Bay Ridge, Dyker Heights and Bensonhurst are full of two-family houses, attached homes with driveways, and six-story elevator buildings along the avenues. Moves here are often family moves with a lot of furniture, and the route out of the neighborhood is different for a truck than for a car.
Two-family houses and basement apartments
In a two-family house you may share the front door and stairs with the other unit. Tell your neighbors the date and keep the shared hall clear. Basement and ground-floor apartments often have low entrances, so tall furniture may need to tilt or come apart. We take furniture apart and put it back together.
Why the truck does not take the Belt Parkway
The Belt Parkway and Ocean Parkway are both closed to commercial vehicles, according to NYC DOT: parkway restrictions for commercial vehicles. In New York State, commercial traffic can use the interstate highways instead (NYSDOT: highways for commercial traffic). From Bay Ridge that usually means the Gowanus Expressway (I-278) toward the rest of Brooklyn and Manhattan, or the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge to Staten Island and New Jersey.
Moving to Staten Island or New Jersey
Many families move from Bay Ridge across the Verrazzano. A move to Staten Island stays inside New York and falls under our New York license, NYSDOT 34875. A move to New Jersey is interstate and falls under our federal license, U.S. DOT No. 967970 (MC-432549). The federal FMCSA: your rights and responsibilities when you move page and the FMCSA: Ready to Move? brochure brochure explain what your mover must give you on an interstate move.
Elevator buildings on the avenues
Larger buildings on Fourth Avenue, Shore Road and Ridge Boulevard may ask for a certificate of insurance (COI) and an elevator reservation. Ask the super early; we send the COI your building asks for.
Family-size moves
Southwest Brooklyn moves are often whole households: bedroom sets, dining rooms, basements and garages. Start packing rooms you use least, like the basement and storage closets, two weeks ahead. Decide what goes to storage, what is donated and what moves, and tell us before the day so the truck is the right size.
What to put in your estimate request
List the rooms, the basement and garage contents, the floors on both ends and any shared stairs. Photos of large pieces help. The estimate is free and in writing; call (929) 339-6014 or use the quote form on our home page.
Before the move
- Change your address with USPS; at a Post Office you can use PS Form 3575 from the free Mover’s Guide packet (USPS: change your address).
- If you move to New Jersey, the state gives new residents 60 days to transfer a driver license (NJ MVC: moving to New Jersey).
- Leave the driveway or the curb in front of the house free on moving morning if you can.
Questions we hear
Can a moving truck use the Belt Parkway or Ocean Parkway?
No. NYC DOT closes both to commercial vehicles. Trucks use interstates such as I-278 and local truck routes.
Is a move from Bay Ridge to Staten Island interstate?
No. Both are in New York, so it is a New York move under our NYSDOT license. A move to New Jersey is interstate.
Do you move two-family houses with shared stairs?
Yes. Tell us about the shared entrance and the stairs when you ask for an estimate.
How do I get a free written estimate?
Call (929) 339-6014 or use the quote form on our home page.
Free written estimate: call (929) 339-6014 or use the quote form on our home page. Family business since 1999 · U.S. DOT No. 967970 (MC-432549) · NYSDOT 34875 · NJPM 000930 · Company facts
More moving guides
- Park Slope Brownstone Moves: Stoops, Parlor Floors and Tight Stairs
- Moving Into Williamsburg and Greenpoint Buildings: Move Reservations, COIs and Loading
- Bushwick and Bed-Stuy Walk-Up Moves: Rowhouses, Narrow Stairs and Planning the Carry
- Moving in Brooklyn Heights and DUMBO: Historic Streets, Cobblestones and Bridge Truck Rules
