Hawke’s Bay Movers & Storage Company

What a move costs comes down to four main things: the volume of what you’re moving, the access to properties at each end, the distance and the timing. Our free consultation makes sure we have all the information required to quote and schedule accordingly, so you know what to expect before anything is booked.

This means a property needing a ferry vehicle, extra crew or specialist lifting gear is priced accordingly, and that’s established at the survey. Storage is usually quoted separately, though short-term storage can be included in a moving quote. The quoted cost only changes if access differs from what was assessed, or if items are added.

December and January are the busiest months of the year for us, and long weekends also see high demand. Moving during Napier’s Art Deco Festival or the Hawke’s Bay Marathon also impacts your moving schedule. If you’re hoping to move in one of those windows, book well ahead. Moving dates surrounding mid-year and mid-month tend to be quieter, with better availability and more flexibility to shift moving dates around.

Completing the move in a single day is possible, and is usually achievable with smaller households. Larger moves usually require more staff and take longer. We will inform you of achievable dates that best suit your move.

Yes, our moving company can handle Napier’s older homes and hill suburbs. Napier Hill has two suburbs, both with steep and narrow roads. Although these streets restrict access for a full-size truck, our crews know how to work around this. When a driveway is too narrow, too steep, or has a bend that can’t be navigated safely with a full moving truck, we use a ferry vehicle. This is a van or small truck which takes trips back and forth between the house and the closest place the main truck has been able to safely park.

Napier is home to a lot of 1930s rebuilds, which have left the city with a remarkable concentration of Art Deco homes. These homes tend to have narrow hallways, tight doorways, external steps and original fittings, which are assessed during the consultation. For central city moves, we will organise council loading-zone permits where they’re needed. Since property access is considered before moving day, we have everything planned so your move goes smoothly.

Moving from an orchard, vineyard, or lifestyle block involves much more than just the house itself. Sheds and outbuildings almost always hold more than is estimated. Be sure to include these in the survey, not on the day. Items worth mentioning early include spa pools, large outdoor furniture, farm equipment, workshop tools and machinery, large plants, anything needing specialist lifting equipment, and anything that has to come out over a balcony.

When mentioning heavy items, it’s beneficial to consider two sets of questions, as they’re a two-end problem. How will it come out of the current house, and are there stairs? How does it get into the new one, and where do you want it placed? Answering both of these questions during the survey determines whether extra crew are arranged at the initial property, the destination, or both. Planning these in advance keeps extra costs from being added to your original quote.

Rural access shapes the day too: gated entrances, overhanging trees, cattle stops, and unsealed driveways, roads and pathways – all are factored in when we choose the vehicle and crew.

If you’re only shifting a few boxes and a bed across town, doing it yourself with the help of friends or family could be a better option. However, our Crown team will move small loads or single items with the same level of care as a full household move.

It all starts to change once questions such as hill access, a rural property with sheds and outbuildings, heavy or oversized items, or an out-of-region move are involved. Doing it yourself carries costs that are not immediately obvious until they’re added up at the end. Truck hire, fuel and time off work all add up, and you’re carrying furniture on steep or uneven ground with limited or no cover if something breaks.

When considering moving companies, working with Crown as your Hawke’s Bay furniture movers will keep everything straightforward. Crown has more than 60 years’ experience as New Zealand’s leading moving company, with trained local crews, professional packing standards, furniture-moving specialists, purpose-built vehicles and equipment. CrownCare transit cost protection is an additional option that goes beyond standard carrier liability.

Changes to settlement dates and key handovers cause more delivery delays than anything else. This is relevant for any move, not just for Hawke’s Bay. Before our crew arrives to deliver, you need to be certain you’ll have the key to the new property.

If a key handover is looking tight, communicating with your coordinator early is essential to avoid the crew waiting around for access. Short-term or long-term storage is available to bridge the gap between dates.