Apartment Movers in Sacramento
Lifts that have to be booked, loading windows that close at five, and a certificate of insurance the building wants before anyone touches a door. We deal with all three before your move day.
always on time
The building is the hard part, not the furniture
A two-bedroom apartment holds less than a house, so people assume it’s the easier job. Then the elevator turns out to be reserved until noon, the loading dock closes at five, and the property manager won’t let the crew start without paperwork nobody mentioned. That’s what turns a four-hour move into a day — not the sofa.
Not sure how many hours your move will take, or whether your building's rules will slow the day down? Send us the two addresses and roughly what's moving, and we'll tell you straight — no site visit, no sales call.
Why apartment moves go wrong, and how we stop it
We handle the building, not just the boxes
Tell us the building when you book and we’ll sort the lift reservation, the loading window and the insurance certificate with the property manager. It costs you a sentence and saves the day.
Our own crew, and they've done your building
The people on your job are on our payroll — trained, certified and background-checked. We’re licensed, insured and bonded: MTR0192675 with the California Bureau of Household Goods and Services, USDOT 3810402 with FMCSA, carrying up to $1,000,000 in general liability cover — which is usually exactly what the building is asking to see.
What we move
Studios and one-bedrooms. Two movers and a 16ft truck, usually a half-day.
Two and three-bedroom apartments. Three movers and a 26ft truck.
Walk-ups. No lift, third floor, narrow stairwell — the job most movers quote badly.
High-rise. Where the freight elevator and the loading dock decide the schedule.
Apartment to storage, or storage to apartment. Including part-loads.
Room shares. Moving one person out of a shared apartment, not the whole unit.
Get an apartment moving quote
Two addresses, the floor you’re on at each end, and whether there’s a lift. That’s what sets the price — tell us and it holds.
Ask your building these four things
Is the elevator reserved, and for how long? Most buildings require booking and give you a window.
What hours can movers work? Many buildings won’t allow moves in the evening or on Sundays.
Do they need a certificate of insurance? Almost all larger buildings do, and they usually need it days in advance.
Where can the truck actually park? A long carry from the street adds more time than a flight of stairs.
Send us the answers when you book and we’ll plan the day around them. Or give us the building’s name and we’ll ask them ourselves.
What it costs. Hourly from $149, plus a flat $99 truck and fuel charge. Drive time doubles if your two addresses are more than 10 miles apart. A $200 handling fee applies to any single item over 250 lbs — worth checking if you own a safe or a piano.
Related services
If you’re moving further than across town, start at local moving; for a short hop inside the same city, in-town moves. Moving into a house instead? House moves. Most apartment customers add packing because a lift queue is a bad place to still be taping boxes, and furniture assembly for anything that has to come apart to clear a doorway. If you own a safe, a treadmill or a piano, read heavy item moving first.
Further reading
Best movers for Bay Area apartments · A guide to local moving costs
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FAQ
How much does a move cost in Sacramento?
Rates start at $149/hour for two movers and a 16ft truck, $179/hour for three movers and a 26ft truck, $225/hour for four, and $265/hour for five. Add a one-time $99 flat rate for truck and gas, whatever truck size you need. You price the job yourself online — pick your crew, date and addresses and the quote comes back in minutes. No in-home visit, no sales call.
What’s included in the hourly rate?
Labour, a clean fully-equipped truck, and every tool the crew needs — hand trucks, dollies and straps. Furniture disassembly and reassembly. Loading and unloading. Secure wrapping in moving pads, with unlimited stretch wrap and tape. Floor, wall and door-frame protection. TV unmounting and custom packing. Free use of wardrobe boxes. Packing and unpacking service. Removal of packing materials when we’re done. Basic cargo protection for your household goods. Taxes and transaction fees. Stairs and long carries are included as well.
What isn’t included in the hourly rate?
Six things, all of them listed up front: the $99 flat rate for truck and gas; packing supplies such as boxes, paper and bubble wrap; a $200 handling fee for any single item over 250 lbs (piano, gun safe, pool table, treadmill, massage chair); double drive time when your two addresses are more than 10 miles apart; overnight storage; and custom crating or speciality handling for antiques and delicate pieces.
Do you charge extra for stairs or a long carry?
No. Stairs and long carries are part of the hourly rate — there is no stair fee, no elevator fee and no long-carry fee. A third-floor walk-up takes longer than a ground-floor unit, so the clock runs longer, but nothing is added on top of it.
Why is drive time billed at double?
Double drive time is standard for California household goods moves: the travel between your pickup and your delivery is billed at twice the hourly rate, because it also covers getting the truck back. Smoove only applies it when the two addresses are more than 10 miles apart. Closer than that, you aren’t charged for it at all.
Do I need an in-home estimate to get a price?
No. You can price the whole job online in a few minutes. If you’d rather show us what you have, we’ll walk through it with you over video, or come out in person. All three are free, and none of them commit you to booking.
How many movers do I need?
As a rough guide: two movers and a 16ft truck for a room or one-bedroom; three movers and a 26ft truck for a studio or two-bedroom; four for a house or three-bedroom; five for an office or commercial move. A bigger crew costs more per hour but finishes sooner, so the totals are closer than the rates suggest. If you’re between two sizes, size up — a second trip costs more than the extra mover.
How far in advance should I book?
Four to six weeks gives you the widest choice of dates, and it matters most at month-end and over summer weekends, when the calendar fills first. Short notice is still workable — book online and you’ll see live availability rather than waiting for someone to call you back.
Are you licensed and insured?
Yes. Smoove holds MTR0192675 with the California Bureau of Household Goods and Services and USDOT 3810402 with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, and carries up to $1,000,000 in general liability cover. Basic cargo protection for your household goods is included in every move. Both licence numbers are public records — look them up before you book, with us or anyone else.
Who actually shows up on move day?
Our own employees. Every mover is background-checked, trained and certified before they work a job — we don’t hire labour that morning and send it to your house. Smoove is owned by movers, which is why the crew standard is the part we’re strictest about.
What areas do you serve?
The Sacramento region and the Bay Area — more than 70 cities, from Auburn and Elk Grove through to San Jose and Walnut Creek. We also handle long-distance and interstate moves originating in either region.
Learn more before your move
23 September 2026
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