The property first
Floors, doorways, and railings are protected before anything is moved.
Protection and handling
Protected before anything is carried.
Floors, door frames, and bannisters are covered before the first item leaves a room. Furniture is padded and wrapped rather than carried bare, taken apart where a doorway or elevator requires it, and rebuilt at the other end. The protection plan is part of the written estimate, not something decided on the day.
Padded and wrapped
Furniture travels covered, not bare against a truck wall.
Apart and back together
Disassembled where access needs it, reassembled where it belongs.
What gets protected before the first carton moves
Most move damage is to the building, not the furniture. That work happens first.
- Floor runners along the carry path at both addresses
- Door frames and tight corners padded
- Bannisters and railings covered on stair carries
- Elevator interiors protected where the building requires it
- Thresholds and entryways covered where weather or grit is a risk
How furniture is wrapped
Pieces are padded and then wrapped so the padding stays put in transit. Upholstery, wood surfaces, and glass each need different handling, and the difference shows up on arrival rather than at the door.
- Soft goods and upholstery covered against dirt and abrasion
- Wood surfaces padded before wrapping so nothing presses into the finish
- Glass, mirrors, and stone handled separately from the pieces they belong to
- Drawers and doors secured so they cannot swing open on the carry
Disassembly and reassembly
Beds, tables, desks, and large shelving come apart when a doorway, staircase, or elevator calls for it, and go back together at the destination. Fixings are kept with the piece they belong to. Furniture assembly and disassembly is a service in its own right and is listed in the written scope.
Fragile, high value, and specialty items
Art, antiques, mirrors, stone, electronics, and designer furniture are scoped before the move rather than handled as ordinary cartons. Tell your coordinator what is unusual and it goes in the written scope. White glove service covers these items specifically.
Books, records, and collections
Collections move in order so they can be reshelved in order, which matters as much for a home library as for an institution. The same method applies to library and institutional moves.
The crew on your move
Impel crews are W-2 employees on the company payroll, not subcontractors brought in for the day. Training is part of onboarding and covers furniture protection and wrapping, loading and unloading technique, safe lifting, equipment use, protecting the home itself, and careful handling of what is being moved. Whenever scheduling and routing allow, the same crew that loads also unloads, which keeps them familiar with the shipment and cuts out handoffs. On some long distance moves the logistics require a different arrangement, and you are told how the move will be handled when that happens.
What to tell us before move day
The protection plan is only as good as what we know about. Flag these during the estimate.
- Floors that mark easily, including refinished hardwood and natural stone
- Narrow staircases, tight landings, and doorways that have been a problem before
- Items with sentimental or unusual value
- Anything already damaged, so it is recorded before the move rather than after
- Pieces you would rather were not taken apart
Trained crews
Uniformed movers, padded and wrapped furniture, and a written estimate before anything gets loaded.
Get my quoteGood to know
Careful Handling questions
How do movers protect floors and walls?+
Floor runners go down along the carry path, door frames and tight corners are padded, and bannisters are covered on stair carries. In buildings that require it, the elevator interior is protected too.
Is furniture wrapped or just blanketed?+
Padded and then wrapped, so the padding stays in place in transit. Wood surfaces are padded before wrapping so nothing presses into the finish.
Who takes my bed apart and puts it back together?+
The crew does, as part of the move, and fixings are kept with the piece. Tell your coordinator during the estimate so the time is in the scope.
What happens with fragile or high value items?+
They are scoped before move day rather than handled as ordinary cartons. Art, antiques, mirrors, stone, and electronics are listed in the written estimate with the handling they need.
Is the same crew at both ends of the move?+
Most of the time, yes. Whenever scheduling and routing allow, the same Impel crew loads and unloads, which gives them familiarity with the shipment and reduces handoffs. On some long distance moves the logistics require a different arrangement, and you are told in advance how it will be handled. Crews are W-2 employees rather than subcontractors.
What if something is damaged anyway?+
Report it as soon as you notice it, photograph it, and keep the packing. The damage claims page explains how to report it and who answers.
Protection comes standard
Tell us what needs careful handling.
Flag the fragile, the awkward, and the irreplaceable during the estimate, and the handling goes into the written scope.