If you're planning a move and your moving company has used the phrase "third party moving services," you've probably wondered exactly what they're talking about — and whether it's something you actually need to deal with. The short answer: yes, often you do, and it's a normal part of how the industry works. The longer answer is what this article is for.
This is a plain explanation of what third party moving services are, why they exist, and the regions across New York State where we handle them.
What "third party moving services" actually means
A third party moving service is specialty work that your moving company doesn't perform themselves but coordinates with someone who does. The phrase shows up most often on moving estimates and bills of lading because federal and state regulations require certain types of preparation work to be handled by people qualified for it — and most general moving crews aren't.
Common examples include:
- Pool table disassembly and setup. Slate beds need careful separation, the rails and pockets need to come off and go back on correctly, and the table has to be re-leveled at the destination.
- Piano assembly and disassembly. Legs, lyres, pedals, and music desks come off uprights and grands for transport, and they need to go back on correctly.
- Saunas and hyperbaric chambers. These typically arrive in pieces and require assembly with attention to ventilation, sealing, and electrical considerations.
- TV mounting and wire concealment after the move.
- Exercise equipment — treadmills, ellipticals, home gyms — broken down for transport and rebuilt at the destination.
- Wall repair and paint touch-up for the home you're leaving and the home you're moving into.
- Precision artwork hanging in the new space.
Your movers can lift and carry the items. What they often can't do is the specialty installation, disassembly, or repair work that surrounds the move itself.
Why your moving company asks about this
It's not a sales pitch and it's not a way to add fees. It's a liability and qualification issue.
If a moving crew tries to disassemble a slate pool table without the right experience, the damage can be substantial — cracked slate, stripped rail bolts, torn cloth, scratched finishes. The same applies to a baby grand piano, a sauna with custom paneling, or a hyperbaric chamber with sealed components. Most reputable moving companies will simply refuse to touch those items, because their insurance won't cover what goes wrong, and their crews aren't trained for the specific tasks.
So they ask. Either you arrange a specialist, or they coordinate one for you, and the work gets billed as "third party services" on your moving paperwork.
The honest framing
Third party moving services exist because the work is specialized — not because moving companies are trying to nickel-and-dime you. A good mover knows what they're qualified to handle and what they're not, and bringing in a specialist for the specialty work usually saves money compared to the alternative.
Where we work in New York State
Handy Skills For Hire LLC is based in Cortland, NY, and we travel across most of upstate New York for third party moving work. The regions we cover regularly:
Central New York
Cortland, Syracuse, Utica, Rome, Ithaca, Binghamton, and the towns in between. This is our home territory and where most of our scheduled work happens. Same-week and even same-day availability is common here.
The Finger Lakes
Geneva, Auburn, Canandaigua, Watkins Glen, Penn Yan, Seneca Falls, and the wine country in between. The Finger Lakes region sees a lot of second-home owners and seasonal moves, and we handle pool tables, pianos, and recreation room setups across the area.
Western New York
Rochester, Buffalo, Niagara Falls, Jamestown, and the surrounding communities. Travel adds time, but for jobs that warrant it — full-day specialty installations, multiple items, custom work — we cover the territory regularly.
Southern Tier
Elmira, Corning, Hornell, Olean, and the towns along the Pennsylvania border. The Southern Tier is geographically close to Cortland and we work through the area frequently.
The Catskills
Kingston, Saugerties, Woodstock, Phoenicia, and the surrounding communities. Second homes and weekend properties are common here, and we handle the pre- and post-move work for owners who want their setup right when they arrive.
Capital Region
Albany, Schenectady, Troy, Saratoga Springs, and the surrounding suburbs. We travel to the Capital Region for pool tables, pianos, and full-service specialty work.
How to know if you need a third party specialist
If you have any of the following in your home and you're moving, ask your mover whether they handle it directly or whether you need a third party specialist:
- A pool table (any size, any condition)
- A piano — upright, baby grand, grand, or spinet
- A home sauna or hyperbaric chamber
- Wall-mounted TVs that need to be removed and remounted
- Heavy exercise equipment that came partially or fully assembled
- Custom or built-in furniture that needs to come apart for transport
- Artwork that requires precision rehanging at the destination
If your mover says they can't or don't handle one of those items, that's normal. It means they're being honest about their crew's qualifications. The next step is finding the specialist — and for anywhere in upstate New York, that's where we can usually help.
What it costs and how scheduling works
Third party moving services are typically billed flat-rate per job rather than hourly, because the time can vary based on conditions in the home (stairs, tight doorways, floor levelness, and so on). For most jobs we provide a flat quote up front based on photos of the item and the space, so there are no surprises on the day of the work.
Scheduling depends on the region and how busy the season is. Spring and summer are the busiest months for moving, which means specialty providers fill up fastest then. If you're planning a move in June or July, calling four to six weeks ahead is wise. Off-season jobs in Central NY or the Southern Tier can often be scheduled within the same week.
