Common questions. Straight answers.

Two-mover crews on a 26-foot truck run about $145 to $175 per hour under our Cal-T tariff, with a one-hour drive-time minimum. A studio or small one-bedroom typically lands at $550 to $850. A two-bedroom apartment runs $900 to $1,400. A three-bedroom house runs $1,400 to $2,400 depending on stairs, packing, and access. Long-distance moves are quoted by weight and mileage.

A binding estimate is a fixed written price. The number you sign is the number you pay, even if the job runs longer than expected. A non-binding estimate is a guess that can change at the curb based on actual hours or weight. We offer binding estimates on every move over $500. Both formats are allowed under California Maximum Rate Tariff 4.

On a binding estimate, none. The signed price holds. On hourly local moves, the only allowed add-ons are documented stair fees beyond the second flight, long-carry fees over 75 feet from truck to door, shuttle fees if a 26-foot truck cannot reach your unit, and packing materials used beyond the original quote. Every fee is itemized on the bill of lading before work starts.

No deposit on local moves. We collect payment at delivery. Long-distance and interstate moves require a 10% to 25% deposit at booking under USDOT rules, with the balance due at destination delivery before the truck is unloaded.

Cash, certified check, Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Discover, Apple Pay, and Google Pay. Credit card payments add a 3% processing fee under California allowed surcharge rules. We do not accept personal checks at delivery.

Two to three weeks for a weekday slot, four to six weeks for the last weekend of the month, and six to eight weeks for any move between Memorial Day and Labor Day. PCS season at Camp Pendleton, MCRD, and 32nd Street loads up the calendar from May through September, so military families should reach out as soon as orders are firm.

Yes, when crews are open. Same-day and next-day moves carry a small last-minute surcharge of 10% to 20% depending on day of week and crew availability. Weekday last-minute is easier than Saturday last-minute. Call early in the morning if you need same-day.

May through September is peak in San Diego, with the last weekend of every month being the single busiest slot year-round because of apartment lease end dates. We add crews and trucks during peak, but Saturday slots in July and August book three to four weeks out.

Free cancellation up to 72 hours before the scheduled start. Inside 72 hours, a 10% rebooking fee applies on local moves. Long-distance and interstate moves follow the deposit terms on the bill of lading, which typically forfeit the deposit if cancelled inside 7 days of pickup.

Boxes packed, taped, and labeled with destination room. Fridge and freezer emptied and defrosted the night before. Furniture clear of personal items. Pets in a closed room or off-site. Reserved elevator with the building if you're in a high-rise. Parking secured for the truck within 75 feet of the door, with permits pulled if you're in downtown, La Jolla, or Pacific Beach.

Yes. The lead mover walks every room with you at origin to confirm the inventory list and flag pre-existing damage on furniture. Same walkthrough at destination after unloading to confirm placement and run the final inventory check. You sign the bill of lading at both ends.

Yes. Manufacturer-grade double-walled small, medium, and large boxes, dish-pack barrels for kitchens, mirror cartons for art and TVs, mattress bags, wardrobe boxes for hanging clothes, and shrink-wrap for upholstery. Materials are billed at cost on hourly moves and rolled into the binding price on flat-rate moves.

We weigh the truck empty before loading at a certified CAT scale, then weigh again after loading. The difference is your shipment weight, which becomes the basis for the long-distance tariff. Both tickets are attached to your bill of lading. You have the right under federal law to witness either weighing.

Water is genuinely appreciated, especially on long inland jobs in summer. Lunch is not expected and not required. Crews bring their own. Tipping is optional but customary at $20 to $40 per mover for a half-day local move and $40 to $80 per mover for a full-day or long-distance load.

Released Value Protection is the federal default coverage at no extra cost. It pays 60 cents per pound per item for any damage. A 50-pound TV that breaks pays out $30. It's required by law on every move. Most customers add Full Value Protection on top.

Full Value Protection covers the actual replacement, repair, or cash value of any damaged item up to your declared shipment value. Cost runs about 1% of declared value with a $500 deductible, or higher coverage with a zero deductible. A $50,000 declared shipment runs roughly $500 in additional coverage.

Yes. Federal law requires the carrier to hand you the FMCSA Your Rights and Responsibilities When You Move pamphlet at booking on every interstate move. We provide it on local moves too, even though California state-only moves don't strictly require it. It explains your protection options, claim rights, and dispute process.

Note any damage on the inventory sheet at delivery before signing. File a written claim within 9 months of delivery (federal statute) by emailing info@swiftmovesd.com with photos, the bill of lading number, and the inventory tag numbers. We respond within 30 days under FMCSA rules and resolve most claims within 60 to 90 days.

Federal law gives you 9 months from delivery to file a written damage claim on an interstate move. California state-only moves follow the same 9-month window under our Cal-T tariff. Concealed damage discovered after unpacking still qualifies if reported within the 9-month window with photos.

Yes, uprights, baby grands, and concert grands. Uprights move on a 4-wheel piano dolly with cargo straps. Grands get the legs and lyre detached, the body wrapped in a quilted piano blanket, then moved on a piano skid. Stairs over 4 steps add a stair-fee for the extra crew. Tuning is recommended 2 weeks after the move once the piano settles to the new climate.

Up to 1,500 pounds with our standard 4-wheel safe dolly and a 4-mover crew. Anything heavier needs a specialty rigging subcontractor we can coordinate. Floor protection (plywood runners on tile, hardwood, and stamped concrete) is included on every safe move. Stairs add a per-flight fee.

Yes. Mirror cartons for framed pieces under 50 inches, custom crates for larger or higher-value art at additional cost. Antiques get full pad-wrap and shrink-wrap, and any pre-existing damage is photographed and noted on the inventory sheet before loading. Full Value Protection is recommended on declared art and antique value.

Plants, yes, on local moves only. Federal regulations restrict interstate plant transport. Pets, no, we cannot transport live animals on the truck. Vehicles, we coordinate with USDOT-licensed auto transport partners for long-distance moves but do not move vehicles ourselves.