Sacramento is the hardest part of our service area to move in, and the part we work in most. The difficulty is not distance. It is that the city's most desirable neighbourhoods are also its most constrained: narrow streets, permit parking, period housing stock and a tree canopy that a full-height truck cannot always pass under.
We work out of Carmichael, a short run up the river from the city, and have been moving Sacramento households since 1979.
The neighbourhoods, and what each one costs you in time
Midtown and downtown. Parking is the whole problem. Much of Midtown falls under residential permit parking, and kerb space is scarce regardless of permits. A truck that cannot stop near the door turns into a long carry, and local moves are charged hourly — so on a Midtown job, parking is the single biggest variable in the bill. Temporary parking restrictions are arranged through the city and need lead time.
Much of the housing here is converted Victorians and walk-up apartments. Lifts are rare, staircases are narrow, and the turn at the bottom of the stairs is what usually defeats a sofa.
East Sacramento. The Fabulous Forties and the streets around McKinley Park are mostly 1920s to 1940s houses: narrow internal staircases, tight landings, doorways built to smaller standards, and frequently a basement. Large modern furniture often will not take the turn upstairs.
The mature street trees are also a working constraint. On some blocks the canopy hangs low enough that a full-height truck cannot pass, which means parking further out and carrying further in. We check the route at the survey rather than discovering it on the day.
Land Park. Similar vintage to East Sacramento, with the same interior constraints, but generally easier at the kerb — wider streets, better driveway access, less competition for parking.
Natomas. Newer, flat, wide roads, modern door and stairway dimensions. Among the most straightforward parts of the city to move in.
The Pocket and Greenhaven. Mostly 1970s and 1980s, with good driveway access and few parking constraints.
Downtown high-rises. A different job again: service lift reservations, loading bay windows, certificates of insurance for building management, and restricted moving hours. See our apartment and condo moving page.
What we do here
- Local moving — hourly, with a written not-to-exceed price
- Long-distance and interstate — binding written estimates to all 50 states
- Apartment and condo moves — lift reservations, certificates of insurance, restricted hours
- Commercial moves — offices, server rooms, retail and medical, phased around trading hours
- Packing and crating, piano and specialty, and storage
Three things worth knowing before you book a Sacramento move
Sort parking first. Everywhere else in our service area, parking is a detail. In Midtown, downtown and parts of East Sacramento it is the thing that decides what the move costs.
Move early in summer. Sacramento routinely runs above 100°F in July and August. Crews start at first light for good reason, and an afternoon start in August is slower and harder on everyone. If you have a choice of slots, take the early one.
Measure the staircase, not the doorway. In any pre-1950 Sacramento house, the turn at the top or bottom of the stairs is what stops a piece of furniture, not the door frame.
Estimates
California requires a mover to inspect your belongings visually before issuing a written estimate — phone and internet estimates are prohibited and may not be enforceable. We survey in person or by video, then give you a written not-to-exceed price, which is the maximum you can be charged unless you request additional services recorded in writing.
Our licences: CAL T 170373 · USDOT 528679 · MC 308011. You can verify any California mover through the BHGS licence search.
Call (916) 489-3322 for a free estimate.