White Glove Moving Services: Costs, Services & Best Movers
Quick answer: White glove moving services such as packing, custom crating, and furniture arrangement are ideal if you prefer a premium experience and have the budget, especially if you’re moving high-end or antique items and want to outsource as much of your move as possible.
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While full-service movers can certainly help with much of the heavy lifting for your move, some people may need more care and attention for their belongings throughout the whole moving process.
For a premium cost, some of the best long-distance moving companies provide additional services such as packaging priceless art, antiques, and wine collections.
Even better, they can help with things like cleaning, picture hanging, and appliance connections. We’ve reviewed numerous moving companies, taking a close look at their services, to recommend the best white glove movers you can hire for your move.
Table of contents
- What is white glove moving?
- White glove moving services
- White glove vs full-service moves
- The best white glove movers
- How to choose a white glove moving company
- How much does white glove moving cost?
- FAQ
What is white glove moving?
White glove moving is an elite moving service that goes beyond regular full-service moving company offerings.
White glove movers use special padding or custom crating inside their moving trucks to prevent damage and offer a wide range of extra services like cleaning and reconnecting home entertainment centers, helping you through the entire process of moving.
They have the necessary training and expertise to handle the most complex moves with ease, protecting all your possessions from start to finish.
While the pricing for these services can be significantly higher than regular full-service companies, they could be the best move if you have the budget and would appreciate peace of mind and a stress-free moving process.
White glove moving services
White glove movers generally tailor their services to corporate transfers, busy professionals, and well-heeled customers, particularly in places like New York City or New Jersey.
Here are some of the most popular offerings:
- Cleaning: Movers will send experienced and professionally trained crews to clean your old home after you’ve moved out and to your new home before you move in.
- Home entertainment centers: White glove companies can help with entertainment systems. They’ll generally schedule the crew to be at your home the day before the moving date to disconnect the system and pack it. Similarly, their tech crew will arrive at your new house to reconnect your system.
- Arranging furniture: Full-service movers will put your furniture where you tell them, but usually only once. If you’ve hired a white glove moving company and realize you want a different layout, call the customer service phone number and ask them to rearrange things. Alternatively, they could help you determine the best layout.
- Hanging pictures and artwork: A professional team will center each piece of art and secure it with professional-grade hardware. Before you use this service, however, you’ll need to have your furniture exactly where you want so you know what wall space is available.
- Servicing home gyms: Crews can provide home gym assembly and disassembly services, even for equipment with lots of heavy parts. Just tell them where you need everything to go and they’ll handle the rest.
- Packing and unpacking: While some full-service companies also provide packing and unpacking, you’ll usually need to pay extra for this service. With white glove services, packing and unpacking are core features. They will provide boxes, bubble wrap, and other packing materials.
- Storage: White glove companies can provide storage services for your items until you’re ready to move into your new home. With their own secure, climate-controlled facilities, they ensure your items will still be in good condition even if they have to be kept in storage for a month or two.
- Special handling of fragile/high-value items: Many families have items of extraordinary value. Fragile and specialty items can be packed in custom crating for extra protection during transit. Most white glove companies teams have specialty training to handle items like pianos and pool tables.
White glove vs full-service moving
The choice between white glove and full-service moving companies might seem like splitting hairs, but it’s really about what you need.
White-glove movers are like luxury concierges for moving services. These extremely professional movers take several steps to ensure every item, especially valuable items and antiques, is treated with extra care.
They’ll even set up your new home just like you want it. Standard moving services, on the other hand, cover the basics. They’ll pack, load, transport, and unload your things. They’re great for most moves, especially if you’re on a budget.
So, is it worth splurging on a white glove service? It depends on how much you value peace of mind and whether you’re moving precious items like your priceless heirlooms.
Consider your budget, what you’re moving, and how involved you want to be in the process. The choice comes down to how much you want to invest in making your move as stress-free as possible.
The best white glove movers
Here are our top picks for white glove movers, based on their premium services, cost, and reputation. Get a quote from at least three of these movers so you can compare your options.
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JK Moving Services
JK Moving Services has built a reputation for going the extra mile by providing high-quality services for residential and commercial moves alike. We like that the company assigns a personal coordinator to each move to manage concerns like crating antiques and moving pianos or relocating heavy items like fitness equipment.
Crew members routinely undergo training in careful handling and loading techniques, particularly related to handling specialty items like art and antiques.
rating
4.6 / 5
89% of users select this mover
JK Moving allows customers to customize packing services, with options for full-service, fragile-only, and even DIY packing.
They provide full unpacking services and climate-controlled storage—including for exotic vehicles. JK Moving also specializes in government and senior moves.
While JK Moving can be quite expensive, the company offers financing options to qualifying customers to help make costs more manageable. It’s worth noting, however, that the company has limited coverage for local moves, only servicing Maryland, Virginia, and Washington, D.C.
Mayzlin Relocation
Mayzlin Relocation is one of our best luxury movers, thanks to its high-quality customer service and customizable service options.
After you book your move, you’re assigned a personal moving coordinator to help devise a plan to fit your needs. The company’s 24/7 customer support makes it even easier to coordinate your move, and customers highly rate its packing and unpacking services.
rating
4.9 / 5
89% of users select this mover
Mayzlin is a family-owned company that operates a little differently than some of the larger van lines in that it owns and directly manages its entire fleet of vehicles.
This ensures a consistent experience regardless of whether you use Mayzlin for a local or cross-country move. It also handles corporate relocations and military moves.
It’s worth noting, however, that Mayzlin Relocation is a smaller company than others on this list. This can result in longer move times and availability issues, particularly outside of its main operating hubs along the East Coast.
Safeway Moving
Safeway Moving provides a binding estimate for all moves—even when you need specialty services like antique packing—so you don’t have to worry about surprise price hikes. With a triple-check verification system, we found that the company has a reputation for delivering accurate flat-rate quotes.
rating
4.85 / 5
89% of users select this mover
In addition to packing and unpacking, Safeway’s teams can provide custom crating for fragile items. Your items are barcode-scanned to ensure they’re tracked properly, and you can check on your items when en route via GPS.
Safeway also includes 30 days of free storage on all long-distance moves, with climate-controlled storage options available. However, Safeway doesn’t provide local moving services.
American Van Lines
American Van Lines uses certified movers to individually wrap and pack luxury goods. They specialize in moving bulky items like pianos and antiques, as well as tech equipment and office furniture for commercial moves.
In fact, they certify their movers to handle such specialty items. Crews have at least 10 years of experience, on average, to ensure your items are treated with care.
rating
4.5 / 5
89% of users select this mover
For further peace of mind, we appreciate that they itemize the belongings that go into each box. Fragile items like glass and dish sets are wrapped in paper and packed in double-walled boxes for added protection.
The company offers secure, climate-controlled storage facilities in Texas, Florida, and North Carolina.
American Van Lines has competitive pricing for most moves, making it a more budget-friendly option. However, the company often requires a deposit of up to 50% of your total cost. It also doesn’t service Hawaii or Alaska.
North American Van Lines
North American Van Lines (NAVL) offers a wide range of white-glove services for residential and commercial moves, such as cleaning, picture hanging, reconnecting home entertainment centers, and disassembling and reassembling gym equipment
Best of all, NAVL’s services are fully customizable, allowing you to pick and choose which options best fit your moving needs.
rating
4.5 / 5
89% of users select this mover
In addition to custom crating, NAVL provides climate-controlled transport for wine collections and other sensitive items. Satellite shipment tracking also makes it easy to track your items while they’re in transit.
Short-term and long-term storage are also available. And we like that the company will dispose of packing materials after your move is complete.
NAVL requires its white glove crews to undergo extensive training for tasks like disassembling gym equipment and driving in rough weather conditions to ensure your items safely reach their destination.
How to choose a white glove moving company
Specialty movers with legitimate white glove services are becoming more prevalent, but they’re not all as experienced as they claim to be.
To ensure you’re working with a legit white glove mover, take the following steps:
- Read reviews: Check real-life experiences from our Better Moves Project participants and online reviews from consumer sites like the Better Business Bureau (BBB).
- Check licensing: Also, make sure the company is properly registered with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA).
- Get quotes: Compare quotes from a few different moving companies to get the best rates. When requesting a free quote, ask which services are (or aren’t) included in the initial quote and make an inventory list of your belongings for the most accurate quote.
- Research online: The company’s website can also be a good source of information. Many white glove companies showcase some of their high-profile relocations for corporations, art collectors, and sports stars on their websites.
How much does white glove moving cost?
White glove moving services can range from $6,000 up to $100,000, depending on the size and distance of the move, as well as the scope of services you select.
While it’s more expensive, white glove services tend to be much more comprehensive than typical full-service movers, particularly when it comes to carefully transporting antiques and high-value items.
Standard movers also typically won’t provide value-added services like debris removal, electronics and gym setup, and furniture arrangement.
Part of the added cost of white glove moving also stems from the fact that these movers typically undergo additional training to ensure they handle fragile and high-value items with care, with a closer attention to detail.
They’re better equipped to handle specialty pieces like pianos and antiques while minimizing the risk of damaged items.
FAQ
When should you use a white glove mover?
You should use a white glove mover when you have fragile, high-value, or antique items that require extra care and attention. You can also use white glove movers if you want a truly hassle-free move where you outsource the vast majority of the work.
Are white glove moving services worth the extra cost for delicate or high-value items?
White glove moving services can certainly be worth the extra cost for delicate or high-value items. However, for items that are more easily replaced (including delicate items that lack sentimental value), you may be able to save money by getting full-valuation insurance coverage with a typical full-service mover instead.
Get quotes to compare your options, and be sure to check reviews of different movers to ensure they’ll treat your items with care. You can get started comparing prices with our moving cost calculator.
How much do you tip for white glove delivery?
For white glove delivery, you should tip at the higher end of the general recommendation, which is between 10% and 20% of your total move cost. The total tip amount should be split between all of your movers.
Do white glove moving companies offer long-term storage?
Most white glove moving companies offer short-term storage, and some also offer long-term storage at secure, climate-controlled facilities. However, storage offerings and availability vary between companies, so you will need to ask your moving company what options they provide or consider a dedicated storage company.
Can a white glove moving service move a luxury car?
While a white glove moving service may be able to move a luxury car by partnering with a car shipping company, they do not typically provide this service directly.
However, many of the best car shipping companies provide enclosed shipment options that are perfectly suited for transporting luxury vehicles with the utmost care.
Methodology
We've been evaluating moving companies for over 10 years and have developed a rigorous review system to identify the best moving companies.
We Look At:
Customer satisfaction (40%):
The company consistently delivers services in a timely matter with good communication and within the estimated cost.
Dispute resolution (20%):
Mistakes cannot be avoided in the moving industry. We look for companies that own their mistakes and make genuine efforts to fix any issues that arise during a move.
Industry reputation (15%):
The company is well regarded within the moving industry as well as participates in industry conferences and organizations.
Online reputation (10%):
The company maintains a professional website with accurate information. The company promptly and professionally responds to online customer inquiries.
Service options (10%):
We look for companies with a deep breadth of services including full packing, storage, specialty item handling, expedited delivery and more.
National availability (5%):
The company offers origin and destination services across the country.
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