Almost every call that comes into our Schenectady office starts the same way, and it is a fair thing to ask: what is this going to run me? Joe or one of the leads will give you the honest answer right then, because the price of a Capital Region move is built from a short, knowable list. Below is how the Hanley family prices a move in 2026, what nudges the figure higher, and the real dollar ranges so you can read any estimate you are handed and know it is square.
Billed by the Hour, or One Flat Rate
A small, easy-in-easy-out job around Schenectady, Albany, or Troy is something we are happy to run on the clock. For a whole house, and for anyone who would rather see the figure locked before our trucks leave the yard on Broadway, we write one flat rate instead. The aim is certainty. Joe or a crew lead walks the entire job first, accounts for the reserved elevator, the COI, and the winter access, then hands you a number you hold before move day comes around.
Hourly Crew Rates
| Crew | Rate | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| 2 movers + truck | $120/hr | Studios, one-bedroom apartments, lighter loads |
| 3 movers + truck | $160/hr | Two-bedroom homes and most Niskayuna ranches |
| 4 movers + truck | $210/hr | Three- and four-bedroom houses, walk-ups, tight windows |
Flat-Rate Bands by Home Size
These ranges track what we actually see from Saratoga Springs down through Albany and over to Troy. Where your home lands inside its band comes down to access and how much you own, which we get into below. A two-story colonial in a Clifton Park subdivision with a packed garage sits high in its band; a tidy Scotia bungalow with a light load sits low.
| Home Size | Typical Flat Rate |
|---|---|
| Studio | $380 – $620 |
| 1 bedroom | $620 – $1,040 |
| 2 bedroom | $1,040 – $1,760 |
| 3 bedroom | $1,760 – $2,940 |
| 4 bedroom | $2,940 – $4,640 |
What Actually Drives the Cost Up Here
The truck and crew set the floor. Everything above it is built from how hard your things are to carry and how far they travel. Here is what our team weighs on an upstate estimate:
- Volume and square footage. More rooms, a full basement, and a stuffed two-car garage mean more boxes, more furniture, and more hours on the truck.
- Steep, narrow old staircases. The historic Stockade and GE Realty Plot homes in Schenectady, the Center Square and Pine Hills brownstones in Albany, and the brick townhouses in Troy were built with tight, turning stairs that slow a heavy carry and sometimes call for a fourth set of hands.
- Downtown building rules and COIs. A downtown Albany or Schenectady apartment or condo conversion usually wants a Certificate of Insurance on file plus a reserved elevator and a fixed move-in window, which adds setup on both ends of the day.
- Winter access. A January move means plowing and salting the path, extra floor protection against slush and road salt, and a slower, safer carry over freeze-thaw on old steps.
- Distance and longer lanes. A cross-town hop is one thing; a long-distance run down I-87 or out the Thruway adds mileage, fuel, and time a local move never sees.
- Packing and specialty items. Full pack, partial pack, or boxes you handle yourself, plus pianos and gun safes that need rigging and an extra mover.
Specialty and Add-On Pricing
| Service | Typical Cost |
|---|---|
| Upright piano | $300 – $460 |
| Baby grand piano | $540 – $840 |
| Heated, climate-controlled storage | $90 – $250/month by unit size |
How to Keep Your Number Down
You hold more pull over the final figure than you might think. A few things on your end trim real hours off the day:
- Pick a weekday in the middle of the month over the first or a Saturday, when demand and rates run highest.
- Box and label everything before the crew arrives so we load instead of pack.
- Reserve the elevator and confirm truck staging ahead of time for a downtown Albany or Schenectady building.
- For a move in Clifton Park, Saratoga, or another HOA subdivision, clear the move-in rules and any reserved hours early.
- If your dates are flexible and you are moving in winter, leave a little room so we can dodge the worst of a storm.
A home that is packed, labeled, and ready to load when our trucks pull up almost always lands under the high end of the estimate. The crew moves fast when the path is shoveled, the steps are clear, and the boxes are stacked by the door.
What Your Price Includes
Whatever the figure, every Hanley Moving Company job runs on our own trucks with our own W-2 crew. We never hand the work to a subcontractor, and your information is never shared or sold. We are a licensed and insured mover, registered with the New York State Department of Transportation for moves within the state and carrying $1M cargo coverage, and every out-of-state job runs under our US DOT and MC authority. You also get the federal protections built into a regulated move:
- $1M cargo coverage on the load
- $0.60/lb released value at no extra charge
- Optional full-value protection, typically 1–3% of the declared value
- A 9-month window to file a claim