Terms & Conditions

We serve pickups and deliveries within approximately 50 road miles of downtown Boston, as shown by our quote engine at booking. If an address falls outside our service area, we decline the booking before dispatch with a 100% refund.

We do not provide: storage of any kind; hoisting, rigging, or craning; moves of specialty items that cannot be safely handled by the crew you booked (for example pianos, gun safes, and pool tables); junk removal or disposal; or packing labor — you pack, we move (box kits are supplies only; if we offer a packing add-on in the future, it applies only where expressly purchased at booking). We may decline any move we are not authorized or equipped to perform — if we decline before dispatch, you receive a full refund.

The total shown at checkout is your full price for the load size, distance, scheduling window, declared stairs, and add-ons you selected — every mandatory fee is included in that number before you pay. Estimates given by phone, text, or email are non-binding until confirmed in a paid booking.

The item list you build during booking is your move manifest and defines the job we agreed to perform: everything on the list is counted onto and off of the van. Keep it accurate — pricing, the one-trip fit shown on your quote, and our liability all rely on it.

The complete rate card for your move — overage rates, stair fees, per-box overflow rates, and the failed-attempt and cancellation fees in these Terms — is published as a version-stamped rate schedule, set out in full in Appendix A below and linked from your booking confirmation. The schedule version in force when you booked — identified by its version stamp — governs your move, not any later revision: we cannot change it after you book.

If the actual job differs from what you booked (extra items, undeclared stairs, a longer carry, a bigger load), the difference is priced at the rates in your rate schedule and agreed with you in writing (a text message counts) before we start or continue — never a surprise on the invoice. If you decline a proposed adjustment, that is never treated as a cancellation: we will perform the job as booked wherever it can be done safely and physically.

If the job as booked cannot be performed at all, what happens depends on why. If the cause is a material misdeclaration by you (manifest, stairs, access, or load size), the attempt is handled under the failed-attempt terms in the responsibilities section below. If the cause is anything on our side — our mis-scoping of your quote, our equipment, our crew, or our authority to perform the move — it is a cancellation by us: your choice of a free reschedule or a 100% refund.

Each flat-rate tier includes the total job time listed in the rate schedule in Appendix A: up to 1 hour for Curbside Single-Item and Single-Item, up to 1.5 hours for Half-Load, up to 2.5 hours for Full-Load, and up to 4 hours for XL / Whole-Apartment. THE CLOCK STARTS WHEN WE ARRIVE AT YOUR PICKUP ADDRESS AND STOPS WHEN THE LAST ITEM IS OFF THE VAN AT DELIVERY — loading, the drive between addresses, and unloading all count. Traffic is part of the job: plan your window with travel time in mind (a 50-mile run at 5 pm is not a 50-mile run at 7 am), because road conditions do not pause the clock.

Time spent waiting because of things on your side — access problems, an unreserved elevator, items not ready, no legal parking where arranging it was your responsibility — also counts toward your included time. Past the included time, each STARTED hour is billed at the overage rate in your rate schedule ($100 per hour per mover — an hour begun is an hour owed). We tell you as soon as it is clear the job will run over, and overage is invoiced during the job by secure payment link and is due before the job is completed. Unused included time has no cash value and is not refunded or credited.

The first 2 flights of stairs (as defined in section 3.1) across the whole move are included on standard tiers; each additional flight is $25, as stated in Appendix A, and must be declared at booking. Curbside Single-Item is ground-floor-only at both ends, within 15 miles. If we find undeclared flights or carry conditions on arrival, they are charged at the rates in your rate schedule and agreed with you in writing before we begin work. Declining is never treated as a cancellation — section 3.5 governs.

ALL MOVES ARE PAID IN FULL AT BOOKING. Your quoted total is paid in full at booking through our secure Stripe checkout. Payment in full is what confirms your reservation and reserves your slot exclusively — there is no balance due on move day. On-site adjustments agreed in writing are settled separately, only after we have agreed them with you in writing.

Refunds under these Terms are always issued to your original payment method. Whenever we owe you a 100% refund — a cancellation by us, force majeure, or a pre-dispatch decline — we process it within 2 business days and send you the confirmation. Any refund of your payment is governed by the cancellation schedule in these Terms: the same schedule you saw in full, and separately acknowledged, on the checkout screen before you paid.

Because every move is paid in full at booking, the only balance that can exist after booking is an on-site adjustment you agreed to in writing (section 3.5). Amounts you agreed to in writing that remain unpaid 30 days after we invoice them accrue interest at 18% per annum (1.5% per month) from the invoice date. If you fail to pay amounts you agreed to in writing, you are responsible for our reasonable costs of collecting them, including reasonable attorney's fees on the unpaid amounts.

When you book, we reserve a one-mover, one-van slot exclusively for you and turn away other work for that window. A late cancellation usually leaves us with a slot we cannot refill, and a dispatched move has already cost us the slot, fuel, and labor. The schedule below is our genuine advance estimate of that loss; it is displayed in full at checkout (including the reschedule rule), and you acknowledged it separately before paying.

Cancellation notice is measured against the start of your arrival window and is effective when we receive it by email:

• 72 hours or more before your window: Cancel free — 100% refund. Rescheduling is also free.
• 24 to 72 hours before your window: 50% cancellation fee; 50% refunded.
• Less than 24 hours before your window: No refund — the reserved slot is yours.
• No-show, or cancellation after our van has been dispatched: No refund. Before treating any arrival as a no-show we wait at least 45 minutes at your address and make at least three logged attempts to reach you by call and text.

Documented emergency: if you cannot make your move because of a genuine emergency beyond your reasonable control — hospitalization, serious accident, a death in the family (we may ask for reasonable documentation) — we reschedule you for free, whatever the notice. This mirrors the mutual force majeure clause below.

A reschedule requested less than 72 hours before your window is treated as a cancellation of the reserved slot: the applicable fee above applies and the remaining balance is applied in full to your new date. Before any reschedule fee is charged, we send you a written summary — the fee, the credit carried to your new date, and your new effective total — and the fee applies only after you confirm it in writing (a text reply "YES" counts). We would always rather reschedule than keep your money — contact us as early as you can.

We send reminder texts at approximately 72 and 24 hours before your window restating your window and this schedule, and we keep dispatch records, timestamped arrival photos, and contact logs for every move.

If WE cancel — a vehicle problem, severe weather that makes the move unsafe, a scheduling failure on our side, or any other reason within our responsibility — you choose: a free reschedule to the next slot that works for you, or a 100% refund of everything you paid, processed within 2 business days.

All arrival and delivery times are good-faith estimates (ETAs), not guarantees. Traffic, weather, building access, and prior-job overruns can shift timing, and we will keep you posted by text.

But your booked window has teeth: if we arrive more than 2 hours after your booked window ends, for reasons that are not customer-caused or force majeure, we automatically credit you 10% of your booking price (one credit per booking). If we cannot perform your move at all on the booked day, or cannot arrive within the availability you gave us for that day, that is a cancellation by us and the company-cancellation terms above apply — your choice of free reschedule or 100% refund.

Once our mover arrives and work begins, the booking price is earned and non-refundable as to everything you asked us to do and we did. Choosing to move fewer items than your manifest, finishing faster than the included time, or dissatisfaction that is not a loss-or-damage claim does not create a refund right.

Where your quote shows your load fits in one trip, that promise cuts both ways. If a manifest item is not moved because you removed it or chose to leave it behind, no refund is due. If a manifest item is not moved for a reason within OUR control — van space, crew, or time we misjudged — we will complete it with a free follow-up trip within 7 days, or, if we cannot, refund that item's pro-rata share of your booking price.

At delivery we do an end-of-job walkthrough with you: we check the manifest off, photograph placement, and ask you to confirm in writing before the mover leaves (a text reply counts) that you received everything, checked the van is empty, and inspected your items and premises. That walkthrough is your moment to check everything — the 24-hour damage-report window in section 10.3 runs from job completion. Nothing in this section takes away any right that Massachusetts law does not allow us to limit.

Your written completion confirmation, together with our manifest check-off and placement photos, serves as the delivery record for your move: presumptive — and rebuttable — evidence of the count and external condition of your items and premises at delivery. Declining or missing the confirmation never extends the 24-hour report window in section 10.3.

You are responsible for: giving us complete, accurate pickup and delivery addresses; verifying that every item on your manifest physically fits through the access at BOTH addresses — doorways, stairwells, hallways, and elevators (measure before move day; we do not take measurements). Time spent attempting an item that does not fit counts toward your included time, an item that cannot fit despite reasonable effort is left with you and creates no refund right, and damage caused by forcing an item you asked us to force is on you; arranging legal parking or loading-zone access reasonably near each entrance, including any resident permits; reserving the elevator where a building requires it; telling us at booking if either building requires a certificate of insurance (COI); clearing pathways of snow, ice, and obstructions; securing pets; and having someone 18 or older present at both ends unless you booked curbside service or gave us written unattended-delivery instructions.

We help you get these right rather than lying in wait. We send a pre-move checklist text about 48 hours before your window covering parking, elevator, COI, item fit, and pathways. Tell us at booking — or by text as soon as you know — if either building requires a COI: a building that requires a certificate of insurance is currently outside what we can serve, and if we cannot meet a COI requirement you learn of after booking, you may cancel for a 100% refund. Boston moving-van parking permits can take several business days to obtain; ask us early and we will point you to the process and timelines.

If we are turned away or the move cannot proceed because one of these was not handled — no parking, no elevator reservation, missing COI, no access — here is exactly what happens. First failed attempt: we document the blocking condition, offer you a new date in writing, charge a failed-attempt fee of 25% of your booking price (our genuine advance estimate of the dispatched trip's cost), and credit the remaining 75% in full to one re-attempt within 14 days. Second customer-caused failed attempt: the booking is then treated as a cancellation after dispatch — the total charged across both attempts is capped at 50% of your booking price, reduced by anything we recover from refilling the slots, and the rest is refunded.

We do not transport, and you agree not to include in any box or item: hazardous or flammable materials (grills travel only with the propane tank disconnected and removed — we do not carry tanks), explosives, firearms or ammunition, illegal items or substances, perishable food, or animals.

Do not put cash, jewelry, watches, precious metals or stones, important documents (deeds, passports, securities), or irreplaceable items such as photographs, heirlooms, and collections on the van — transport them yourself. We accept no liability for items in this paragraph, including when they are sealed inside boxes without our knowledge, except to the extent the law does not permit that exclusion.

Any single item worth more than $500 must be declared to us in writing before move day, and we may require proof of third-party insurance before transporting it — remember that under section 10 your goods move at your own risk, so insuring a high-value item before move day is your protection, not a formality.

In addition, any single item worth more than $100 per pound is an item of extraordinary value and must be pre-declared the same way. We may decline any high-value or extraordinary-value item that was not pre-declared — declining an item is never treated as a cancellation; section 3.5 governs.

If we discover undisclosed hazardous or prohibited items during a move, even the backstop in section 10.1 is void for the affected items, and we may terminate the move on the spot as a customer-caused failed attempt under section 8.3 — the 50% total cap there still applies. The indemnity in section 11.2 extends to fines, cleanup costs, and delay costs that result, except to the extent the law does not permit that exclusion.

Boxes you packed yourself travel at your risk as to their contents. We cannot verify what is inside a sealed box or its pre-existing condition, so we are not liable for internal damage to a customer-packed box unless the box itself shows external damage caused by us. Pack heavy items low, pad anything fragile, and seal every box before move day.

Box kits are supplies — boxes, tape, and paper. If any supplied item is defective, we will replace it or refund that item; this promise is in addition to, and does not limit, your rights under Massachusetts law.

If a packing add-on is offered and you purchased it at booking (none is currently offered), items we packed are covered by the standard loss-and-damage terms below, up to the box count stated for your tier; boxes beyond that cap are charged at the per-box overflow rate in your rate schedule and agreed with you before we pack them.

We handle your belongings with care — blankets, wrap, and straps are included on every move. But Haulston is a small owner-operated crew and does not yet carry cargo insurance, so we cannot price replacement risk into a flat-rate move — and we would rather tell you that plainly than bury it. Every booking is therefore made on this express basis, which you acknowledge in a separately logged damage-waiver checkbox (version 2026-07-24) before you pay:

YOUR GOODS ARE MOVED, AND YOUR PREMISES ARE ACCESSED, AT YOUR OWN RISK. TO THE MAXIMUM EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW, YOU WAIVE AND RELEASE ALL CLAIMS AGAINST BOSTONHAUL FOR LOSS OF OR DAMAGE TO GOODS, PREMISES, OR OTHER PROPERTY ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO YOUR MOVE, HOWEVER CAUSED. BOSTONHAUL IS NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR LOSS OF OR DAMAGE TO YOUR GOODS.

Want your goods covered? Two honest options: transport irreplaceable and high-value items yourself (section 9.2), and arrange third-party moving insurance before move day — independent insurers sell single-move policies that cover your goods regardless of who moves them. Tell us in writing if your insurer needs information from us and we will cooperate.

Section 10.4 lists what this waiver never covers: personal injury, gross negligence, willful misconduct, and theft are never waived, and nothing in this section limits liability that Massachusetts law does not permit us to limit. Where your pickup and delivery are in different states, federal law (49 U.S.C. § 14706) governs valuation.

Independently of — and in addition to — the waiver above, we are in any event not responsible for: the contents of boxes we did not pack, absent external damage we caused; damage that existed before pickup; the internal or mechanical function of electronics and appliances that show no external damage; inherent fragility of particle-board or flat-pack furniture moved assembled, or disassembled and reassembled at your request; items you carried or moved yourself; or items excluded under the prohibited and high-value items section.

We are additionally not responsible for: natural stone and glass — marble, slate, granite, and glass tops — unless crated by us; minor cosmetic wear consistent with normal handling (small nicks, dents, or scratches); items not on your manifest; any single item 300 lbs or heavier moved without the signed handling release described in section 10.5; or items of extraordinary value (worth more than $100 per pound) that were not pre-declared under section 9.3.

Check your items and premises before the mover leaves — the end-of-job walkthrough (section 7.3) is exactly for that, and noting anything on the spot is always best. ANY DAMAGE OR LOSS REPORT MUST REACH US IN WRITING (EMAIL OR TEXT IS FINE, WITH PHOTOS AND YOUR BOOKING NUMBER) WITHIN 24 HOURS OF JOB COMPLETION. Prompt inspection is the only way either of us can tell move-day damage from what happened after, so we decline reports made outside that window except where the law requires otherwise.

A report is handled under this section: it preserves whatever rights sections 10.1 and 10.4 leave you — it does not create coverage the waiver excludes. We respond in writing within 30 days. Where we choose to offer a goodwill repair or credit, that choice never reopens or enlarges the waiver. A disputed on-site adjustment never delays or conditions a damage report, and nothing in these Terms shortens any statutory limitations period that Massachusetts law does not permit us to shorten.

The waiver and limits in this section do not apply to personal injury, to loss caused by our gross negligence, willful misconduct, or theft, or to any liability that Massachusetts law does not allow us to limit.

To the maximum extent permitted by law, BOSTONHAUL’S TOTAL LIABILITY ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO A BOOKING IS CAPPED AT THE TOTAL AMOUNT YOU PAID FOR THAT BOOKING, and we are not liable for indirect, incidental, or consequential losses — for example lost wages, missed lease or closing deadlines, hotel costs, or replacement rentals.

This cap does not apply to liability that may not be limited under applicable law, including death or personal injury caused by our negligence, gross negligence or willful misconduct, fraud, or willful or knowing violations of M.G.L. c. 93A.

You agree to indemnify Haulston — that is, to cover our losses, damages, and reasonable costs, including third-party claims — to the extent caused by: inaccurate addresses, manifests, or declarations you provided; undeclared hazardous or prohibited items; your failure to arrange required parking, elevator reservations, building permissions, or a COI where the building required one; building or common-area damage resulting from access arrangements that were your responsibility; or written instructions you gave us over our documented objection. This obligation does not extend to losses to the extent caused by our own negligence or misconduct.

Under section 9.4, this obligation includes fines, cleanup costs, and delay costs resulting from undisclosed hazardous or prohibited items — subject to the same limit: never losses to the extent caused by our own negligence or misconduct.

Neither of us is liable for delay or failure to perform caused by events beyond reasonable control — severe weather, natural disasters, road closures, government action, labor disruption, or utility and telecommunications failures. If such an event prevents your move entirely, the company-cancellation terms apply: your choice of a free reschedule or a 100% refund. A personal emergency on your side is handled by the documented-emergency provision in the cancellation section — a free reschedule, whatever the notice.

We photograph items, packaging, and placement during a move to document condition, and we keep dispatch, arrival, and contact records — including timestamped and, where relevant, location-tagged photos — as evidence of performance for claims, payment disputes, and quality purposes. We will not use photographs taken inside your home for marketing without your consent, and we never publish your name or address without your separate consent.

Documentation is mutual and fair in both directions: you agree not to publish audio or video recordings of our mover taken during service for commercial purposes without our written consent. Personal or security recording at your own property is not restricted by this paragraph.

Each version of these Terms is dated, and we keep dated archives of every version. Material changes apply only to bookings made after the change: you are asked to review and accept the current version at checkout every time you book, and your move is always governed by the version you accepted when you paid.

These Terms, your quote, your item manifest, the version-stamped rate schedule linked from your booking confirmation, and your booking confirmation are the entire agreement for your move and replace anything said earlier by phone, text, or email. Changes to a booking are valid only if agreed in writing — a text or email exchange with us counts. No one on our team may waive or change these Terms orally.

If any part of these Terms is found unenforceable, that part will be enforced to the maximum extent permitted, and the rest of these Terms remains in full force.

Reach us at hello@haulston.com.