Moving in Melbourne’s CBD and inner city is a different job from moving a suburban house. The furniture is rarely the hard part. Lifts, loading docks, building rules and street access are. Get those sorted early and an apartment move can be one of the smoothest moves there is. Leave them until the last minute and you can lose hours waiting for a lift or circling for a park.
This guide covers everything to sort out before moving day, whether you’re moving into a tower in Southbank, a warehouse conversion in West Melbourne or a heritage building in East Melbourne.
Start with your building manager
The most important call you’ll make is to your building manager or owners corporation, and you need to make it for both buildings: the one you’re leaving and the one you’re moving into. Ask them:
- How do I book the goods lift, and when is it available?
- Is there a loading dock, and does it need to be booked?
- Are moves limited to certain days or times?
- Do you need lift protection (padding) installed?
- Is there a bond or fee for the lift or dock booking?
- Does the building need any information or paperwork from the removalist?
Write the answers down and share them with your removalist when you book. If a building asks for specific paperwork from the removalist, tell us early, so there’s time to sort it out before moving day.
Booking the lift and loading dock
In most apartment buildings, residents can’t simply use the passenger lifts to move furniture. You book a goods lift, or a passenger lift fitted with protective padding, for a set window of time. Loading docks often work the same way.
| What to book | Why it matters | Tip |
|---|---|---|
| Goods lift | Without it, every trip waits for the public lifts | Book the longest window available |
| Loading dock | The truck can park close to the lift, so loading is quicker | Check the height limit for the truck |
| Lift padding | Protects the lift walls during the move | Ask whether the building installs it or you need to arrange it |
| Time slot at both buildings | Unloading has to fit the new building’s rules too | Allow for driving time between the two |
Time slots are the key to planning. If your old building only allows moves until midday and the new one only from 1pm, your removalist needs to know before they plan the day.
Measure before you move
The most frustrating moving-day problem in an apartment is a couch that won’t fit in the lift. Before you move, measure:
- The inside of the lift: width, depth, height and the door opening
- Corridors between the lift and your apartment, especially at corners
- Your apartment’s front door and any internal doors
- Your largest pieces: couches, wardrobes, beds, the fridge and dining tables
Some items can be taken apart to fit, such as bed frames, many tables and some wardrobes. Others can’t, so if something clearly won’t fit, it’s better to know now than on the day.
Parking, loading zones and getting the truck close
A truck that can stop right outside the loading dock or front door makes for a quick move. A truck parked two blocks away adds time to every single trip. Before moving day, check:
- Whether the building has a loading dock the truck can actually fit into
- Where the nearest loading zones are, and their time limits
- Clearway times on nearby roads, since many CBD streets don’t allow stopping in peak hours
- Whether the council requires a permit for the truck to occupy a parking space or the road
If you know the best place for the truck to stop, tell your removalist. Local knowledge from someone who lives there is often better than any map.
Walk-ups and buildings without a lift
Not every inner-city apartment has a lift. Many older blocks in suburbs like Carlton, North Melbourne and East Melbourne are walk-ups, with narrow stairwells and tight landings. These moves take longer, because everything is carried by hand.
That’s fine, as long as it’s planned for. When you request a quote, choose the access option that matches each address. Our quotes include an allowance for stairs and lifts, so the extra time is in the estimate from the start, rather than a surprise on the day.
Timing your apartment move
Inner-city traffic and building rules both reward good timing:
| Timing | Why |
|---|---|
| Mid-month | Fewer competing moves for lifts and docks than at month-end |
| Weekdays | Lower rates than Saturdays, though check your building allows weekday moves |
| Early start | Beats the worst of the traffic and gives you the longest lift window |
| Avoid big-event days | Events can close roads and fill parking across the city |
Our guide to the best time to move in Melbourne covers seasons and events in more detail.
Protecting the building (and your bond)
Apartment buildings take damage to common areas seriously, and a scratched lift or dented corridor wall can cost you. Professional removalists protect furniture as a matter of course, but it’s also worth:
- Checking whether lift padding is installed before the move starts
- Pointing out tight corners and delicate surfaces to the crew
- Photographing the lift and corridors before and after, if your building has a bond
Our insurance page explains the cover we carry on every move.
Moving day in an apartment building
On the day itself, a few small things make a big difference in an apartment building:
- Keys, fobs and access cards: make sure you have working access to the lift, loading dock and car park before the crew arrives.
- Concierge or building staff: let them know the move is happening, and check where the truck should go.
- Doors and fire doors: don’t prop open fire doors, even briefly. Ask the building how doors should be managed during the move.
- Storage cages and car spaces: remember the items stored outside your apartment, like bikes and storage cage contents.
- Be there at both ends, or have someone there who knows the building and your furniture.
Bonds, fees and common areas
Some buildings ask for a bond or charge a fee for moves, to cover any damage to lifts and common areas. Ask about this when you book the lift, and find out how and when the bond is returned. Taking a few photos of the lift, corridors and entrance before the move gives you a simple record if questions come up later.
Downsizing into a smaller space
Many people moving into a CBD apartment are coming from a bigger home. If that’s you, it pays to decide what’s coming before moving day. Measure the new rooms, make a floor plan, and be realistic about what will fit. Everything you sell or donate first is something you don’t pay to move.
Our cubic metre calculator helps here too. Add the furniture you’re keeping and it shows the total volume, which tells you the size of truck you’ll need.
Moving out of a CBD apartment
Everything above applies in reverse when you’re moving out. Book the lift and dock, check the building’s rules, and leave enough time for the end-of-lease clean if you’re renting. If you’re leaving the city for the suburbs, check the access at the new place too. A suburban house might have a long driveway or a steep block, which affects your move.
Moving an office in the CBD
Commercial buildings in the city work in a similar way to apartment towers, often with even stricter rules for loading docks and lifts. Many office moves happen after hours or on a Saturday, so the business loses as little time as possible. Check the rules at both buildings early, and see our office removals page for how we plan them.
Inner-city suburbs we cover
We move apartments right across the CBD and inner city, including Southbank, Docklands, South Wharf, West Melbourne, Port Melbourne and South Melbourne. You can see every suburb on our Melbourne CBD removalists page.
For more on how we handle apartment moves, see apartment removals and CBD movers.
Your CBD apartment moving checklist
- Contact both building managers about lift, dock, rules and time slots.
- Book the goods lift and loading dock at both buildings.
- Measure your largest items against lifts, doors and corridors.
- Check parking, loading zones and clearways near both buildings.
- Book your removalist and share the time slots and access details.
- Pack early, using our room-by-room packing guide.
- On the day, make sure lift padding is up and walk the crew through both buildings.
