[{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BlogPosting","@id":"https:\/\/nycgreatmovers.com\/blog\/top-6-hidden-costs-of-moving-and-how-to-avoid-them\/#BlogPosting","mainEntityOfPage":"https:\/\/nycgreatmovers.com\/blog\/top-6-hidden-costs-of-moving-and-how-to-avoid-them\/","headline":"Top 6 Hidden Costs of Moving and How to Avoid Them","name":"Top 6 Hidden Costs of Moving and How to Avoid Them","description":"When hiring professional movers in New York City, you\u2019re probably already expecting sky-high prices when you call in […]","datePublished":"2020-12-30","dateModified":"2026-06-27","author":{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/nycgreatmovers.com\/blog\/author\/kevin\/#Person","name":"Great Moving (Kevin)","url":"https:\/\/nycgreatmovers.com\/blog\/author\/kevin\/","identifier":5,"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/b4997c379c86a878ffe0e2cbc54f56f2298ff0763e895fa10c13c22bfb54a237?s=96&d=mm&r=g","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/b4997c379c86a878ffe0e2cbc54f56f2298ff0763e895fa10c13c22bfb54a237?s=96&d=mm&r=g","height":96,"width":96}},"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"NYC Great Movers","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/nycgreatmovers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/nycgreatmovers-logo-20250918.png","url":"https:\/\/nycgreatmovers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/nycgreatmovers-logo-20250918.png","width":600,"height":363}},"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/nycgreatmovers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/Top-6-Hidden-Costs-of-Moving-and-How-to-Avoid-Them.jpg","url":"https:\/\/nycgreatmovers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/Top-6-Hidden-Costs-of-Moving-and-How-to-Avoid-Them.jpg","height":800,"width":1200},"url":"https:\/\/nycgreatmovers.com\/blog\/top-6-hidden-costs-of-moving-and-how-to-avoid-them\/","about":["General"],"wordCount":1692,"keywords":["Hidden Costs for moving","Hidden Costs Moving","Hidden Costs of Moving","hiring professional movers","movers cost","movers extra charge","moving companies insurance","moving company hidden costs","Moving Hidden Cost","Moving Hidden Costs","New York City"],"articleBody":"When hiring professional movers in New York City, you\u2019re probably already expecting sky-high prices when you call in for a quote. Depending on what moving company you use and the services you request, you might end up paying as much as $3,000 for an in-state move. However, that might not include all of the fees. Raise your hand if you\u2019ve ended up with a final bill that is hundreds of dollars over the initial estimate.If you\u2019ve lived in New York City for a number of years, it\u2019s almost a rite of passage to get fleeced by New York City movers. Of course, that doesn\u2019t mean that all residential moving companies will try to squeeze you for more money. In fact, the reputable ones will be upfront about their costs and will generally explain every line item to you. That doesn\u2019t mean that your move won\u2019t end up costing more than you thought, as there are still a lot of little fees that can add to your total.Stair FeesProbably the most common extra charge that you\u2019ll see when moving in New York City is stair fees. Chances are you\u2019re either moving from a walkup or to one (or both). Moving, in general, is a difficult job, and the added effort of lugging heavy boxes and furniture up multiple flights means many professional moving companies in New York City will charge a premium per flight.The worst thing you can do is try to hide the fact that you have to move up and down a six-story walk-up. The movers will add an extra fee after the move, adding at least $75 to your total, if not more. With that said, not all moving companies charge extra for stairs, so make sure to ask before you book. If they do charge, let them know how many flights they will have to go up and down. Extra Fees Breakdown (Hidden Costs at a Glance)Hidden Fee TypeAverage Cost RangeWhen It AppliesHow to AvoidStair Fee$50 \u2013 $150 per flightWalk-up apartmentsDisclose building layout earlyCOI \/ Insurance$50 \u2013 $150Required by high-risesRequest COI in advanceLong Carry Fee$75 \u2013 $200Truck > 90 ft from doorReserve nearby parkingFurniture Disassembly$100 \u2013 $300Large or complex furnitureDisassemble items yourselfPacking Service$200 \u2013 $600Full-service packingPack items ahead of timeLate Cancellation$100 \u2013 $300Less than 48 hours\u2019 noticeConfirm schedule early Even if you have elevators in the building, you should talk to building management to see if there are any limitations you need to worry about. Some high-rise buildings require moving companies to have a certificate of insurance (COI), while others might have limited loading times. If you don\u2019t follow the appropriate steps, you might not be able to move in, and you\u2019ll have to deal with the extra cost of storage.Packing Services and SuppliesSome NYC moving companies provide full-service moving, which includes packing. As you might expect, having professionals pack your belongings, you\u2019ll have to pay a premium. It\u2019s a great option for people who don\u2019t have the time to pack everything themselves and have extra money to pay for this service. In addition to paying for the mover\u2019s time, you\u2019ll also be charged for the packing materials the movers use as well.If you\u2019re on a budget, you will want to pack everything yourself. Make sure that you pack everything; otherwise, the movers can and will charge extra for packing and material fees. Even if you do pack yourself, you\u2019ll have to consider the cost of buying packing materials. While you can reuse some older boxes, it\u2019s a good idea to invest in good-quality supplies such as bubble wrap, tape, and even boxes. The better your supplies, the more protected your belongings.Disassembly and Reassembly of FurnitureIf you have large pieces of furniture that require disassembly and reassembly to get through the door, you might be hit with an extra charge. Items like beds, couches, dressers, and wardrobes often need to be taken apart in order to be wrapped and transported safely. While most professional movers will disassemble your items, they will charge a steep fee depending on the complexity of the item. Furniture Disassembly Time & Cost ChartFurniture ItemAvg. Time to DisassembleAvg. Time to ReassembleTypical Fee RangeBed Frame15 minutes20 minutes$50 \u2013 $75Sofa \/ Sectional20 minutes25 minutes$75 \u2013 $100Dining Table10 minutes10 minutes$40 \u2013 $60Wardrobe \/ Dresser25 minutes30 minutes$100 \u2013 $150Shelving Unit15 minutes15 minutes$50 \u2013 $70Office Desk20 minutes25 minutes$60 \u2013 $90 There are valid reasons why you might want professionals to disassemble your furniture. For example, you might not want to damage your furniture when taking it apart, or maybe you don\u2019t have the appropriate tools. Moving professionals will always have the necessary items and expertise to break everything down and set it up again. If you do need help, you should always let the NYC movers know when giving them a breakdown of services that you need, so you\u2019re not surprised by any extra fees after you\u2019ve moved.InsuranceMost reputable moving companies will have some form of insurance to protect your belongings should they get damaged. However, the basic coverage will only pay out $0.60 per pound per item. That means if your fine china is accidentally destroyed in the move, you\u2019re literally only getting cents to replace a highly valuable item.Many insurance companies do offer some called Full Value Protection, but it does cost extra. With that said, you can rest assured that if anything is damaged or lost during the move, it will get replaced for the full value of the item. If the movers do not offer this insurance, you can go to a third-party company and pick one up yourself.Long Carry FeesAnother common fee you\u2019ll see tacked onto your bill, especially in New York City, is something called long carry fees. These are added to your bill when the movers cannot park their moving trucks close enough to your doorstep. Now, what does close actually mean? That depends on the mover, with some charging the fee if their truck is further than 90 feet away.Considering the traffic, congestion, parking situation, potential roadblocks, and more issues you deal with in New York City, chances are you might end up with long carry fees on your bill. Not every mover charges these fees, so when you call, you should ask if the company tacks these charges onto the bill after a move.Late Minute CancellationSometimes life happens, and there\u2019s nothing you can do about it. Ideally, you would be able to give the movers some notice if you need to cancel or change the date. Most require a couple of days’ notice to avoid any additional fees. The second you learn about any changes, update the NYC moving company immediately. The faster you let them know, the better. NYC Mover Cancellation Fees Based on Notice PeriodNotice PeriodTypical Cancellation FeeCompany Policy ExampleMore than 5 days before the move$0Full refund, no charge2\u20134 days before move$100 \u2013 $200Partial fee deductedLess than 24 hours before the move$200 \u2013 $300 or 20% of the quoteFull cancellation charge applies However, if it can\u2019t be avoided, you will have to pay cancellation fees. Again, the amount will differ between companies, so you should carefully read your agreement to see what their policies are. Some might charge a percentage of your quote, while others will charge a fixed rate of a couple of hundred dollars.Rush MovingIn general, you want to start contacting moving companies at least six weeks before you move. You want to get an early start to make sure you have enough time to review the estimates, ask any pertinent questions, and review their policies. If you plan on moving during the summer, you should start looking even earlier, as customer volume tends to be higher during the warmer months.With that said, life can sometimes take you by surprise. Maybe you have a bad roommate situation that you need to leave immediately, or you broke up with your significant other and need to find another place ASAP. The best thing you can do is reach out to a moving company as soon as possible. Even if you\u2019re pressed for time, make sure to do your research. Less savory moving companies will take advantage of the fact that you need to move out quickly and charge obscene prices. Take the time to look into their online reviews and check to make sure they have proper licenses and insurance.ConclusionMoving in New York City for stairs, COI, and gratuity. All of this is outlined in your agreement, so make sure to read it carefully and call if you have any questionsHow does NYC Great Movers calculate how much a move will cost?We take into account the number of packages and furniture you have, as well as stair fees, and provide you with a fixed rate quote.How do I know if I can trust NYC Great Movers?You can check out our reviews on Yelp to read all of the glowing reviews! You can also look us up from it doesn\u2019t have to be expensive. While hiring local NYC movers isn\u2019t cheap per se, it can save you a lot of time and stress, so long as you ask the right questions. When talking to a moving company, make sure to ask about extra charges and whether they charge a fixed rate or an hourly rate, and if the estimate they provide is binding or not.Chances are, your moving will still end up being more expensive than you expected, even if you know about all the potential fees the moving company might charge. After all, you have to factor in things like replacing furniture you might have tossed out to tipping the movers for their work. To avoid racking up debt, pad your savings account in the weeks or months leading up to the move. That way, you\u2019ll have a bit of leeway to absorb any additional costs."},{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Blog","item":"https:\/\/nycgreatmovers.com\/blog\/#breadcrumbitem"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Top 6 Hidden Costs of Moving and How to Avoid Them","item":"https:\/\/nycgreatmovers.com\/blog\/top-6-hidden-costs-of-moving-and-how-to-avoid-them\/#breadcrumbitem"}]}]