Accessorial Services

A move's charges typically separate into two categories: line-haul (the actual transportation portion — the truck, driver, fuel, and time spent driving from origin to destination) and accessorial services (everything else). Packing materials, full packing service, unpacking, custom crating, piano carrying, stair carrying beyond the included flights, long carries, shuttle service, third-party appliance servicing, valuation upgrades — all accessorial. Each accessorial service has its own rate in the mover's tariff. Your written estimate should itemize every accessorial service that applies, separately from the line-haul charge.

Customers shopping by line-haul rate alone miss half the cost of the move. A mover quoting $80/hour for the line-haul may add hundreds in accessorials at delivery if the customer didn't ask. The strongest pricing transparency comes from asking the mover to itemize every accessorial service the move requires before booking — and getting the answer in writing. Federal regulation requires every accessorial service performed to appear on the invoice with its own rate and total; if the invoice doesn't separate accessorials, the customer should refuse to pay until they do.

Every Muscleman Elite written estimate breaks line-haul and accessorial services into separate line items. Packing, unpacking, materials, piano carry, stair carry, long carry, shuttle service, valuation upgrade — each appears with its rate before the truck rolls. You see the total before you sign. No accessorial-services bundling that hides the math.

What is the most common accessorial service?

Packing materials (boxes, tape, paper, shrink wrap) is the most common — applies on nearly every move. Full or partial packing service is the second-most common. Stair and long-carry fees appear on apartment and HOA-restricted moves. Piano carry, hoist fees, and custom crating appear on specialty moves.

Can I refuse accessorial services?

You can decline any service that isn't required to complete the move. You cannot decline impracticable-operations charges (narrow street requiring shuttle, long carry beyond tariff allowance) — those apply by federal rule regardless of customer request. You can decline packing service if you pack yourself, decline valuation upgrade if you accept the federal default, and decline custom crating if pad-wrap is sufficient for your items.

Are accessorial services part of the binding estimate?

Yes, if the mover knew about them at the time of the estimate. Customers who add services after the estimate was signed (more boxes, an extra stop, a piano added late) get those services billed separately at the tariff rate — sometimes triggering a new binding estimate. The original binding estimate is only as accurate as the inventory you disclosed.