FAQs

Yes and no. Federal law requires licensed interstate movers to offer a basic level of liability coverage, often referred to as Released Value Protection. This basic coverage is typically included in your moving cost at no extra charge. However, it provides minimal protection.

Under Released Value Protection, the mover's liability for loss or damage is limited to a certain amount per pound per article (e.g., $0.60 per pound in many states). This means if a 50-pound television is damaged, you might only receive $30, regardless of its actual value or the cost to replace it.

For more comprehensive protection, you'll need to purchase Full Value Protection, which is an optional add-on and will increase your overall moving cost. Contact Commander Moving Inc today to learn more.

Basic moving insurance offered by moving companies, as well as Full Value Protection, may have limitations regarding coverage for natural disasters (such as floods, earthquakes, or hurricanes) or other acts of God that are completely outside our control.

Released Value Protection likely will not cover these events, and Full Value Protection might have exclusions or limitations.

For broader coverage against such events, we'd recommend exploring third-party moving insurance options. These specialized policies can offer more comprehensive protection against a wider range of risks, including natural disasters. Review the terms of your chosen coverage carefully to understand what is and isn't covered.

It's best to purchase additional coverage and complete all paperwork before your moving day.

While it might be possible in some cases to add coverage on the day of the move, it's not advisable to rely on this. It's better to have your coverage secured beforehand to avoid any last-minute stress or complications.

We offer the following options: 

• Minimum Protection: suitable for small or low-value moves.
• Actual Value Coverage: mid-level, depreciated vale protections.
• Full Replacement Coverage: ideal for full-service or premium moves, our highest value protection.

We recommend always transporting your valuables personally.

According to Mod24, only 24.7 percent of movers relocate 500 miles or more. If you're planning a local move and have questions about additional coverage, contact us, your dependable local movers!

Local moves are typically priced hourly based on the crew size and equipment required. Commander Moving’s rates start at $150 per hour for 2 movers and a truck, and $210 per hour for 3 movers. The final cost depends on the size of the home, the number of items, accessibility, packing services, and travel time between locations. Like many moving companies, pricing can vary based on these factors.

We recommend scheduling your move 2 to 4 weeks in advance, especially during busy periods such as weekends, summer months, and the end of the month. Booking early helps ensure your preferred date and time are available with local movers like Commander Moving.

Yes. Commander Moving offers free visual estimates either in person or virtually. A walkthrough of your home allows us to review the inventory and provide the most accurate moving plan and estimate. This is a common practice among professional movers to give customers a clear idea of expected costs.

All moves include basic valuation coverage of $0.60 per pound per item, which is the standard protection required for moving companies. Additional coverage options may be available for high-value items, as is typical with most moving companies.

Yes. Commander Moving offers full packing services, partial packing services, and packing materials. Our movers can pack entire homes, fragile items, kitchens, and specialty items. Many local movers provide similar packing support to make the moving process more convenient.

We provide professional packing materials, including boxes, packing paper, tape, dish packs, wardrobe boxes, shrink wrap, and moving blankets to protect furniture and fragile items. These materials are commonly used by professional movers like ourselves to help safeguard belongings during transport.

Move time depends on the size of the home, accessibility, and the distance between locations. As a general guideline:

• 1-bedroom apartment: about 4 to 5 hours

• 2-bedroom home: about 5 to 7 hours

• 3-bedroom home: typically 7 to 10 hours or more, depending on inventory

Experienced local movers can often provide a more precise time estimate after evaluating your specific situation.

Yes. Local moves include a minimum fuel charge, typically starting at $100 per vehicle, or $3 per mile for longer distances.

Commander Moving is based in the San Francisco Bay Area and serves cities including Hayward, Oakland, San Francisco, Alameda, Berkeley, Walnut Creek, Danville, and surrounding communities. We also provide California statewide moving services.

Yes. Commander Moving provides long-distance moving services across the entire United States. Our team can coordinate moves from California to any state.

Yes. Commander Moving can assist with international relocations through trusted global partners. We can help arrange packing, shipping logistics, and coordination for overseas moves.

Yes. We can help coordinate vehicle shipping across the United States and internationally for customers relocating long distance.

Yes. Our professional movers can disassemble and reassemble common furniture items such as beds, tables, and larger pieces to ensure safe transportation.

Yes. Commander Moving provides free wardrobe boxes during the move, allowing clothing to remain on hangers for easy transport.

We recommend removing heavier items from drawers. Lightweight clothing may remain inside drawers if the furniture can be safely transported that way.

For safety and legal reasons, moving companies cannot transport hazardous materials such as gasoline, propane tanks, chemicals, fireworks, explosives, or certain perishable foods.

Yes. Our crews regularly handle stairs, elevators, long hallways, and challenging access situations during moves.

Yes. We frequently move pianos, safes, heavy furniture, artwork, and other specialty items. Please mention any specialty items during your estimate.

Yes. Commander Moving offers short-term and long-term storage solutions for customers who need storage during a move or transition.

Commander Moving has been serving the Bay Area since 2011 and is known for professional crews, reliable service, and hundreds of five-star reviews. We specialize in local, statewide, nationwide, and international relocations, focusing on careful handling and a smooth moving experience.

LIABILITY OF THE COMPANY, CARRIER OR WAREHOUSEMAN IN POSSESSION (HEREINAFTER REFERRED TO AS THE “CARRIER”).

A. PERILS ASSUMED – The carrier assumes obligation against direct physical damage or loss to the property to be moved, packed, stored, shipped, forwarded, or otherwise handled from any external cause except as hereinafter excluded.

B. The carrier shall be liable only for its failure to use ordinary care and then only in the amount of customer’s declared valuation of the goods. The burden of proving negligence or failure to use due care required by law shall be upon the customer.

C. VALUATION

(1) The terms “Declared Valuation,” “Agreed Value,” “Released Valuation” as used in various Tariffs, Laws and Regulations are intended to have the same meaning and are used herein for the purpose of fixing the limit, and all conditions, of the amount that the carrier’s liability, for money damages, as rates and charges are based upon such declared and agreed value.

(2) The carrier shall be liable for no more than the lesser of the following amounts:

(a) The actual cash value of the goods at the time of loss, allowing for depreciation and/or obsolescence; or

(b) The maximum limit of obligation stated on the bill of lading and/or storage receipt;

(c) The actual costs to repair the damaged goods.

D. All applicable terms and conditions herein shall apply to property of customers, hereafter added to storage, and also when the property is ordered out of storage or is ordered shipped or moved.

MOVER LIABILITY FOR LOSS OR DAMAGE TO HOUSEHOLD GOODS IS LIMITED AS FOLLOWS AND IS REQUIRED BY ORDER OF THE CALIFORNIA PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION UNDER ITS GENERAL ORDER NO. 136 SERIES: Liability of the carrier shall be limited by the following exclusions:

A. No liability shall be provided for the condition or flavor of perishable articles.

B. No liability shall be provided on the following items, unless the item is specifically listed on the shipping document by description and value: bills of exchange, bonds, bullion, precious metals, currency, deeds, documents, evidence of debt, credit cards, firearms (see Note 1), money, gems, jewelry, watches, precious stones, pearls, gold, silver, or platinum articles (see Note 2), stock certificates, securities, stamp collections, stamps (postage, revenue, or trading), or letters or packets of letters.

NOTE 1. Liability shall be provided for firearms legally acceptable under the Federal Gun Control Act of 1968, provided the shipper furnishes the carrier the caliber, make, and serial number of such firearms and that such firearms are packed by carrier shipper’s expense at charges not more than those shown in Maximum Rate Tariff 4.

NOTE 2. Includes gold, silver and platinum household articles such as silverware, coffee-service sets, trays, candlesticks, and dishes.

C. No liability shall be provided for loss or damage to articles of extraordinary value except under circumstances where each such article is specifically listed on the carrier’s shipping document or inventory of the shipment and specifically designated as an article of extraordinary value and by listing the value thereof, and carrier is afforded the opportunity prior to pickup of the shipment to pack and otherwise provide adequate protection for such article (at carrier’s published charges) if packing by carrier is determined by carrier to be inadequate protection for such article. As used herein, the term “articles of extraordinary value” refers to those articles tendered to a carrier for transportation which because of uniqueness or rarity have a value substantially in excess of the cost of newly manufactured items of substantially the same type and quality apart from such uniqueness or rarity, such as, but not limited to, musical instruments of rare quality or historical significance; original manuscripts; first editions or autograph copies of books; antique furniture; heirlooms; paintings, sculptures, and other works of art; and hobby collections and exhibits.

D. No liability shall be provided for loss or damage caused by or resulting from:

(1) An act, omission, or order of shipper, including damage or breakage resulting from improper packing by shipper.

(2) Insects, moths, vermin, ordinary wear and tear, or gradual deterioration.

(3) Defect or inherent vice of the article, including susceptibility to damage because of atmospheric conditions such as temperature and humidity or change therein.

(4) (i) Hostile or war-like action in time of peace or war, including action in hindering, combating, or defending against an actual or expected attack: (A) by any government or sovereign power, or by any authority maintaining or using military, naval, or air forces; or (B) by military, naval or air forces; or (C) an agent of any such government, power, authority, or forces; (ii) Any weapon of war employing atomic fission or radioactive force whether in time of peace or war; (iii) Insurrection, rebellion, revolution, civil war, usurped power, or action taken by governmental authority in hindering, combating, or defending against such an occurrence, seizure, destruction under quarantine or customs regulations, confiscations by order of any government or public authority; or risks of contraband, or illegal transportation or trade.

E. No liability shall be provided for mechanical or electrical derangements of pianos, radios, phonographs, clocks, refrigerators, television sets, automatic washers, or other instruments or appliances unless evidenced by external damage to such equipment, or unless said articles or appliances are serviced as provided in subparagraph (1) below. The carrier reserves the right to inspect these articles or appliances to determine whether they are in good working order before accepting them for shipment. Carrier assumes no liability whatsoever for returning, refocusing, or other adjustments of television set unless such services were made necessary due to carrier’s negligence.

(1) Upon request of shipper, owner, or consignee of the goods, carrier will, subject to subparagraph (2) below, service and unservice such articles as stoves, automatic washers and dryers at origin and destination. Such servicing and unservicing does not include removal or installation of articles secured to the premises or plumbing, electrical, or carpentry services necessary to disconnect, reconnect, connect, and install such articles and appliances.

(2) If carrier does not possess the qualified personnel to properly service and unservice such articles or appliances, carrier, upon request of shipper or consignee or as agent for them, shall engage third persons to perform the servicing and unservicing. When third persons are engaged by the carrier to perform any service, the carrier will not assume responsibility for their activities or conduct, amount of their charges, nor for the quality or quantity of service furnished.

(3) Except in instances where prior credit has been arranged, all charges of the third persons must be paid directly by the shipper to said third person.

F. No liability shall be provided by virtue of any loss or damage caused as a result of any strike, lockout, labor disturbance, riot, civil commotion, or any person or persons taking part in any such occurrence or disorder.

G. No liability shall be provided for any loss or damage arising out of the breakage of china, glassware, bric-a-brac, or similar articles of a brittle or fragile nature unless packed by the carrier’s employees or unless such breakage results from either the negligence of the carrier or from fire, lightning, theft, malicious damage, or from collision or overturning of the conveyance.

H. Liability of carrier and insurance company for loss or damage shall be subject to compliance by the shipper with applicable provisions of Item 92 of Maximum Rate Tariff 4 (Claims for Loss or Damage).

OWNERSHIP OF GOODS – The customer, shipper, depositor, or agent herein referred to as customer, represents and warrants that he/she is lawfully possessed of the said property and/or has the authority to| authorize the transportation and/or storage of said property in accordance with the terms hereof; customer agrees to indemnify and save harmless the carrier in the event it is made a party to any litigation by reason of having said property, or any portion thereof transported and/or stored, and to pay cost of court and attorney’s fees incurred in connection therewith. The carrier’s lien shall secure all such costs and expenses in addition to its transportation and/or storage charges.

BUILDING-FIRE-WATCHMAN – The carrier does not represent or warrant that buildings are fireproof or that the contents of said buildings, including the said property, cannot be destroyed by fire. The carrier shall not be required to maintain a watchman, and its failure to do so shall not constitute negligence.

TERMS OF PAYMENT – Invoices and/or statements for transportation, first month’s storage, advances and other charges are due and payable upon completion of such transportation or receipt for storage. Thereafter storage bills are payable monthly in advance. A labor charge will be made for placing the property in storage and removing for delivery or access. Payments must be by cash or certified check.

GENERAL LIEN FOR CHARGES – The carrier shall have a general lien upon any and all property now or hereafter delivered to or deposited with the carrier by the customer or the legal possessor of such property, for all charges for transportation, storage, preservation of the property, and the performance of other services; also for all lawful claims for money advanced, interest, insurance, labor, weighing, coopering, wrapping and other charges in relation to such property or any part thereof; also for all charges and expenses for notice and advertisement of sale and for sale of the property where he has been in default in satisfying the carrier’s lien; also for all costs incurred and allowed to be recovered as reasonable expenses under provisions of the California Commercial Code or Civil Code in collecting said charges or enforcing said lien or defending itself in the event that it is made a party to any litigation concerning said property. In the event of sale under this paragraph the carrier may retain out of the proceeds thereof an amount sufficient to pay all unpaid charges, plus interest thereon at the legal rate per month charged monthly will be made together with costs incurred in possession and foreclosure, including attorney’s fees.

NOTICE AND PROOF OF LOSS OR DAMAGE – The Customer shall as soon as practical, report to the carrier, or its agent, any loss and damage which may become a claim under this agreement and shall also file with the Carrier or its agent within nine (9) months from date of loss, sworn proof of loss in accordance with item 92 of the governing Maximum Rate Tariff 4.

ADDITIONAL CONDITIONS – If credit is extended by the carrier by agreeing to bill the employer or other party, and in the event that any or all of the charges are not paid, the owner of the goods and/or beneficiary of the services acknowledges that he/she remains primarily liable for payment.

NOTICE: PLEASE INSPECT YOUR GOODS PROMPTLY. CLAIMS FOR ANY LOST OR DAMAGED GOODS MUST BE FILED WITH THE MOVER IN WRITING.

CUSTOMER REPRESENTS AND WARRANTS THAT THE PROPERTY CONSISTS OF HOUSEHOLD GOODS ONLY AND THAT NO COMBUSTIBLE OR INFLAMMABLE MATERIAL IS INCLUDED.