elevator reservation.  Most buildings require an elevator reservation for moving day.  This gives the building notice to prep an elevator for moving, and ensure that multiple companies are not booked for the elevator at once.  Ask your moving company for the crew’s arrival time well in advance so that you know which time slot to reserve.  Even if you don’t need the elevator for your move, some buildings still require a reservation for the moving company.
  • Get details on the loading dock.  Many buildings in urban areas have a loading dock for moves and deliveries.  Check what size truck will fit in the loading dock and whether you will need a reservation to use it.
  • Check if you need a parking permit.  If you live in an urban area and your building does not have a loading dock, you will likely need a parking permit for the moving truck.  Ask your moving company to obtain one for you (they typically need at least a week’s notice), or learn how to obtain one yourself here.
  • Ask your moving company for a certificate of insurance (COI).  All professional moving companies will be able to provide your building with a certificate of insurance.   This document proves to your building that your moving company is insured, and will be able to pay if any damage to the building were to occur.  Be sure you’re asking your moving company to provide this document at least a few days before the move, since the moving company will need to get the template from the apartment building, request the document from their insurance company, then return it to the building.
  • Give your moving company the access details.  Usually, loading or unloading the truck takes longer in an apartment buildings versus a single family home.  Be sure to tell your moving company which floor you are located on, the distance of the elevator from the loading dock, and the distance of the elevator to your front door.  This will help  your moving company give you a more accurate estimate and prepare the crew on moving day.