Bay Area movers since 2007
House plants and planters on moving day
Yes, we move house plants and planters when they fit the truck and can travel safely. Large planters depend on space; send a photo. Spartan Moving.
Cal-T #0190543 · Licensed & insuredUS DOT 1783494
4.8★ · Over 1,000 reviews on Google, Yelp (San Jose, San Francisco) and Thumbtack
- Google4.8 / 79 reviews
- Cal-T#0190543
- US DOT1783494
- Hours7 days, 7 AM - 8 PM
- Based inSan Jose, CA
We move plants, with three conditions
People ask about plants more than you might expect, and with good reason: a fiddle-leaf fig or a ten-year-old olive tree in a pot can mean more to a household than a sofa. Our answer has been the same for years. Yes, we move plants, as long as they fit in the truck, they can get through the stairs and doorways at the new place, and they can be transported safely. A plant that is too tall for the truck, or a planter too heavy to carry down a flight of stairs, may need another plan.
Big planters depend on space
Large outdoor planters are the hardest case. Whether we can take one depends on how much room is left in the truck after the house is loaded, because furniture and boxes go in first and pack tightly; a big planter takes up floor space that nothing else can share. If you have one, send a photo before move day. David will tell you whether it is likely to fit, and whether the planter's weight puts it in the over-300-pound category that needs his confirmation. Planters filled with wet soil are much heavier than they look.
Every piece of furniture is fully wrapped and protected with moving blankets and tape, at no extra charge.
A dedicated trip when you move nearby
When the new home is only minutes away, there is a simple option: a dedicated trip just for the plants. On one large Bay Area move with a lot of greenery, the estimator expected the house contents to fill the truck, so we planned a second run for the plants. Because the two homes were less than 10 minutes apart, double drive time did not apply. A second trip is billed as time at the hourly rate like the rest of the job.
What it costs
There is no plant fee. Plants are loaded and carried within the move at $175 per hour for 3 movers or $235 per hour for 4, with a 3-hour minimum and 15-minute increments. Protective wrapping for plants and pots is a packing material, charged as used. Double drive time applies when the two homes are more than 10 minutes apart, under California's tariff rules.
Getting plants ready
- Water a day or two before the move, not the morning of, so pots are lighter and do not drip.
- Prune long branches that will catch in doorways.
- Put small plants in open-top boxes, stable and upright.
- Put saucers under pots and wrap ceramic pots that might chip.
- Move delicate or valuable plants in your own car if you can.
- Tell us about any plant taller than about six feet.
Long-distance moves
Plants generally do poorly in a closed truck for days, and some states restrict bringing plants in from California. If you are moving out of state, consider giving plants to friends or taking a few cuttings. On a local Bay Area move, plants are usually on the truck for only a few hours.
Questions and answers
Do movers move plants?
We do, when they fit in the truck, can get through the stairs at the new home, and can be transported safely.
Can you move a large outdoor planter?
Send a photo. It depends on its weight and how much truck space remains after the house is loaded.
Can you make a separate trip for plants?
Yes, especially when the homes are close. The trip is billed as time at the hourly rate.
Is there a fee for moving plants?
No. Plants are part of the move, billed by time; protective wrapping is charged as used.
Moving day, done right
They keep coming back.
4.8 on 79 Google reviews. Over 1,000 reviews on Google, Yelp (San Jose, San Francisco) and Thumbtack.
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