What to Know Before Hiring a Boston Office Mover

Hiring a Boston office mover or commercial mover involves more planning than most people expect. Office buildings in Boston operate under strict guidelines meant to protect property, avoid disruptions, and keep tenants safe. Before choosing a commercial moving company, it helps to understand the rules your building follows and the requirements movers must meet. Taking the time upfront prevents delays, surprise fees, and wasted conversations with companies that are not a match for your project.

Below are the key factors to consider before you start calling movers.

1. Union Requirements in Boston Office Buildings

One of the most important questions to answer is whether your building requires a union mover. Many commercial properties in Boston, especially high-rise buildings in neighborhoods like Back Bay, the Financial District, the Seaport, and the Longwood area, only allow union crews to work on their premises.

This is not something you want to discover halfway through the booking process. Non-union movers are not permitted in union-restricted buildings, and there is no workaround. If your building is union only, you must hire a company that has a union workforce. If you are unsure, ask your property manager, facilities department, or building management. Confirm this before getting quotes so your time and the movers’ time are not wasted.

2. Required Insurance Policies and Coverage Levels

Every commercial building sets its own insurance requirements. Some buildings accept standard commercial liability policies. Others require multi-million dollar umbrella policies, much higher general liability limits, or specific workers’ compensation coverage.

When talking to movers, make sure they are aware of the building’s requirements. Movers who do not meet the insurance minimums cannot be approved by the building, even if they are otherwise qualified. In many cases, the building will ask for a certificate of insurance detailing exactly what policies the mover holds and whether they match the building’s standards. If the mover cannot satisfy those requirements, the booking will not be allowed.

Being upfront about your building’s insurance rules reduces delays and prevents you from going far down the road with a mover who cannot legally work in your space.

3. After-Hours and Weekend Restrictions

Most Boston office buildings do not allow moves during normal business hours. Property managers and tenants want to avoid noise, blocked hallways, and elevator disruption. As a result, many buildings require moves to take place after hours or on weekends.

This can mean late-night moves, early morning moves, or Saturday and Sunday moves. Some movers charge additional fees for after-hours labor because of overtime rules. Make sure to factor this into your budget. If you know your building has time restrictions, share this information with the mover from the beginning. It helps them create a realistic estimate and ensures they have availability during the required time window.

4. Loading Dock Access and Timing

Commercial properties often have shared loading docks used by delivery trucks, freight carriers, vendors, and maintenance crews. If your building allows daytime moves, the loading dock may still be crowded or scheduled tightly. Congestion at the dock can slow the entire job and increase the total hours billed.

Ask your building management how the loading dock is scheduled. Some buildings require reservations, some operate on a first-come basis, and others have strict time limits for truck access. Knowing the rules ahead of time helps your mover plan their arrival and keeps the job running smoothly. It also helps avoid situations where your crew is ready to work, but the dock is blocked for an hour.

5. Special Equipment or Heavy Items

Not all office moves involve the same equipment. Standard office furniture like desks, conference tables, chairs, cubicles, and file cabinets are handled by most commercial movers. However, if your office includes heavy items such as large safes, high-end printing equipment, server racks, medical devices, or other specialized equipment, you may need a mover with advanced capabilities.

In some cases, a rigging company or specialist must be brought in. Rigging is required when items are extremely heavy, oversized, or need to be hoisted. If your office has anything unusual or high value, let the mover know early. This keeps the estimate accurate and prevents day-of complications.

6. Share All Building Requirements Upfront

Before you begin contacting movers, speak to your building management and gather the following information:
• Whether the building requires a union mover
• Insurance requirements and minimum coverage levels
• Permitted moving hours
• Loading dock availability and rules
• Elevator reservations or restrictions
• Any special rules for heavy equipment

Once you have this list, you can give it directly to each mover you speak with. This makes the quoting process faster and more accurate, and it helps you avoid companies that do not meet your building’s criteria.

Final Thoughts

Hiring a Boston office mover requires more preparation than a residential move because commercial buildings have strict rules that must be followed. Knowing these requirements ahead of time makes the moving process smoother and prevents headaches for both you and the movers. By confirming union rules, insurance coverage, access timing, loading dock details, and any specialized equipment needs, you set yourself up for a successful and stress-free office relocation.