★★★★★ 4.9 · 28+ Seacoast NH moving reviews

Smart Move

A Portsmouth moving company that handles households, apartments, and offices across the New Hampshire Seacoast, and we work to protect your home, not beat a clock. The same trained crew handles your move across the New Hampshire Seacoast from the first box to the last, on one flat-rate price written down before move day.

  • A flat-rate price written down ahead of move day, so a tight historic stairwell, a long carry, or a snowed-in driveway never turns into a surprise on a meter
  • A licensed mover (US DOT and MC authority, registered in NH, ME and MA) for local and out-of-state hauls, and $1M cargo coverage on every move
  • Every job runs on our own trucks with our own trained, W-2 crew. We never subcontract your move or hand it off to a stranger.

Price Your Move

A single written figure for the move, start to finish, usually in your inbox the same hour

No spam, full stop. Your message goes only to the Portsmouth office, used for one thing: working up your price.

★★★★★ 4.9 across 28+ Google & Yelp reviews
Licensed & Insured NH, ME & MA Mover
US DOT registered & insured
12+ years moving the Seacoast
$1M cargo coverage
Why The Seacoast Trusts Us With Their Move

What Sets Our Crew Apart

A Flat Rate On Paper

The flat-rate figure gets settled and written down long before move day. Stoops, a long carry, or a high-rise COI are quoted up front, never sprung on you afterward.

Insured To $1M

A licensed NH, ME and MA mover holding US DOT and MC authority for interstate jobs, and backed by $1 million in cargo coverage on every move.

The Same Crew, Start To Finish

The same trained, background-checked W-2 crew loads and unloads on our own trucks. Nothing is handed off to day labor, and the same hands that load your home set it down in its new place.

We Know The Seacoast’s Old Streets

South End side streets with no driveway, narrow Federal-era staircases, and condo loading docks trip up an out-of-town crew. We plan the carry and the turns around your building, so a tight historic doorway or a downtown one-way never turns the move into a risk.

Winter-Ready Pads & Care

Through a New England winter we shovel and salt the path, lay floor runners against snow and grit, and shrink-wrap against the cold, so a nor’easter or a slushy walkway never reaches your furniture. You get an arrival window plus a call when the truck leaves the yard.

A Name The Seacoast Trusts

Five-star reviews from homeowners, renters, and offices all over the Seacoast, earned through careful handling, an honest flat rate, and a move day that stays calm and controlled.

Compare Your Options

Smart Move vs. Other Movers

Here is how a real, flat-rate Seacoast crew compares with a broker, a rent-a-truck-and-friends weekend, or two guys you found online.

FeatureSmart MoveMoving BrokerCouple Guys & A TruckDIY With Friends
Flat-rate written pricing
Trained, in-house W-2 crew
Pads, shrink wrap & dollies
Furniture disassembly & reassembly
Licensed & $1M insured
Winter prep: paths shoveled, floors protected
Pianos, safes & antiques too
Risk of price changesLowHighMediumMedium
Your time & effortMinimalMediumHighVery High
Best forHouseholds, apartments & officesAnyone who wants a middlemanLight furniture, short hopsTight budgets with plenty of helpers
Pick The Job You Need

What Our Crew Handles

Local Moving

Apartments, condos, and houses moved anywhere on the Seacoast, billed by the hour or quoted as one flat rate by home size.

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Long-Distance

Leaving New Hampshire for Boston, New York, or anywhere else, with the same crew on the truck from your door to the new one.

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Residential & House

A whole household carried from the old place to the new one, padded, wrapped, and watched the entire way.

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Apartment & Condo

Walk-ups, elevator buildings, and the COI paperwork downtown and Pease towers ask for, handled in a single day.

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Full-Service Packing

Full or partial packing with boxes, paper, and wardrobe cartons brought to your door so the kitchen is ready before we lift a thing.

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Piano & Specialty

Uprights and baby grands skidded, padded, and carried by a crew that rigs them the proper way.

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Four Simple Steps

From Quote To New Place

Send Your Details

Give us the two ZIPs, your target date, how big the job is, and the stairs on both ends. A flat-rate price comes back, usually inside the hour.

Approve The Rate

Approve the flat rate and your date is locked. Most Seacoast moves take no deposit to hold, so booking early costs you nothing.

We Pad, Wrap & Load

Our crew arrives on schedule, pads the furniture, wraps the fragile pieces, secures everything on dollies and straps, and loads our own truck with the carry and the cleared, salted path already planned.

The Final Stretch

The same crew carries everything in, reassembles the furniture, and sets it down exactly where you want it. The stairs, the tight historic turns, and the condo COI are our problem to solve, not yours.

Straight Flat-Rate Pricing

Sample Moving Rates

You always get a written quote before anything is on the calendar. Read the bands below as a starting floor; the real number depends on the size of the move, the access at each end, and the distance.

Studio & 1 Bedroom

$420–680flat
  • Trained crew plus the truck
  • Pads, shrink wrap and straps
  • Same-day local move
  • No deposit to book
Get a Quote

Long-Distance

Custom
  • Binding written estimate
  • Dedicated truck and crew
  • Run under our own US DOT authority
  • The Seacoast and nationwide
Get a Quote

These are starting floors, and a local job rarely takes a deposit. The harder pieces, a narrow stairwell, a long carry, a building COI, get priced before the truck rolls. Call (888) 711-4778 and we will nail down your exact flat rate.

4,200+Moves completed across the Seacoast
12Years moving the Portsmouth NH area
15+Towns and neighborhoods served
$1MCargo coverage on every move
On The Job in Portsmouth

Recent Moves Around Portsmouth NH

Smart Move movers at work in Portsmouth
Smart Move movers at work in Portsmouth
Smart Move movers at work in Portsmouth
Smart Move movers at work in Portsmouth
Smart Move movers at work in Portsmouth
Smart Move movers at work in Portsmouth
In Their Words

Smart Move Reviews

Homeowners, renters, and offices all over the New Hampshire Seacoast trust us with their move. Below is what they had to say afterward.

★★★★

“Booked these guys for our condo near Market Square and it went fine overall. Kayla had the elevator reservation and the COI squared away with the building manager before the date, which I appreciated, and the crew was careful with the corners in that narrow hallway. Knocked off a star only because they ran about thirty minutes behind the morning window and I had to text twice for an arrival time. Once they got there, though, the whole thing moved fast and the quote held to the dollar.”

Sarah B.
Sarah B.
downtown Portsmouth · Yelp
★★★★★

“We have one of the old houses in the South End, no driveway, one-way street, the works, and I figured moving day would be a nightmare. Tyler walked the route first, figured out where the truck could legally sit, and his crew threaded our furniture out the front without a single ding on those old door casings. Honestly the best money we spent on the whole sale.”

Matt D.
Matt D.
the South End · Google
★★★★★

“Couldn't be happier. Two-bedroom over near Atlantic Heights, the boys had us loaded and unloaded in half a day and the flat rate was exactly what Cole wrote down. No sales tax in NH and no surprise fees from Smart Move, so that was a good day all around.”

Emily R.
Emily R.
Atlantic Heights · Google
★★★★★

“Moved our three-bedroom out to Stratham and the whole crew was professional from start to finish. They wrapped the mattresses, took the bed frames apart and rebuilt them in the right rooms, and bagged all the hardware so nothing wandered off. The price Cole quoted was the price I paid, plain and simple.”

Jake R.
Jake R.
the West End · Yelp
★★★★★

“I was downsizing out of my place on Islington Street into a smaller condo over in Dover, and I was honestly dreading the whole thing at my age. Brooke and her crew could not have been more patient. They let me decide what went where, they kept reassuring me when I got flustered about a box, and nothing got rushed. Everything arrived in one piece and they set the furniture right where I asked. If you are nervous about moving an older parent, these are the people to call.”

Katie M.
Katie M.
Islington Street · Google
★★★★★

“Did a long-distance job from New Castle down to Boston. Same crew loaded us here and unloaded us there, no swapping trucks at some warehouse along the way, and Marc kept me updated on the drive the whole time. Furniture showed up strapped tight and clean. Flat price held.”

Brian C.
Brian C.
New Castle · Google
★★★★★

“We bought a colonial in Exeter and the access there was tighter than it looked, narrow stairs and an old front door. The crew never complained once, just figured out the angles and got our sofa up without taking a chunk out of the trim. Smart Move earned the name.”

Jess L.
Jess L.
Rye · Yelp
★★★★★

“My daughter moved into a UNH apartment in Durham mid-summer and the parking situation up there is a circus in August. Sean had a plan for it and the crew worked around the chaos like they do it every week, which I'm sure they do. Quick, polite, and the bill matched the quote exactly.”

Dan M.
Dan M.
Greenland · Google
★★★★★

“Beach house in Rye, lots of fragile stuff and a few oversized pieces. The crew shrink-wrapped the upholstery against the salt air and treated the whole place like it was their own. Showed up on time, worked straight through, and the written rate didn't move an inch. Five stars.”

Lauren H.
Lauren H.
Newington · Google
★★★★

“Had them move a two-bedroom plus my upright piano over to Dover. The piano part went great, they rigged it and got it down the stairs without a scratch, that's why I called a real mover instead of friends. Only gripe is one guy scuffed a doorframe on the way out and it took a couple of emails to get it sorted, but Kayla did make it right in the end and the rest of the move was smooth. Fair price for the work.”

Kyle P.
Kyle P.
Dover · Yelp
★★★★★

“Local three-bedroom and these folks were fast without being careless, which is a rare combo. Brooke ran a tight ship. Everything where it belonged, on time, flat rate as promised.”

Allie C.
Allie C.
Durham · Google
★★★★★

“Last-minute same-day move when our closing in Exeter got bumped up at the last second and I was in a real panic. I called that morning, Sean said they could slot us in that afternoon, and they actually did. Saved us. Couldn't believe it came together that fast.”

Ryan S.
Ryan S.
Exeter · Google
★★★★★

“We relocated our small office over at Pease and Smart Move did it on a weekend so we never lost a business day. Kayla handled the building's COI and elevator booking, the crew broke down and rebuilt the cubicles, and we were back up Monday morning like nothing happened. Exactly what you want from a commercial mover.”

Nicole D.
Nicole D.
Hampton · Yelp
★★★★★

“Used their storage in and out while our new place in Stratham wasn't ready yet. Stuff sat in a climate-controlled unit for about six weeks and came back exactly how it went in, no musty smell, no damage. They redelivered the day I asked. Smooth on both ends and the pricing was straightforward.”

Nick B.
Nick B.
Stratham · Google
★★★★★

“Downtown condo with an elevator reservation window and a picky building manager, and the crew nailed all of it. They laid down floor protection in the shared hallway without me even asking. Quick, clean, exactly the flat number Cole quoted me. Highly recommend.”

Becca W.
Becca W.
Kittery · Google
★★★★★

“Another old South End house, no driveway, those impossible little streets that fill up with tourists in the summer. Tyler's crew has clearly done a hundred of these. They got our whole house out without blocking the neighbors and without a mark on anything. The smart move, honestly, was not trying to do it ourselves.”

Chris H.
Chris H.
York · Yelp
★★★★★

“Two-bed apartment near Pease and the crew was great. In and out efficiently, friendly the whole time, and the price on the paper was the price I paid. No NH sales tax and no nonsense. Would use them again in a heartbeat.”

Hannah P.
Hannah P.
Eliot · Google
★★★★★

“Moved our three-bedroom to Stratham in February, which I was worried about, and the crew handled the snow like pros. They laid runners down over the slush so they weren't tracking it across our new hardwood, shoveled a path I hadn't gotten to, and just got it done. Cole's flat quote held even with the weather. Genuinely impressed.”

Joe T.
Joe T.
Newmarket · Google
★★★★

“Downsizing move from Rochester into a Dover condo. Solid crew, careful with my mother's antiques, and patient when she needed a minute. Took off one star because they were a touch later starting than the window they gave us, but they called ahead to say so and the move itself was excellent. The written price never changed, which after some bad past experiences meant a lot.”

Sam T.
Sam T.
Rochester · Yelp
★★★★★

“Long-distance run from the Seacoast down to Boston. Marc led it and kept the same guys on the truck both ends, no handoffs, no load board. Everything arrived intact and on the day they promised. Flat rate, no surprises at the curb.”

Adam W.
Adam W.
Somersworth · Google
★★★★★

“Our Exeter colonial had a tricky old staircase and a few heavy pieces and I expected at least some scuffs. Nope. The crew padded the banister, mapped out the carry before they touched anything, and got it all up without a scratch. Couldn't be happier with how it went.”

Paige S.
Paige S.
Barrington · Google
★★★★★

“Kid's UNH apartment in Durham, classic August turnover madness. The crew got in and out before the parking situation fully imploded and was genuinely pleasant about the whole thing. Quote held. Easy.”

Pat F.
Pat F.
North Hampton · Yelp
★★★★★

“Beach rental in Rye and they were careful, fast, and exactly on time. Wrapped everything against the damp coming off the water and the flat rate was right where Cole said it would be. No complaints at all.”

Erin K.
Erin K.
Seabrook · Google
★★★★★

“Piano and a two-bedroom in one go. The upright is what worried me and Tyler's crew skidded and strapped it like it was routine, which for them it clearly is, down a flight of stairs without a hint of trouble. The rest of the move was just as smooth and the price was the price. Five stars from me.”

Greg L.
Greg L.
Newfields · Google
★★★★★

“Local three-bedroom and the whole thing was painless. On time, hard-working crew, flat rate exactly as written. Smart Move did right by us.”

Molly A.
Molly A.
Lee · Yelp
★★★★★

“Needed a same-day move when our timing fell apart and Sean managed to fit us in. The crew hustled, nothing got broken, and the rate was fair for short notice. Real lifesavers that day.”

Steve K.
Steve K.
Madbury · Google
★★★★★

“We moved our office at Pease and they scheduled it after hours so we never shut down. Kayla took care of the building COI and the elevator slots, and the crew had the conference room and desks rebuilt by the next morning. Professional from the first call. Would absolutely hire Smart Move again.”

Cara N.
Cara N.
downtown Portsmouth · Google
★★★★

“Storage in and out while we sorted a closing, and most of it was great, climate-controlled unit, everything came back fine. Knocked off a star because the redelivery window got pushed a day, but they were upfront about it and didn't charge me extra for the holdup. The flat pricing was honest throughout, which is more than I can say for the last outfit I used.”

Evan G.
Evan G.
the South End · Yelp
the New Hampshire Seacoast, NH

Where We Move Across The Seacoast

Flat-rate crews across Portsmouth and the wider New Hampshire Seacoast, from the South End, the West End, and Atlantic Heights out to Newington, Greenland, Rye, North Hampton, Dover, and the surrounding towns.

Moving Across New Hampshire, Maine & Massachusetts

From Portsmouth NH Across the Seacoast and New England

A move across the Seacoast or a long haul down to Boston, it is the same trained crew and our own USDOT authority the whole way. Tap a state to see how we move there.

Portsmouth NH & the Seacoast

Home turf — flat-rate and hourly moving across Portsmouth, Dover, Exeter, Hampton & Rochester, plus regular runs throughout Maine & Massachusetts.

See our Seacoast routes →
Based in Portsmouth, NH Popular routes Nearby states
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Before You Book

Moving Questions

What does a move cost around Portsmouth NH?
It depends on how you price it, and we will lay both out for you. Hourly runs $135 an hour for a two-mover crew and truck, $175 for three, and $225 for four, with no hidden travel padding. For a known move we will also lock a flat rate by home size — a studio lands around $420 to $680, a one-bedroom $680 to $1,100, a two-bedroom $1,100 to $1,850, a three-bedroom $1,850 to $3,180, and a four-bedroom $3,180 to $5,000. Walk us through the pickup, the drop-off, the stairs or elevators at each end, and the access, and we put a written number in your hands — what we quote across the Seacoast is what you pay on move day.
Is Smart Move licensed and insured?
It is. We hold USDOT and MC authority for moves crossing state lines and are registered to operate in New Hampshire, Maine and Massachusetts, so a local job here on the Seacoast and a haul down to Boston both run on the same proper paperwork. Every move carries $1 million in cargo coverage, and we email our credentials or a Certificate of Insurance to a Portsmouth waterfront building, a Pease office park, or any building or HOA that needs one on file before the date.
What does your full-service move actually cover?
It covers the whole job, not just the truck ride. Our crew pads and shrink-wraps the furniture, disassembles bed frames and tables, and protects floors and doorways before anything moves. Add full or partial packing and we bring the boxes, paper, and tape and box the house ourselves. Local or long-distance, residential or office, with packing or storage on either end — one Portsmouth crew handles all of it, including pianos and gun safes when you have them, so you are not juggling three vendors on move day.
How far out should I book the crew?
Saturdays and the closing week of the month go first, so plan on two or three weeks of lead time for those, and a little more when a building sets a freight-elevator window. A weekday or mid-month date often opens up on a few days’ notice, and when the truck sits free we are glad to take last-minute or same-day work. Call (888) 711-4778 and we will tell you straight what is still on the board.
Do you take a deposit up front?
Most local moves around Portsmouth take nothing down — a quick phone confirmation the day before is all we need. Long-haul interstate jobs and peak Saturday dates hold the slot with a small refundable deposit, and that amount comes right off your final balance.
Where does your crew move?
Portsmouth NH and across the Seacoast — Dover, Rochester, Exeter, Hampton, Stratham, Rye, Newington, and over the bridge into Kittery and southern Maine. We run I-95, the Spaulding Turnpike, and the downtown streets daily, handling everything from a South End historic walk-up to a new build out by Pease, and we cross into Maine and Massachusetts and up and down New England on a regular basis.
Do you handle packing, or just the loading?
Both, your call. Plenty of customers pack their own boxes and just want the muscle and the truck, and that is fine — we show up, load, drive, and unload. When you would rather hand the whole thing off, we bring the boxes, paper, and tape and do a full or partial pack: kitchens, closets, art, and the breakables that take the longest. Tell us which way you want to go when you book and we size the crew and the supplies to match.
Can you move just a few heavy items and leave the rest to us?
Absolutely — we do it all the time. Plenty of customers hire us for the big, awkward pieces alone — a sofa, an armoire, a treadmill, a piano, a gun safe — while they handle the boxes themselves. We show up, pad and wrap the items, carry them through the stairs or the elevator, and set them back in place at the other end. Your written quote covers exactly what you asked for and nothing you did not.
Do stairs, a long carry, or parking change the price?
They can, and we tell you up front. A long carry from the truck, a narrow hall, or a flight or two of stairs in a Portsmouth South End townhouse adds time on an hourly job or a flat surcharge on a flat-rate job, and we name it in the written quote, not at the curb. Where parking is tight on a downtown block we sort the on-street spaces with the city ahead of time so the truck sits at your door, not a block away; we walk you through all of it before the date so there are no day-of shocks.
How do you handle a historic home, walk-up, or waterfront building?
Each one gets its own plan. For an old Portsmouth home or a walk-up we measure the stoop, the turns, and the narrow doorways ahead of time and bring the boards and straps to take tight Colonial staircases without scraping a wall. For a downtown waterfront building we call management before the date, reserve the elevator and the loading window, and send the Certificate of Insurance your building wants on file. Either way we sort the tight on-street parking ahead of time so the carry stays short.
Do you offer storage if my dates do not line up?
We do. When the new place is not ready, your belongings go into a clean, secured warehouse, padded and inventoried, and our crew delivers them the day you give the word. It is a common need when a home sells or a lease ends before the next place opens up. Tell us roughly how long you need it when you book and we price the storage and the redelivery up front, so there is no surprise on the back end.
What heavy specialty pieces do you move?
As a full-service mover the same crew, boards, and dollies handle pianos, gun safes and fireproof safes, antique armoires and marble-top pieces, slate pool tables, large statuary, and oversized gym equipment right alongside the rest of the household. If it is heavy, awkward, and easy to damage, it is in our lane — flag it when you book so the right gear and the right number of movers show up ready, stairs and dollies included.
Can you provide a Certificate of Insurance for my building?
Yes, and we issue them all the time for the downtown Portsmouth waterfront buildings, the condo associations around the Seacoast, and the office parks out at Pease. Forward whatever your building management or HOA requires when you book — the coverage amounts and the named parties — and we name them on the certificate well ahead of move day at no charge.
Do you do commercial and office moves?
We do. Offices, retail, and small-business relocations around Portsmouth and the Seacoast run on the same trained crew, just scheduled around your business — evenings and weekends so the workday is not lost. We pad and wrap desks and conference furniture, move and reconnect what we can, label and inventory by room or department, and coordinate the elevator and dock access at both buildings so your people walk in Monday and get back to work.
Do you move pianos and gun safes as part of a full move?
Yes. A piano or a gun safe rolls right into the rest of the job — no separate specialty vendor to schedule. We bring the boards, dollies, and straps, plan the stairs and doorways, and the same crew that loads the house handles the heavy piece. Tell us the make and the rough weight when you book so we send the right number of movers and the right gear, and it moves the same careful way as everything else on the truck.
How does a long-distance move out of Portsmouth work?
We run it on our own USDOT and MC authority with a binding written quote, not a number that balloons at delivery. The same crew that loads your home in Portsmouth stays with it door to door — a lot of these moves follow a family relocating across New England or down the coast. The truck is GPS-tracked the whole way, and we never hand your belongings to a broker, a load board, or a warehouse trailer swap.
Do you move offices, schools, and venues?
Yes. We handle offices, churches, function halls, schools, and small businesses across Portsmouth and the Seacoast, and we book evenings or weekends so a workday, class, or service is not disrupted. Furniture rides padded and strapped, the elevator and dock access are reserved in advance, and the same crew sets everything where you want it so your team can get right back to work.
How can I pay for the move?
Major credit and debit cards plus bank transfers all work, and whoever is arranging the move — a landlord, an employer, or a family member out of town — can settle the bill remotely. You pay after the job wraps, once everything is set in place and you have looked it over with the crew lead. The total is the figure from your written quote, so there is no surprise waiting at the curb.
What if I have to cancel or move my date?
Give us 48 hours and any deposit comes back in full. Plans shift, especially around a home closing, a lease date, or a building’s elevator schedule, and we are not going to penalize you for it. The earlier you call, the easier it is for us to open that slot for the next family.
Should I tip the movers?
Never required — your quote covers the entire job. That said, the crew earns it carrying a sofa down the stairs of a South End walk-up or through a tight historic doorway, and a tip is always welcome. Most customers land around 10–20% of the move split across the crew, or a set amount per mover. Strictly your call.

Ready To Move The Right Way?

A single all-in flat rate lands in your inbox, most often within the hour, with every line laid out and zero obligation to book.

See My Flat Rate ☎ (888) 711-4778