Careful Movers is a team of removalists Hornsby families have used for 25 years. Our depot is at 12/38 Lords Avenue, Asquith, about five minutes from Hornsby station. Our trucks start the day on the Upper North Shore, so you are not paying for a run up the M1 before we reach your door. We charge $190 per hour with a three hour minimum. There is no call out fee, no travel time and no charge for stairs. Anthony and the crew know which streets off the Pacific Highway are too steep for the big truck.
What it costs
| Hourly rate | $190 per hour |
| Minimum booking | 3 hours |
| Call out fee | None |
| Travel time | None |
| Stair charge | None |
Stairs, long carries and tight access are all inside the quote.
4.8 stars
64 Google reviews
25 years
in the area
Asquith
depot, 5 min away
No
travel time
No
call out fee
100+
pianos moved
25 Years in the area
Anthony has run trucks between Asquith and Wahroonga for 25 years. That is the reason we can quote most jobs on the phone.
When you tell us the street, we already know the shape of the block. The federation houses east of the Pacific Highway sit above their garages. The older flats around Waitara have no lift. Some driveways in Hornsby Heights drop away so sharply that a 9.5 tonne truck has to park on the street.
Most weeks we move people inside the same postcode. Hornsby to Normanhurst. Hornsby to Asquith. Gordon to Hornsby. Normanhurst to Normanhurst. Short runs like these are the bulk of what we do.
You will deal with Anthony when you call. Anthony will give you a detailed quote.
247 of our job photos sit over Hornsby, Asquith, Waitara and Wahroonga. That is what a local removalist looks like on a map.
How Much Do Removalists in Hornsby Cost?
We charge $190 per hour. The minimum booking is three hours. There is no call out fee and no travel time.
Across Sydney, two movers and a truck usually cost between $100 and $200 an hour.
Why there is a three hour minimum
Nearly every removalist in Sydney has a two or three hour minimum. Ours is three. It covers two movers, the truck, blankets, ropes, trolleys and straps. A one bedroom unit near the station with a bed, a fridge and about 20 boxes normally finishes inside it.
Do You Charge Extra for Stairs or Hard Access?
No. Stairs are included in the quote. So are long carries, tight corners and difficult doorways.
This is worth checking with anyone you ring. Many Sydney removalists add a stair fee on top of the hourly rate. It is often charged per step and can reach $20 a step, which puts a normal flight of 15 steps at around $300. Some charge per flight instead. Either way it lands on the final bill rather than in the quote.
Stairs matter more in Hornsby than in most parts of Sydney. Hornsby Heights, Mount Colah and Asquith are built along ridge lines, and flat land is rare. The common design is the split level or pole home, which steps down the slope. Add the walk up flats around Waitara and Asquith and the second storey units near the station, and stairs are normal here rather than unusual.
We have carried pianos down three flights from a second storey unit and up outdoor stairs on a steep driveway. The rate did not change.
Still tell us about the stairs when you ring. Not because they cost more, but because they change how many movers we send and how long to allow.
How Long Will Your Hornsby Move Take?
A one bedroom unit usually takes three to four hours. A two bedroom unit takes four to six. A three or four bedroom house takes six to eight.
| Home | Usual hours |
|---|---|
| Studio or one bedroom unit | 3 to 4 |
| Two bedroom unit | 4 to 6 |
| Two bedroom house | 4 to 5 |
| Three bedroom house | 6 to 7 |
| Four bedroom house | 7 to 9 |
What makes a job run longer
In Hornsby the thing that adds hours is nearly always access, not how much you own.
Lift to lift moves
If both buildings have a lift and only one lift key, the crew waits. A long walk from the lift to the front door at either end adds up fast.
Split level homes
Bedrooms above the garage and living rooms below the front door mean every large item takes the stairs twice.
No lift
A third floor walk up in Asquith needs a stair trolley and often a third mover.
Steep driveways
On the sloping blocks around Hornsby Heights and Mount Colah we sometimes park on the street and carry down.
Packing
Boxes taped and labelled before we arrive is the one thing that pulls a job to the short end of its range.
No Travel Time From Our Asquith Depot
We do not charge travel time to Hornsby, and there is no depot to depot fee.
Our trucks are garaged at Asquith. When your job starts at eight, the truck is already five minutes away. Nobody has to drive up from the south or across from the west first.
This is worth asking any removalist you call. A company based outside the Upper North Shore still has to pay for that drive. It comes back to you as travel time, a call out fee, or a higher hourly rate. Ask where the trucks sleep, not just where the office is.
There is also no call out fee, and no minimum charge beyond the three hours.
Furniture Removalists Hornsby: Matching the Truck to Your Home
We send one of three trucks. Sending the wrong one means a second trip or paying for empty space.
North Shore Jumper
3 tonne Truck
Studios and one bedroom units. This is the truck for the newer blocks around the station and along Jersey Street and George Street, where the loading dock has a height limit.
Unit Mover and Shaker
4.5 tonne Truck
One to two bedroom units and smaller houses. It suits the post war homes east of the Pacific Highway and the walk up flats where the truck has to park close.
Town Mover
9.5 tonne Truck
Three and four bedroom houses. This goes to the larger family homes toward Mount Colah and Berowra, and out to the acreage at Galston.
A Hornsby unit block move, truck parked close to the entrance.
Loading at a unit block off the Pacific Highway.
Every truck carries blankets, ropes, trolleys, straps and floor protection. A tail lift on each one means heavy items load at ground level instead of walking up a ramp. Taking beds apart and putting them back together is part of the booked time, not an extra.
Piano Removals in Hornsby and the Upper North Shore
We have moved more than a hundred pianos on the North Shore.
There is a reason for that. The federation homes between Hornsby and Wahroonga were built when an upright in the front room was normal, and many of those pianos are still there when the house sells. Moving one is a different job to moving a lounge, and most general removalists will not take it on.
We carry piano boards, heavy duty strapping and stair climbing gear on every piano job. We have taken an upright down three flights from a second storey unit, moved an antique piano up outdoor stairs and a steep driveway, and carried one out of a tight space beside a pool.
Piano jobs are quoted on the instrument and the access rather than by the hour. Send a photo of the piano and the path it has to travel and we will tell you what it takes.
Stairs and pianos
Stairs are the biggest single thing that changes a piano quote. An upright weighs 200 to 350 kilograms, and on stairs it needs three people and a set of boards rather than two people and a trolley.
Tell us the number of steps at each end when you ring. Stairs are part of the piano quote rather than an extra on top, so the figure you are given is the figure you pay.
Rehoming a piano
Sometimes a piano is not going to the new house. If you would rather it went to someone who will play it, we can look for a home for it. We have done this before, including finding a new owner who was learning to play.
House Removals in Hornsby, Hornsby Heights and Mount Colah
Houses here sit on slopes. The 2021 Census shows most homes in the wider Hornsby area are separate houses, and in Hornsby Heights close to nine in ten are owner occupied. People stay a long time, so there is usually a lot to move.
The split level is what adds the most time. On a sloping block the bedrooms often sit a full flight above the garage and the living area half a flight below the front door. A wardrobe or a queen mattress makes that trip twice, once out and once in. Pole homes built off the slope are the same story.
Before moving day, walk the path the furniture has to take. Look for the low ceiling on the landing, the turn at the bottom of the stairs, and the side gate that is narrower than the front door. Photos of the street, the driveway and the front steps help us plan the right crew and allow the right amount of time.
Worth telling us about
- Bed frames, bedheads and mattresses
- Wardrobes, cabinets and bookshelves
- Dining tables, especially stone or marble
- Modular lounges
- Fridges and washing machines
- Outdoor furniture and barbecues
- Garage and storage room contents
- Mirrors, artwork and anything fragile
Apartment and Unit Removalists in Hornsby
Most moves in Hornsby are unit moves. Unit sales here run well ahead of house sales each year, and around four in ten homes in Hornsby proper are rented.
Unit moves take more planning than people expect. The lift may be shared. The dock may only be free for a set window. The truck may have to park further out than you think.
The newer blocks near the station and along Jersey Street and George Street usually have a dock with a height limit that suits our 3 tonne truck. The older three storey walk ups around Asquith and Waitara have no lift at all. Those jobs need a stair trolley and often a third mover, and the stairs are counted into the quote before the day.
Do you need to book the lift and tell strata?
Usually yes. Most strata buildings want notice before a move, a booked service lift, and proof that your removalist carries public liability cover. Many also hold a refundable damage bond. Notice periods are commonly one to two weeks.
Ring your building manager or strata manager early and ask about:
- Whether the lift needs booking and for how long
- Loading dock access and time limits
- Lift padding or protective covers
- Basement height limits
- Parking and loading zone rules
- How close the truck can get to the entrance
Your building’s by laws set these rules. NSW Fair Trading explains how strata by laws work if you are not sure what applies to you.
Moving from a building with no lift
Tell us the floor number, how many flights, and whether the staircase is narrow or turns. Send photos of the stairs and of anything heavy. Stairs do not change your rate, but they do change how many movers we send.
A wrapped mattress carried out of a unit and loaded into the truck.
What takes the time on a unit move
- The walk from the front door to the truck, not the lift itself
- A shared lift, or one lift key between everyone in the block
- How close the truck can park to the entrance
- Wrapping goes on before anything leaves the room
Is Your Lounge Too Big for the Lift?
Then it goes over the balcony.
It happens more often than people expect, usually with a three seater or a modular lounge that came into the building before a doorway was changed, or that was built in place. The lift is too small, the stairwell turns too tightly, and the piece will not go back the way it came.
We wrap the lounge in plastic and blankets, rope it from the balcony above, and walk it down with three movers on the rail and one guiding from the ground. It takes longer than a straight carry but far less time than taking a window or a door frame out.
We do the same for furniture that will not fit through a front door at all, including heavy items going up rather than down.
If you think this might be your job, send a photo of the piece and a photo of the balcony when you ring.
A wrapped lounge lowered from a first floor balcony.
How the lift over the balcony works
- Wrapped in plastic and blankets first
- Roped from the balcony above
- Three movers on the rail, one guiding from the ground
- Quicker than taking out a window or a door frame
Downsizing and Retirement Moves
Moving out of a house you have lived in for thirty years is not the same as moving a unit.
There is more to sort. There are things nobody wants to put in a box quickly. Often an adult son or daughter is organising it while the parent is still deciding what goes.
We work at the pace that suits. We walk through the house with you first, agree what travels and what does not, and put the furniture where you want it at the other end rather than leaving it in the hallway.
We move people into the retirement villages around here regularly, including Azalea Court and Hornsby Village on William Street, Bramblewood, The Grange and Regis Ku-ring-gai Gardens. Village move in windows are often short and booked well ahead, so tell us the time slot when you call and we will work backwards from it.
If the family home has stairs and the new place does not, say so when you ring. That changes the crew size and the quote.
Heavy and Awkward Items
Some things need different gear.
We have moved a marble countertop interstate, a large fridge into an awkward corner, two big terracotta pots between houses, and a lounge out through a garden because it would not fit the hallway.
Skid boards and straps cover marble and stone tops, garden statues and pool tables. If something will not fit through the door at all, lifting it over a balcony is often quicker than taking out a window.
Plants are worth a mention. Many removalists will not take them. For a local move we usually can. Moving plants between states is different, because biosecurity rules restrict what can cross borders.
What we cannot carry is dangerous goods. That means petrol, gas bottles, paint, thinners, pool chlorine and anything similar. Those have to travel in your own car.
Wrapped and strapped before it leaves the room.
Getting Ready for Moving Day
Everything you do before we arrive comes off your bill, because the job is charged by the hour.
Do you need to empty drawers?
Empty any drawer in something going up or down stairs. Empty tallboys and filing cabinets completely, because the weight makes them unsafe to carry and the drawers slide out on a turn.
Light clothing can stay in a solid chest of drawers if it is staying on one level. Anything heavy, breakable or loose comes out.
One to two weeks before
- Book the lift or loading dock and tell building management
- Check driveway and parking access at both ends
- Tell us about any stairs at either address
- Start packing what you do not use
- Decide what is not coming with you
The day before
- Finish packing and tape the boxes shut
- Write the room name on every box
- Empty and dry the fridge
- Keep screws and fittings in a labelled bag
- Put keys, access cards and building instructions somewhere you will not pack them
On the day
- Clear the hallways, stairs and entrance
- Show the crew the fragile and heavy items first
- Say where each item goes at the new place
- Check the cupboards, garage and under the house before you lock up
Anthony on a house move in the Hornsby area.
How We Look After Your Furniture
We start every job by walking through the property before anything is lifted. That decides what leaves first, which doors come off their hinges, and which pieces need two people on every step.
Large or delicate items get wrapped in moving blankets and strapped so they cannot shift in the truck. We put floor protection down on timber floors. We photograph high value and fragile pieces before they are wrapped.
Things do occasionally get marked. If that happens, tell us on the day. You deal with Anthony directly rather than a claims department somewhere else.
Taking apart beds, dining tables and modular lounges is included in your booked hours, and we put them back together in the room you want before we leave. One exception is worth knowing. A flat pack wardrobe that has been built once rarely survives being built twice, because the fittings lose their grip in chipboard. If it can go out whole, even with a door off, that is the better plan.
A timber table carried up a turning staircase.
What you are looking at
- A blanket over the banister so the rail is not marked
- Floor protection down before anything is carried
- Two movers, one at each end, on every step
- Taking furniture apart is part of the booked hours
Included in Your Hourly Rate
Two jobs that are part of your booked hours rather than an extra on top.
Beds put back together
The crew dismantles the bed at the old place and reassembles it in the room you want at the new one, before they leave.
Washing machine reconnected
It takes about five minutes. Tell the crew where you want it and they will put it in place and hook it up before they leave.
What Are the Red Flags When Choosing a Removalist in Hornsby?
Four things are worth checking before you book anyone.
A quote given without any questions about access
If nobody asks about stairs, lifts, driveways or parking, the number you have been given is a guess. The correction usually arrives on moving day.
No real address
A mobile number and a suburb name is not an address. Ask where the trucks are kept.
Charges that only appear later
Stair fees, heavy item fees, travel time and call out fees are all normal in this trade. What is not normal is finding out about them at the end. Ask for every charge in writing before you book, ours included.
No knowledge of the streets
Ask which truck they would send to your address and why. Someone who works here answers straight away.
It is also fair to ask whether a company belongs to the Australian Furniture Removers Association. Most removalists do not, and we are not members. It is one signal among several, worth weighing next to how long a business has been running and what its customers say.
Removalists Hornsby Area: Suburbs We Cover
We cover the whole Hornsby area at the same rate with no travel time:
Hornsby 2077 · Asquith 2077 · Waitara 2077 · Hornsby Heights 2077 · Mount Colah 2079 · Normanhurst 2076 · Thornleigh 2120 · Westleigh 2120 · Wahroonga 2076 · Berowra 2081
We also run down the Pacific Highway through Turramurra and Pymble to Chatswood, and across to Cherrybrook, Castle Hill and Dural. Call with both addresses and we will confirm the date.
Booking Your Move
Two to three weeks ahead is comfortable for a weekday in the middle of the month.
Allow four to six weeks for a Saturday, the end of the month, or a settlement date. Those go first. December and January need six to eight weeks, and so do the weeks either side of school terms, when families around Barker College, Hornsby Girls High and Normanhurst Boys High tend to move.
Midweek is quieter. Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday are the easiest days to get the date you want.
Call before you commit to a settlement or a lease end date so we can check the day is free.
On a pickup in the Hornsby area.
The Crew
Anthony owns the business and is usually on the truck. Peter, Bruno, Damon, Felipe and Gabriel make up the rest of the team.
Customers name them in reviews, which tells you more than anything we could write here. The same crew that moved a three bedroom house in two loads in half a day in hot weather is the crew that turns up for your job.
What Hornsby customers say
The boys at Careful Movers were exactly that.
Friendly guys that live up to their name.
True to their name, they were very careful with the walls of the house while moving.
The cost was exactly what they said it would be. I cannot recall the last move we have done where this was the case.
ramin saffarian
2 months ago
Highly recommended. They are very professional and careful in moving stuff
Hakan Selvi
2 months ago
They were on time, quick and careful. Very good price too.
Ver from Sydney
2 months ago
Note: Their service was outsourced to Best Removals Campsie. Credit card payment adds 3% to the price.
The guys arrived on time and were indeed careful and efficient with the move. Surely one of the better removalists we have used recently (and we move very often!). We arranged everything via call and text messages, and they always manage to reply within a few hours. They reconfirmed everything the day before our move.
A one-hour deposit was taken to confirm the date of the booking and no other charges were put upon us (unlike other movers where there are sudden extra charges on the day, and you'd feel like being a hostage since you've already booked and arranged everything). Moving is never fun and always a bit stressful but having these guys as removalists made it mean that there's one less thing to worry about. I would get them again if we move within the area.
The guys arrived on time and were indeed careful and efficient with the move. Surely one of the better removalists we have used recently (and we move very often!). We arranged everything via call and text messages, and they always manage to reply within a few hours. They reconfirmed everything the day before our move.
A one-hour deposit was taken to confirm the date of the booking and no other charges were put upon us (unlike other movers where there are sudden extra charges on the day, and you'd feel like being a hostage since you've already booked and arranged everything). Moving is never fun and always a bit stressful but having these guys as removalists made it mean that there's one less thing to worry about. I would get them again if we move within the area.
Hayden Brooks
4 months ago
Bruno and Gabriel were excellent - very efficient and careful with our belongings, and made the whole experience completely stress free!
Hazar Budak
4 months ago
We used Careful movers twice, during some house renovations, and both times they have been excellent. They are very professional and friendly, easy to deal with, and handled our furniture with care. We would happily go with them again next time.
Sue & David Piper
6 months ago
I was very happy with the way the 2 men from Careful Movers brought my couch/sofa bed into my unit today. They were very wary when moving through doorways and corners. I would certainly recommend them to my friends.
Linda Wu
8 months ago
Anthonie and his mate carefully moved my piano. Wrapped up properly, efficient move from the beginning to the end, right van being used. Nothing was broken. Warm and friendly guys, great attitude and very welcoming. Easy to talk to, good service, being very professional and great value. My piano is not well sit in my room which I can enjoy. Thanks you very much. I highly recommend use their services for moving your piano.
Victoria P.
1 year ago
Great guys, we would move with them again next time! They took good care of our items and protected everything with moving blankets. Very efficient and know how to handle narrow corners. Our items arrived in a very good condition and better than expected.
Smaller items are loaded first as they have a compartment for them at the front. Get extra padding and plastic covers in advance if you’re moving anything valuable!
Smaller items are loaded first as they have a compartment for them at the front. Get extra padding and plastic covers in advance if you’re moving anything valuable!
Timothy Stevens
2 years ago
Careful Movers are absolutely excellent! They moved a heavy, antique piano up and around a difficult set of outdoor stairs and a steep driveway. The piano was carefully wrapped to avoid any damage. The move was completed carefully and without delay, and the price was exactly as quoted. Careful Movers were polite and respectful, and I will definitely call them again the next time I move. Thank you guys!!
Removalists Hornsby: Questions People Ask Us
Yes, and it is part of your booked hours. Beds, dining tables, desks and modular lounges are all normal. Send a photo of anything custom or built in.
Yes, included in the hourly rate. The crew dismantles the bed at the old place and reassembles it in the room you want at the new one before they leave.
Yes, and it is included in the hourly rate. It takes about five minutes. Tell the crew where you want it and they will put it in place and hook it up before they leave.
We work in lift buildings every week. The thing to know is that lifts take time. A shared lift, a single lift key, or a long walk from the lift to the front door all slow the job down, so allow for it when you are working out hours.
Yes. When a lounge or a large piece will not fit the lift or the stairwell, we wrap it, rope it and lift it over the balcony. It is a normal part of unit work on the Upper North Shore and faster than removing a window.
Dangerous goods. Petrol, gas bottles, paint, thinners and pool chemicals have to travel with you. Almost everything else is fine, including plants on a local move.
Yes. We have done more than a hundred on the North Shore, including uprights down several flights of stairs. Piano jobs are quoted on the instrument and the access rather than by the hour.
Yes. Weekends and the end of the month book out first, so call early for those dates.
Tell us on the day. We photograph high value and fragile items before wrapping them, and you deal with Anthony directly rather than a third party.
Ring with both addresses, the property type at each end, the floor and lift situation, any stairs, roughly how many boxes, and a list of the large items. Photos or a short video of the access help.
Book Careful Movers for Your Hornsby Move
If you are looking for removalists Hornsby locals actually use, ring Anthony on 0447 000 099 or +61 1300 854 135. Tell him the two addresses, whether it is a house or a unit, and what the access is like at each end. He will quote the job on the call.
$190 per hour. Three hour minimum. No call out fee. No travel time. No stair charge.
Careful Movers, 12/38 Lords Avenue, Asquith NSW 2077 · +61 1300 854 135