Apartment and Condo Moves
A one-bedroom off Fourth Street, a two-bedroom in Mid-City, a condo with a view of the pier. We size the crew to the building: stairs or elevator, and how close the truck can get to the door.
Household moving
Local Santa Monica movers for apartments, condos and houses, from Ocean Park walk-ups to family homes North of Montana. Two movers and a truck start at $119 an hour, and our crews are based in Brentwood, less than a mile from the city line.
Sinatra Movers has been moving Westside households since 2015. Our trucks start the day on Kiowa Avenue in Brentwood, so an 8 a.m. job on Montana Avenue or in Ocean Park is a short hop for the crew, not a drive across the county.
Working as Santa Monica movers, we run into the same three problems on almost every job: finding legal curb space on a busy street, getting a sofa down the narrow stairwell of an older walk-up, and meeting the paperwork rules of condo buildings near the beach. Below you will find how we deal with each of them, what a typical move costs, and what you can sort out ahead of time to keep the hours down.
Most of what our Santa Monica movers do is residential. The same crews also handle small offices, studios and single heavy pieces that need extra hands.
A one-bedroom off Fourth Street, a two-bedroom in Mid-City, a condo with a view of the pier. We size the crew to the building: stairs or elevator, and how close the truck can get to the door.
Household movingHouses come with garages, patio furniture and a lot more to wrap. For these we usually send three or four movers and a 22–26 ft truck, and everything is blanketed before it leaves the room.
If work leaves no time for boxes, the crew can pack the kitchen, closets or the whole place before loading.
Professional packersLease ends on the 31st and the new place is ready on the 10th? We can pick everything up, hold it, and deliver when you have the keys.
Full-service storageSmall offices, creative studios and shared workspaces in Santa Monica, including desks, files and IT equipment, scheduled around your working hours.
Office movingAnything over 150 lbs needs to be listed when you book so we bring the right equipment. A $200 fee applies per oversized item.
Piano movingLeaving California? See how our long-distance moving works.
We charge by the hour, at the same rates we use everywhere in Los Angeles. The truck, the crew, basic packing materials, dollies and furniture disassembly are all part of the hourly price.
| Move size | Crew | Truck | Hourly rate | Typical time* | Labor estimate* |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Studio | 2 movers | 18–20 ft | $119/hr | 2–3 hrs | about $357 (3-hr minimum) |
| 1 bedroom | 2 movers | 18–20 ft | $119/hr | 3–4 hrs | $357–$476 |
| Large 1 bedroom | 3 movers | 22–24 ft | $169/hr | 3–4 hrs | $507–$676 |
| 2 bedroom | 3 movers | 22–24 ft | $169/hr | 5–7 hrs | $845–$1,183 |
| 3+ bedroom house | 4 movers | 24–26 ft | $209/hr | Depends on the home | Quoted after a call or video walk-through |
*Time covers loading and unloading. It does not include double drive time, packing, oversized items or long carries. Bookings have a 3-hour minimum, and an extra mover is $50/hr. Current rates are listed on our pricing page.
Just a few items? Our 2-Hour Special is a flat $350 for two movers and a truck, with extra time at $150/hr. It works well for a bedroom set, a few pieces from a storage unit or a move between two units in the same building.
On hourly moves in California, the time the truck spends driving from pickup to delivery is billed twice. Inside Santa Monica that adds very little: Ocean Park to Mid-City is usually a ten-minute drive. Santa Monica to Pasadena on a weekday afternoon is a different story, and it is worth planning the start time around traffic. Our double drive time guide explains how it is calculated.
Curb space decides how long Santa Monica movers spend on a job more than anything else. When the truck has to park a block away, every box and every piece of furniture travels that block, and a 3-hour job turns into a 4-hour one.
Here is what the City of Santa Monica says about moving trucks, according to its Temporary No Parking sign page:
When we checked the City’s page, the fee was $107.75 per application plus $2.04 per sign, handled by the Public Works counter at City Hall by appointment, (310) 458-8737. Fees change, so confirm on the City’s site before you apply.
Our advice is simple. If you live on Wilshire, Santa Monica Boulevard, Lincoln or Ocean Avenue, or your building has no driveway, get the signs. On the quieter residential streets of Sunset Park or North of Montana, the crew can usually find a space on a weekday morning. Tell us which situation you have and we will pick the truck size around it. It is also worth checking the street sweeping schedule for both addresses.
Housing in Santa Monica runs from beachfront towers to two-story courtyard buildings with outdoor stairs. Each one needs a slightly different plan, and the plan is what keeps the clock under control.
Many condo and apartment buildings ask the moving company for a certificate of insurance and want the freight elevator booked for a set window. Send us the building’s requirements when you book, and we send the certificate of insurance to management before moving day. Here is how to reserve a freight elevator without losing half the day.
Older buildings often have one narrow stairwell. We take beds and tables apart at no extra charge, and if a sectional will not make the turn, we tell you before we try it, not after.
Some homes have narrow driveways or low branches over the street. Send a photo of the front of the house and we will choose a truck that fits.
We move people in every part of the city. A quick look at what each area usually means for moving day:
Apartment buildings around the Third Street Promenade. Busy streets and little curb space, so signs are worth it.
Large single-family homes on wide residential streets. These are often four-mover jobs.
A mix of condos, apartments and smaller houses between Wilshire and Montana.
Apartment buildings and townhomes between Wilshire and Pico, many with shared driveways.
Near the beach, with older walk-ups, courtyard buildings and narrow streets.
Mostly single-family homes on quieter streets, which usually makes parking easier.
Still deciding where to live? Our guide to moving to Santa Monica covers neighborhoods, rents and everyday life in the city.
Booking Santa Monica movers takes one phone call or one short form.
Call (888) 777-2090 or use the quote form. Give us both addresses, the date and the size of your home.
Stairs, elevator, alley or street, building rules, and any item over 150 lbs. Photos help.
Your booking manager confirms the crew size, truck, arrival window and any paperwork the building needs.
The crew protects floors and doorways, wraps and loads, drives, unloads and puts your furniture back together.
Because our base is in Brentwood, the crew is not sitting on the 405 when your move is supposed to start. A short trip in the morning leaves more of the day for the actual work.
Many of our customers book us again for their next move, and some for the one after that. We take that as the best sign we are doing the job right.
The hourly rate, the minimum, the oversized-item fee and the drive time rule are explained before you book. If something about your move will add time, such as a long carry or a missing elevator reservation, we say so up front.
Every move comes with free furniture disassembly, wardrobe boxes and blankets (returned the same day), dollies and floor protection.
Real reviews from our customers on Google.
Great job start to finish moving within Brentwood, came on time very clean and efficient. Took great care of all our stuff
This is my third time using this company and they are always so efficient and the movers are so kind and great at communicating through the process. Mike and Serge were A-plus for my move from my studio to a 1-bed and happily took apart my bed and put it back together so quickly when it didn’t fit through the door. Definitely recommend!
I’ve used Sinatra Moving 4 times now and they’ve been great every time. Most recently Mike and Bogdan helped me moved out of my one bedroom apartment. They were friendly, communicated well, took great care with my furniture, and worked their butts off the entire time. There’s a reason I keep returning to them when I need to move.
Sinatra Movers charges $119 an hour for two movers and a truck, $169 for three movers and $209 for four. Bookings have a 3-hour minimum, and drive time between your two addresses is billed twice under California rules. A typical one-bedroom move inside Santa Monica takes 3 to 4 hours with two movers.
Not for a daytime move. The City of Santa Monica advises Temporary No Parking signs but does not require them, as long as the truck uses a legal open space and follows posted rules. Overnight parking from 9 p.m. to 6 a.m. is not covered. Reserved signs can hold curb space for up to 72 hours.
Yes, if 11 feet of clearance stays open for other traffic. Some Santa Monica alleys limit loading to 30 minutes or less, so check the posted sign. If the time limit is short, we plan to load from the street instead.
Yes. Send us the building’s requirements when you book, including who should be named on the certificate, and we send it to management before moving day. Book the freight elevator for a window that covers the full move.
Yes. Sinatra Movers is licensed by the California Public Utilities Commission for moves within the state (MTR 0191841) and registered with the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT 3074703). Basic valuation coverage of $0.60 per pound per article is included.
All of it: Downtown (90401), North of Montana (90402), Wilshire Montana (90403), Mid-City (90404), Ocean Park and Sunset Park (90405). We also move people from Santa Monica to the rest of Los Angeles and out of state.
Items over 150 lbs, such as pianos, safes, marble tables and large china cabinets, must be listed when you book. A $200 fee applies per oversized item so we can bring the right equipment and crew.
Our Santa Monica movers work across the Westside every week. We also move households and offices in:
Tell our Santa Monica movers both addresses, your date and what the building access looks like. We will suggest the crew size and truck, and give you a clear idea of the hours before you book.
Prefer email? sinatramovers@gmail.com
Give us a call or drop by anytime, we endeavour to answer all enquiries within 24 hours on business days.
sinatramovers@gmail.com
(888) 777-2090