Antique Moving Services in Hillsborough
When you're planning a antique moving move in Hillsborough, you deserve a moving company with deep local roots and a proven track record. J.E. Ladd & Son Transfer has been serving families and businesses in Hillsborough since 1882. That is five generations of Ladds dedicated to making your move as smooth as possible.
What Sets Us Apart
Family on Every Job
Five generations of expertise ensure quality on every move
144 Years Experience
Five generations of moving expertise
Local Knowledge
We know Hillsborough inside and out
A+ BBB Rating
Trusted and accredited since 1882
The Ladd family moved your ancestors. Trust them to move your treasures today.
Serving Hillsborough Neighborhoods
Our team is familiar with every corner of Hillsborough, from historic districts to new developments. We understand local regulations, parking requirements, and the best times to move in each area.
Our Antique Moving Process
Every move starts with a conversation. We'll discuss your specific needs, timeline, and any special items that require extra care. Then we'll provide a detailed, honest estimate, no hidden fees, no surprises.
On moving day, our uniformed team arrives on time, fully equipped to handle your belongings with the care they deserve. We use professional protective materials and proven techniques developed over 144 years of service. Need packing assistance? We work with exceptional packing partners and can provide great recommendations.
How antiques and specialty items are handled
The tagline on this site is that we moved your antiques when they were new. What that means practically is a different set of materials and a slower pace, not a different truck.
Marble, glass and stone travel separately
A marble top never travels on the piece it belongs to. It comes off, gets wrapped, and rides standing on edge against a padded wall of the truck, because marble carried flat cracks across the middle under its own weight over a few miles of road. The same rule applies to glass shelves and stone table tops.
Case pieces come apart in the right order
Drawers come out of chests and highboys and are wrapped separately so the case is lighter and the runners are not carrying weight through a doorway. Doors on wardrobes get secured rather than taped, because tape lifts old finishes. Mirrors come off dressers and are crated or mirror-boxed.
Clocks, safes and slate
A grandfather clock has its weights, pendulum and chime rods removed and packed individually, and the movement is secured before the case moves an inch. Gun safes and slate pool tables are their own quote: slate comes out in sections, and a safe needs a stair-climbing dolly and a floor that can take the point load.
Valuation on high-value pieces
Released value at 60 cents per pound is meaningless on a piece worth more than its weight, which is every antique worth moving carefully. If you have appraisals, bring them to the estimate. Declared value on specific items is how a genuinely valuable piece gets covered. We are licensed in North Carolina under NCUC-628.
Getting in and out in Hillsborough
Bring us the list of pieces you are worried about at the estimate, with any appraisals. What we need to know is which items need crating, which have marble or glass, and which come apart.
What it costs in Hillsborough
| Single case piece, blanket-wrapped and pad-strapped | Included in the hourly rate |
|---|---|
| Marble-top or glass-front piece, travelling separately | $75 to $200 per piece |
| Grandfather clock, movement secured and weights packed | $250 to $450 |
| Custom wooden crate for fine art or a mirror | $150 to $600 depending on size |
| Full estate or collection move | Quoted after a walkthrough |
Most antique furniture moves inside a normal hourly household move. What gets quoted separately is anything that has to be crated, disassembled by hand, or carried on its own: marble, glass, tall clocks, and framed art.
Questions we get asked
How much does it cost to move antiques in Hillsborough, NC?
Most antique furniture moves within the normal hourly household rate, blanket-wrapped and pad-strapped like everything else. What is quoted separately is anything needing its own handling: marble or glass tops at $75 to $200 per piece per piece, grandfather clocks at $250 to $450, and custom crating from $150 to $600 depending on size.
Do you build custom crates?
Yes, for fine art, large mirrors, and pieces that cannot be safely blanket-wrapped. Crating is quoted per piece by size and is worth it on anything where the value would not be covered by weight-based valuation.
How do you move a marble-top table or dresser?
The marble comes off the piece, gets wrapped separately, and travels standing on edge against a padded wall in the truck. Marble laid flat cracks across the middle under its own weight over road distance. The base travels as a normal case piece.
What happens to a grandfather clock?
The weights, pendulum and chime rods come out and are packed individually, and the movement is secured before the case is moved. The case then travels upright and padded. Reassembly at the other end is part of the job; regulating the clock afterwards is a clockmaker's task, not a mover's.
Are my antiques covered if something is damaged?
Not adequately under the default. Released value pays roughly 60 cents per pound per item, which is meaningless on anything worth more than its weight. Full value protection is available, and specific high-value pieces should carry declared value. Bring any appraisals to the estimate. J.E. Ladd & Son Transfer is licensed in North Carolina under NCUC-628.