Frequently Asked Questions

Without previous experience with a moving company, you will need to do a bit of research. Ask your salesperson for a list of recent referrals. Use The Franklin Report and the Better Business Bureau as resources. Compare website information. In the end, make sure you use a company with a history of good service. Many movers come and go, but certain movers have staying power... and there is usually a reason for both!

Morgan Manhattan does a complete background screen on every individual before they are hired. This includes criminal records checks, motor vehicle checks, pre-employment credit checks, and drug screens. After they are hired they are put through a training program to teach them the skills they need to execute your move correctly. Field evaluations that show any need for additional training are addressed immediately. All personnel are routinely, randomly tested for drug use. With the exception of part-time summer helpers (given limited responsibility, under careful supervision) all of our crews are full-time employees. We never use day laborers or outside contractors.

Most moving companies, including ours, require payment in the form of a bank check – equal to either the original estimated cost of the move or a newer, more accurate estimate of the actual cost of the job. If the final bill comes in higher, you can pay the balance with a personal check. If it comes in lower, you will be issued a prompt refund of any overpayment. We do not accept credit cards for local or international moves.

It has become customary in the industry to collect funds (cash or bank check) prior to delivery of the goods at the destination in order to avoid moving companies finding themselves in the unenviable position of having completed all of their work and without any compensation for their efforts.

Because of the size of the average transaction, credit card companies charge a very significant fee to process moving companies' payments ... in the 2-3% range! Our profit margins are not so large that we can afford to give up that kind of fee, and the law says we can't charge extra if a customer uses a credit card to pay. So, if we were to accept credit cards as a payment option, we would have to increase our prices overall – charging people who do not use a credit card more as well. Rather than artificially increasing our prices to cover the extra expense of accepting credit cards, we have chosen to keep our prices as low as possible and ask people to pay via other methods. The actual cash savings to our customers should outweigh any credit card benefits (i.e. airline miles) since their moving bill will be lower from the start.

Very few people actually live near a moving company! Most moving companies' warehouses are purposely located in industrial areas far from their customer's homes. If you need the services of a mover and you do not have one nearby your home, there will necessarily be a cost to get the crew, the materials, and the truck there. We pay our men hourly and they punch in when they arrive at the warehouse. We absorb the cost of getting the trucks and the material ready to go, but the clock starts when they leave the warehouse. They remain "on the clock" until they return to the warehouse at the end of the day. We could increase our hourly rates slightly to cover the travel time cost, and then make it appear as if we do not charge for travel time, but that would spread the extra cost disproportionately. We believe it is fair to ask you to pay us... since we pay our men as well.

Our drivers, movers, and packers work really hard – many times for long arduous days. Whereas some employers, looking out for their bottom line more than the welfare of their employees, choose to only pay overtime after 40 hours per week, we think it is right to pay our crews overtime after 8 hours per day. After all, many times the hardest work is at the end of a long day and our crews are still working as hard as they were early in the morning! Our estimators will always try to determine if your move is most efficiently handled with fewer, longer days with overtime or more, shorter days without overtime. You can rest assured that if you are better off without overtime your move will be scheduled that way. If overtime is necessary – either because it is best for you or because of unforeseen issues – we charge time and one-half after 8 hours and double time on weekends and holidays.

Some movers intentionally underestimate a move to make themselves look cheaper than their competition. Once your goods are on their truck, you have no leverage when they ask for more money. However, an estimate from a reputable mover is just that ... their good faith projection of the cost of the job as it was presented. The estimator will try to look at everything that is involved with the move and will do his best to estimate the size of the job, how long it will take and how much it will cost. If you make sure you give the estimator a COMPLETE understanding of the task at hand you can be sure that your estimate will be as "correct" as possible.

At the end of the job, you will be asked to pay for the actual cost of the move – whether it is higher or lower than the estimated cost. Even the best moving companies sometimes make mistakes with their estimates. Unforeseen events (weather, traffic, elevator problems, etc.) can influence the execution of a job and therefore the price can be affected. Unless you are aware of things under the mover's control that caused the job to go higher than the estimate, it is only fair that you compensate them for their actual effort to move you.

If you are anxious about hiring a mover based on the estimated cost, you might ask them to give you a "fixed price bid" – i.e. one set price regardless of the actual time, size and effort. Be aware that this option can work against you if the actual costs come in lower than estimated. Movers will tend to increase their estimates to "cover themselves" for unanticipated costs when they provide a fixed price bid.

It has, in fact, become customary to tip moving crews if you feel that they deserve something extra, based on the job they have done. Some movers expect it and others even have been known to demand it!! At Morgan Manhattan a tip is exactly what a tip is supposed to be... never expected and certainly never demanded... a well-appreciated expression of thanks for a job well done. As to how much... the amount is entirely up to you. Our movers will do a fine job for you whether there is a tip or not.

First, we all buy insurance to cover many things that might go bad in our lives... auto accidents, medical problems, burglaries, etc. We do this even though we might be "perfect drivers", in the "picture of health", or have our home protected by the "best security system available". We don't intend for things to happen, but we recognize they may ... and we don't want to be left in a lurch.

The same is true for moving with Morgan Manhattan. The overwhelming vast majority of our moves are trouble-free. But even the most careful preparation and the highest level of professionalism can be undone by an accident or a human miscalculation. For this reason, we recommend that you make sure you are protected. By law, all moving companies (not just Morgan Manhattan) are limited to a very small amount of money as their maximum liability for the goods they move. For a local move, the law states that unless the customer purchases additional coverage, the mover's liability is limited to $0.30 per pound, per item. That translates to $15.00 for a 50 lb. chair or $0.60 for a 2 lb. porcelain figurine!! Without the purchase of additional "Depreciated Value" or "Full Replacement Value" coverage, a mishap with either of these could be costly to say the least.

As with all insurance policy purchases, you are happiest when you never collect on them. That money was used primarily to buy "peace of mind". We will very, very likely do a perfect job when we move you. You will have already bought that peace of mind. The extra coverage just completes the package.

Some material is hazardous to transport in a moving van. Some material is illegal to transport across state lines. Some material travels poorly and will likely be ruined if moved. Some material is so sentimentally valuable or important to you, it is just more comforting to know that you have it in your possession, rather than worrying about it throughout the move.

Some movers save the boxes that were used for another move and offer them at a discount to a different customer. Good, strong cartons are critical to the safe transportation of your goods and we feel most comfortable when we pack your things into boxes with no wear and tear – or even the possibility of it!! In our opinion, the small savings are not worth the big risk.

Many newer storage facilities these days tout their "climate-controlled" conditions as a benefit. Most of these facilities either already had HVAC systems in place before they became storage facilities or the developer included them in the plan for the warehouse because the long-term strategy for the building (i.e. to eventually become an office building) will require it.

The fact of the matter is that a climate-controlled environment is usually much more important to the comfort of the people who spend time in the facility than the safekeeping of the things that are in there!
Certainly, some special items might benefit from heating and air conditioning but virtually all of the items that we normally store for our customers – including museums, art galleries, oil painting restorers, antique stores, antique collectors, and homeowners – do not require this expensive luxury. If you feel you absolutely must have climate-controlled storage we have facilities that are both heated and air-conditioned.

Before you make your decision, consider this. According to Wikipedia:
Early commercial applications of air conditioning were manufactured to cool air for industrial processing rather than personal comfort. In 1902 the first modern electrical air conditioning was invented by Willis Haviland Carrier. Designed to improve manufacturing process control in a printing plant, his invention controlled not only temperature but also humidity. The low heat and humidity were to help maintain consistent paper dimensions and ink alignment. Later Carrier's technology was applied to increase productivity in the workplace, and The Carrier Air Conditioning Company of America was formed to meet rising demand. Over time air conditioning came to be used to improve comfort in homes and automobiles. Residential sales expanded dramatically in the 1950s.

Therefore an antique, made in 1851, likely survived its first 100 years without the benefit of air conditioning! The more important environmental control needed for good, safe, long-term storage is humidity control. Not "low humidity" (i.e. too dry) – consistent, mid-range humidity. The ultimate, real-world, no speculation answer to the question "Should I pay extra for a temperature-controlled environment?" can be summed up as follows... We have an extensive list of long-time customers who have stored their valuable items with Morgan Manhattan in non-climate-controlled facilities – sometimes for decades and decades and decades – with absolutely no problems due to the general environment.

Every night or morning, before the trucks leave the yard, they are cleared of debris and broom cleaned. They are washed on the exterior according to a regular schedule. Every six months, each truck is "sanitized". An aerosol "bomb" is released inside the van's body which leaves it pristine and germ-free. We have spent a considerable amount of money on our fleet and we treat the trucks like the valuable investment they are.

Every night or morning, before the trucks leave the yard, they are cleared of debris and broom cleaned. They are washed on the exterior according to a regular schedule. Every six months, each truck is "sanitized". An aerosol "bomb" is released inside the van's body which leaves it pristine and germ-free. We have spent a considerable amount of money on our fleet and we treat the trucks like the valuable investment they are.

Unfortunately, when one conjures up their image of a mover many times the picture is that of a disheveled, unkempt person. At Morgan Manhattan, we try to strike a good balance between making sure our crews are professional in appearance and safe and comfortable in their clothes. We want them to be able to express themselves in their style of dress and grooming while they also look uniform and part of our team. To this end, we require them to wear our company-issued uniform shirts and jackets and blue pants. When our crew arrives at your home we expect them to be clean and presentable. As the day wears on, they will likely get less and less so!

The two keys to safely transporting your furniture is in the wrapping of the item and loading of the truck. The item should be wrapped in the room it occupies at the origin and then carried to the truck – not vice versa. Carrying it from the room and through the house is when the real possibility of damage can occur if it is not properly protected. Wooden furniture gets wrapped in moving blankets, upholstered furniture gets shrink-wrapped. Safely and correctly loading a moving truck is both an art and a science! Heavy items create a stable "base" and getting the rest of the items to snugly "fit" into the load so they will travel damage-free takes years of experience to master. Our drivers are some of the best in the business! Reverse the process at destination and your furniture should be in the same condition in your new home as I was in the old one!

We go to great lengths to prepare your origin and destination for the move before we touch a single item. Hardwood and tile flooring is protected with sturdy, vinyl "runners" to keep scuffs and dings from happening. The special plastic coating is applied to carpeting to keep it clean. Doors and banisters get custom-made protective padding because these are the places most likely to either take impact or cause dings and dents in furniture if they are left unpadded.

When a packer finishes packing a carton, he labels it with the room it came from and certain key descriptions. If only one (or a few) items went into the carton, he will write the actual items on the outside of the box. If many similar items went into the carton, he will use descriptive words like "Knick-knacks" or "Photographs" or "Desk Contents". If you are concerned about any item(s) in particular, just point them out to the crew chief at the start of the job and he will make sure they are easy to track through the entire process.

When you open a professionally packed carton there is certainly a lot of newsprints! Generous amounts of crumpled newsprint protect packed items very well. However, when unpacking you need to make sure that something of value is not accidentally tossed out because you didn't probe every corner of the box and assess every wad of paper. If you are planning to do your own unpacking, consider having our professionals at least unpack the cartons most likely to have these "hidden" things – the dish packs.

If pricing a move were simple, we could all save a lot of time and aggravation. Unfortunately, pricing a move is anything but simple. Just read our section on Estimates. We do not publish set rates. We establish our price to execute a move only after we see the entire job and understand the task completely. Only then can we make sure we take everything into consideration and give you an estimate that you can count on. "Ballpark" estimates always seem to come back to haunt us. Either they are too high, and we are therefore perceived as too expensive, or they are too low and the customer is disappointed and irritated when the actual job comes in higher.

The way that your move will be priced depends on the type of move you are planning. A long-distance move will be determined by the mileage of your move and the weight of your shipment, with additional charges for any full-service moving solutions that you request. A local move, on the other hand, will be priced based on the amount of time that your move takes and the size of your move, plus any additional full-service moving solutions needed.

Everything will be included in your free estimate. As one of the top Tri-State area moving companies, we strive to be transparent with our clients throughout the moving process and provide every client with a free and accurate upfront estimate so that you can accurately plan and budget for your move. Your moving estimate will include all the services you require, along with optional insurance. If your relocation is being priced by the hour, you may see a slight variation between your estimate and your final cost.

With moving, there are two types of estimates–binding and non-binding. A binding estimate provides you with guaranteed pricing while a non-binding estimate gives you an approximation of your final price tag. The majority of our estimates are binding with guaranteed upfront pricing. However, if your move is being priced by the hour, your estimate will be non-binding.

No, there are no additional fees for stairs, long carries, elevators, heavy items, etc. As a professional and full-service moving company, our team knows exactly how to navigate moving challenges like this and will bring the equipment necessary to ensure that we can carry out your move safely & efficiently.  We make the moving process as easy, convenient, and stress-free as possible for our customers and won’t charge you additional fees for these types of moving challenges.

Yes, we are fully licensed and insured. With us as your moving team, you will have complete peace of mind knowing that your things will be safe in our capable hands. Our moving crews are professional, reliable, utilize proper moving equipment, and will go above and beyond to ensure the safety of your items.

We offer valuation & cargo protection that is included with your move and recommend that you purchase additional “Depreciated Value,” or Full Replacement Value,” coverage options to ensure that, should something go wrong during your move, you are well covered. While we boast an impressive track record of damage-free and worry-free relocations, we want you to have total and complete peace of mind during the moving process, and additional coverage will provide you with exactly that.

It is unlikely that your items will be damaged or lost during the moving process, but should you find yourself in this unfortunate situation, you will need to contact us immediately to file a claim. If items have been damaged, we recommend that you document the damage with a photograph. We will work quickly and diligently to resolve claims and make things right!

We prioritize efficiency during the moving process and will safely transport your things to your new home as quickly as we possibly can. The amount of time that your move takes will depend on several factors including distance and the size of your relocation. The average local move can take anywhere from 2 hours to 8 hours, while long-distance moves can take anywhere from 1-5 days depending on mileage and services required.

We prioritize efficiency during the moving process and will safely transport your things to your new home as quickly as we possibly can. The amount of time that your move takes will depend on several factors including distance and the size of your relocation. The average local move can take anywhere from 2 hours to 8 hours, while long-distance moves can take anywhere from 1-5 days depending on mileage and services required.

For local moves, we provide guaranteed pickup and delivery dates. Because long-distance moves are often more complex, we will provide you with an accurate window of time for pickup and delivery. We prioritize completing every move on schedule. In case of weather delays, traffic delays, or other unforeseen circumstances, we will contact you immediately to explain what has happened and provide you with updated windows.

As the most trusted moving company serving the Tri-State area, we understand that unforeseen circumstances sometimes arise and that your schedule may change. We always try to be flexible and accommodate our customers. Notifying us ASAP about any changes to your moving schedule will improve the likelihood that we will be able to accommodate a change to your schedule.

Yes, our moving professionals are also expert packers and unpackers. Packing & unpacking services are offered as part of our full-service moving solutions. With us, you can be certain that your belongings will be safely & efficiently packaged for transport and quickly unloaded & unpacked at your new home.

We are proud to supply our customers with high-quality boxes and packing materials for full-service relocations. If you have opted to enlist our expert assistance with your packing needs, you can sit back and relax while we utilize our boxes and professional packing materials to safely pack up your items.

Taking advantage of our skilled packing solutions is one way to take the stress out of moving. However, there are still some items that you should pack yourself. These include personal documents like passports, financial documents, & medical records, medication, your moving day bag with a change of clothes, toiletries, & a phone charger, and electronic devices.

With Morgan Manhattan by your side, you won’t have to worry about a thing when it comes to preparing your furniture and appliances. As experienced and conscientious moving professionals, we know exactly how to keep your furniture & appliances safe and your place damage-free during the moving process.

Yes, there are some items that we won’t move due to safety and liability reasons. Be sure to make other arrangements prior to moving day to get rid of things that we won’t be able to transport for you. These include:

• Flammable Items
• Gasoline 
•  Plants
• Combustible Items
• Aerosol Cans
• Paints
• Ammunitions and Explosives

Yes, we can move specialty items like pianos, safes, and artwork. Our specialized moving team has the training, resources, and experience to safely transport high-value, sensitive, fragile, bulky, or otherwise difficult-to-move belongings. For more than a century now, customers have turned to us for safe specialized moving services, so you can count on us for a job well done.

Yes, our full-service moving solutions include furniture disassembly and assembly. We will bring all the tools and equipment necessary to expertly and efficiently disassemble & reassemble your furniture so that it is able to fit through doorways, hallways, and corridors. From bed frames to dining tables, sectional sofas, bureaus, and modular desks, we can disassemble and reassemble a wide variety of furniture types.

The number of movers that will be on your job depends on the size, distance, and complexity of your specific relocation. As precise and experienced move planning professionals, we will meticulously plan out every detail of your relocation including the number of movers that will be assigned to your job. You can rest assured that we will provide you with the number of movers you need for a safe, smooth, and seamless relocation.

For local moves, you can expect the same moving crew to handle your pickup and delivery. For long-distance moves, your delivery will be handled in partnership with one of our qualified and experienced agents. We have high standards for our agent partners and have teamed up with skilled and resourced teams to provide you with safe & on-schedule deliveries.

We have a full fleet of vehicles and will select a truck that is a perfect size for your move. For local relocations, we will choose a truck that fits the size of your relocation. For long-distance moves, we will ensure that we select vehicles that both fit your items and are capable of safely & efficiently getting your items to your final destination.

Yes, we are pleased to offer high-quality short and long-term storage services. With six conveniently located state-of-the-art facilities equipped with fireproofing & alarm protection, we will keep your items safe for as long as you need. We also offer superior wine storage solutions.

If your new home isn’t ready yet, we invite you to take advantage of our safe and secure storage solutions. Our six clean and spacious facilities are conveniently located and protected by modern alarm systems. We offer both short and long-term services and will ensure that your items remain safe & sound until your new home is ready.

We will ask you to sign for services at pickup and will collect payment upon delivery.

We ask that you provide payment using a credit card.

As a top-tier moving company, we try to be as flexible as we can when it comes to cancellations and rescheduling and will make every effort to accommodate your needs. Should you foresee the need for any changes to your moving schedule, we ask that you notify us ASAP to give us enough time to accommodate your changing needs.