Move Preparation & Coverage Guidelines

    How to get your home, items, and access ready for move day - plus a clear, plain-English overview of how coverage and claims work with RVA Movers.

    Draft - pending legal review.Bracketed placeholders below (e.g. [INSURANCE-APPROVED TIMEFRAME], [WEIGHT THRESHOLD]) require sign-off from RVA Movers’ insurance carrier and Virginia counsel before publication.

    How Items Should Be Packed

    How an item is packed has the biggest single effect on whether it arrives in the same condition it left. We’ll do everything we can to protect your belongings on move day, but the packaging itself is what protects items in transit.

    • Sturdy boxes only. Use uniform moving boxes that close flat at the top - no overflowing flaps, no broken corners. Heavy items (books, dishes) go in small boxes; light bulky items (linens, pillows) go in large boxes.
    • Fragile items wrapped individually. Glass, ceramics, picture frames, and electronics should each be wrapped in packing paper or bubble wrap and packed snugly so nothing shifts.
    • Drawers emptied. Dresser, desk, and filing-cabinet drawers should be emptied unless we’ve agreed in advance to move them as-is. Loose items inside drawers can break the drawer or other belongings.
    • Liquids sealed and bagged. Anything that can spill (cleaning supplies, toiletries, food) should be tightly sealed and placed inside a sealed plastic bag inside its box.
    • Label every box. Room name on the top and one side. Mark fragile boxes FRAGILE in big letters.

    TVs, Mirrors & Lamps

    Boxed TVs

    For full coverage, TVs must be moved in their original box or a properly sized TV moving box with foam corners and packing material. We blanket-wrap and strap boxed TVs in the truck.

    Boxed Mirrors & Glass

    Mirrors, framed art, and tabletop glass should be in mirror boxes or padded picture cartons. Cardboard alone is not enough for full coverage.

    Lamps & Shades

    Remove bulbs and shades. Pack shades in their own box; pack bases padded and upright. Loose lamps in transit are very high risk.

    Unboxed TV waiver. If you ask us to move a TV that is not in a proper box, we will move it with care but you may be asked to sign an unboxed-TV waiver acknowledging that damage to unboxed electronics is not covered. [INSURANCE-APPROVED WAIVER LANGUAGE]

    Owner-Packed Box Limitations

    We move owner-packed boxes (PBO - “packed by owner”) every day. To set the right expectations:

    • Coverage on contents inside an owner-packed box is limited compared to boxes packed by our crew, because we cannot verify how items were wrapped or whether the box was overpacked.
    • If a box is unsealed, broken, sagging, or visibly overpacked at pickup, we may decline to move it as-is and ask you to repack or sign an acknowledgment.
    • Damage to the contents of an owner-packed box that is the result of how it was packed (not how it was handled) is not eligible for a claim.

    Particle Board & Self-Assembled Furniture Disclaimer

    Furniture made of particle board, MDF, or pressboard (common with IKEA, Wayfair, and similar self-assembled pieces) is not engineered to be disassembled, moved, and reassembled multiple times. The fasteners and joints lose strength after the first build, and panels can crack or chip during normal handling.

    We will move and reassemble these items with care, but pre-existing weakness, swelling, or damage to particle-board furniture is not covered. If a piece falls apart at the joints or splits along a panel during a normal lift, that is treated as the limitation of the material rather than a handling claim.

    Customer-Provided Truck or POD Limitations

    For labor-only jobs - rental trucks, U-Hauls, PODS, 1-800-PACK-RAT, storage units, etc. - the customer is responsible for the truck or container itself.

    • Truck size and condition. If the truck or container is too small, our crew will load what fits safely; we cannot guarantee that everything will load.
    • Placement & access. The customer is responsible for placing the truck/POD where it can be safely loaded, and for any required permits or HOA approvals.
    • Transit shifting. Once loaded, RVA Movers is not responsible for damage caused by movement of the load during transit when the truck or POD is driven or transported by the customer or a third party.
    • Mechanical issues. Truck breakdowns, tie-down failures, or rental-company issues are between the customer and the rental provider.

    Specialty Item Disclosure

    Tell us about specialty items before move day so we can plan crew size, equipment, and time. Specialty items include:

    Upright pianos (we move uprights; we do not move grands)
    Gun safes and jewelry safes over [WEIGHT THRESHOLD]
    Pool tables & slate-top tables
    Commercial gym equipment (treadmills, multi-station gyms, racks)
    Aquariums (must be drained and unplugged before our arrival)
    Hot tubs and spas (case-by-case - usually requires a specialty subcontractor)
    Antiques, oversized art, and one-of-a-kind family heirlooms
    Large appliances (washer/dryer must be disconnected; refrigerators emptied and defrosted)

    If a specialty item is discovered on move day that wasn’t disclosed in your quote, the move can usually still happen - but timing, crew size, and pricing may need to be adjusted on site.

    Work Area Safety

    • Clear pathways. Walkways, stairs, and entryways at both locations should be clear of snow, ice, leaves, water, and tripping hazards before crew arrival.
    • Pets and small children secured. Please keep pets and young children out of the active work area for their safety and ours.
    • Indoor temperature. Heat or cool the home to a reasonable working temperature when possible - long moves in extreme heat are tougher on people and on furniture.
    • Right to pause. If a work area becomes unsafe (structural, weather, hostile environment), our crew will pause work, contact you, and resume when conditions are safe.

    Claim Reporting Timeline & Process

    If something is damaged on move day or discovered during unpacking, here’s how to report it - and what to expect.

    Reporting Window

    Damage must be reported in writing within [INSURANCE-APPROVED TIMEFRAME] of move completion. Photographs of the damaged item and a brief description of when/where it was discovered are required.

    Claims Process

    We acknowledge every claim within [INSURANCE-APPROVED TIMEFRAME]. We may request to inspect the item, repair it through our preferred vendor, or settle under the coverage option you selected at booking. See our full claims policy for coverage tiers and exclusions.

    All numerical timeframes, weight thresholds, and waiver language above are placeholders pending review by RVA Movers’ insurance carrier and Virginia counsel.

    Questions about your move?

    Tell us what you’re moving and we’ll walk you through what needs to be ready, what’s included, and what to expect on move day.