Daily Life
Hiring Movers in China: Truck Access, Elevator Booking, and Handover Checklist
Plan an apartment move in China by comparing mover quotes, booking compound access and elevators, protecting belongings, and documenting handover.
Rules and procedures can change. Check the linked official sources before acting on time-sensitive information.
Quick answer
What you need to know
A reliable China apartment move needs a written scope, verified truck and compound access, reserved elevators, protected common areas, and signed records at both addresses.
- Get an itemized written quote after disclosing stairs, distance, parking, and bulky items.
- Coordinate vehicle permits, gates, elevator hours, and deposits with both compounds.
- Photograph valuable items and common areas before work starts.
- Do not sign completion until boxes, damage, keys, and extra charges are reconciled.
In a Chinese residential compound, the difficult part of moving may be the final 200 meters. Gate restrictions, basement height, elevator bookings, loading limits, and property deposits can matter as much as the truck.
Survey both addresses first
Walk the route from the legal loading point to each apartment. Record gate name, entry height, parking limit, walking distance, stairs, elevator size, service-lift location, door width, and time restrictions. Ask both property offices about worker registration, vehicle permits, elevator padding, floor protection, noise hours, waste removal, and deposits.
Send the mover the Chinese addresses and annotated photos. A general map pin may lead a truck to the wrong gate. The maps and navigation guide explains how to prepare a reliable location pack.
Compare the complete quote
Give each company the same inventory: box count, furniture dimensions, appliances, plants, fragile items, safe or piano, disassembly, packing, storage, and disposal. State whether either building lacks a lift or requires a long carry.
Ask the quote to show truck size and trips, crew size, base fee, packing materials, stairs, carrying distance, tolls, parking, waiting, assembly, insurance or liability terms, invoice availability, cancellation, and tax. Verify the business identity and payment account before paying a deposit.
Avoid relying on a low chat estimate. Confirm which changes require your written approval and who has authority to agree to them on moving day.
Reserve access in writing
Book the move date, loading bay, and service elevator at both buildings. Provide the mover’s plate number and worker details by the deadline. If the property office requires a damage deposit, obtain a receipt and the inspection/refund procedure.
Check whether weekends, lunch hours, school arrival periods, or public holidays change access. China’s official annual public-holiday information is published by the State Council, while each compound sets its operational schedule. The adjusted workdays guide helps interpret calendar changes.
Pack for control, not just speed
Number every box and keep a room-level inventory. Photograph valuable items, appliance serial numbers, existing scratches, and the walls, lift, and corridor before work. Back up devices and remove personal data from equipment being sold or discarded.
Carry passports, residence permits, contracts, bank materials, jewellery, essential medicine, chargers, keys, and a change of clothes yourself. Use the moving apartments guide for utilities and address updates.
Supervise loading and delivery
Nominate one decision-maker at each address. Confirm the truck, crew lead, seal or load condition, and departure time. Do not allow blocked fire doors, overloaded lifts, unsafe lifting, or unattended open apartments.
At delivery, count boxes before directing placement. Test major appliances only as recommended after transport; some refrigerators need standing time. Record missing or damaged items immediately with photos, box numbers, and the crew lead’s acknowledgment.
Close the job carefully
Inspect both common areas with property staff and obtain the deposit-release record. Reconcile the original quote, approved extras, payment, and invoice. Do not sign a blank or inaccurate completion statement.
Moving-day checklist
- Both property offices approve the date and time.
- Vehicle, worker, loading, and elevator access confirmed.
- Itemized quote and extra-charge rules saved.
- Boxes numbered and valuable items photographed.
- Documents, medicine, keys, and devices kept personally.
- Old and new common areas photographed.
- Box count and damage checked before sign-off.
- Deposit, invoice, and completion records collected.
Contract and liability terms vary. For a high-value or disputed move, ask the platform, insurer, consumer authority, or a qualified adviser about the appropriate remedy.
Frequently asked questions
Common questions
Do movers need advance permission to enter a residential compound in China?
Often yes. Property management may require vehicle details, worker registration, elevator protection, time-slot booking, or a refundable deposit. Check both addresses before confirming the mover.
Why did a mover's price change on moving day?
Extra stairs, long carrying distance, parking fees, packing, disassembly, heavy items, or additional truck trips may be excluded. Put quantities, access conditions, and the rules for extras in writing.
Should I let movers transport passports or important documents?
Keep passports, residence documents, bank items, medicines, keys, devices, and irreplaceable records with you in a personal essentials bag.
