Will Movers Move a Grandfather Clock? Cost & How-To (2026)
Here’s the quick answer: Yes, nearly all full-service movers will move a grandfather clock, but the clock has to be serviced first. Moving a clock by itself typically runs $200 – $300 on a local move and $900 – $1,500 on a long-distance move, plus $100 – $300 if it needs a custom crate. This guide covers what movers will and won’t do, what it costs, and how to prepare, pack, and set up your clock step by step.
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Will movers move a grandfather clock?
Yes, nearly all full-service movers will move a grandfather clock, so you don’t need a specialty mover for most clocks. The catch is that the clock has to be serviced before it moves: the weights, pendulum, and loose glass come out, and the chains or cables get secured.
Some moving companies will remove the weights and pendulum for you, but others won’t because of the liability. If yours won’t, you can prepare the clock yourself, have the mover schedule a third-party service, or ask a local clock shop to do it. If you bought the clock from a local retailer or already use a clock repair shop, start there, and plan on scheduling service both before and after your move.
Consider a clock specialist instead of a general mover if your clock is very tall, has complex chimes or a moon dial, is old or fragile, or has to go down several flights of stairs or through tight turns.
How the clock gets packed depends on its size, age, condition, and value. Quilted moving blankets are enough for many clocks. Some movers use double- or triple-wall cartons, which cost much less than a crate and protect nearly as well when packed correctly, while a valuable antique may need a custom crate.
Expert tip: moveBuddha founder Ryan Carrigan recommends asking your mover exactly what it requires for fragile and antique items you pack yourself, since every company sets different rules. On a long-distance move of 500 or 1,000 miles, things jostle in the truck, so those packing requirements matter much more than they do across town. See the legitimate ways movers can increase your final cost.
For the move itself, Ryan recommends a good regional mover for moves of about 200 to 500 miles and a national van line for long-distance and cross-country moves. A moveBuddha Certified mover has already been checked for licensing, insurance, and service history, which matters when the item on the truck is a family heirloom.
Want movers who’ve already been vetted before you trust them with an heirloom? Get free estimates from vetted movers.
How much does it cost to move a grandfather clock?
The cost to move a grandfather clock depends on where and when you’re moving, the clock’s size, age, condition, and value, whether it moves alone or with your household goods, and whether it needs a box or a custom crate. Moving it with the rest of your household goods is usually cheaper than moving it by itself.
Moving a grandfather clock by itself
When the clock doesn’t need a custom crate, labor and transportation for the clock alone usually fall in these ranges:
| Service | Typical cost |
|---|---|
| Local move | $200 – $300 |
| Long-distance interstate move | $900 – $1,500 |
| Custom crate (if needed) | $100 – $300 |
Most interstate movers also bill a minimum weight, often 2,000 pounds or more depending on the mover. So even if your clock weighs only 200 pounds, a long-distance mover will charge you for the minimum weight, which is why shipping a clock alone across the country costs so much.
Moving a grandfather clock with your household goods
On a local move, you’ll pay for the servicing, any crating, and the extra time the clock takes to load, which should be minimal. On a long-distance move, time isn’t the factor, but the clock adds weight to a shipment that’s priced by weight or volume, and some movers add a bulky-item charge. moveBuddha’s pricing data puts bulky-item handling at $150 – $400 per item for heavy pieces that need extra labor and specialized equipment.
Crating quotes can change once the crater sees the item. Better Moves Project participant Brita B. paid slightly more than her quote on her June 2026 move from Chicago to Omaha because her disassembled marble table needed two crates. Ask the mover to confirm crate size and count before moving day.
Protecting your clock’s value
Basic released value protection is free but pays no more than $0.60 per pound per article, according to the FMCSA. That caps a 200-pound clock at $120, so choose Full Value Protection for a valuable clock, which makes the mover repair it, replace it, or pay its current value. Photograph the clock before the move to document its condition, and get an up-to-date appraisal if it’s an antique.
Expert tip: moveBuddha founder Ryan Carrigan suggests having the mover pack fragile and bulky items like antiques, since mover-packed items typically come with higher liability coverage. The FMCSA notes a mover can limit its liability for damage to items you packed yourself. Learn more in our guide to moving insurance.
Pianos, safes, and antiques change the price of a move. Compare quotes before you book.
What do you need to move a grandfather clock?
Gather everything before you start, because you don’t want to stop halfway with the weights off and the pendulum loose. Plan on at least one fit helper, since grandfather clocks typically weigh about 100 to 300 pounds and are top-heavy.
- A helper: One strong, careful helper is enough. More than one extra person tends to get in the way in tight spaces.
- Clean cloth gloves: New cotton gloves keep fingerprints and tarnish off brass weights and the pendulum bob.
- Moving blankets: You’ll need two to three quilted moving blankets, clean and free of grit, to wrap the case.
- Boxes and packing paper: A 1.5- or 3.0-cubic-foot book box holds the weights and small parts, and two to three mirror cartons protect the pendulum and glass panels.
- Foam blocks or newspaper: These keep cable tension on a cable-driven clock and pad the chime rods.
- Bags and twist ties: Use zip-top bags for screws and tabs and twist ties or thin wire to bind loose chains.
- Tools: A screwdriver or small pliers loosens the tabs that hold glass panels and shelves.
- A marker: Label every bag and the parts box so reassembly goes quickly.
- A hand truck and straps: An appliance dolly rated for the clock’s weight, plus straps, moves it safely and secures it in the truck.
- A tape measure: Measure the clock, doorways, hallways, and stairwells so you know it fits before you lift it.
You’ll also need a truck or van tall enough to carry the clock standing upright, so check its height before you book a rental.
A grandfather clock should travel standing upright, so make sure the truck or van you book is tall enough before moving day.
Learn MoreWhat parts of a grandfather clock matter for a move?
Grandfather clocks have many more parts than these, but these are the ones you’ll remove, secure, or protect before the clock moves.
- Movement: The movement is the clock’s mechanical heart, mounted at the top of the case behind the dial, and it’s heavy enough that older clocks shouldn’t travel lying down.
- Weights: Most clocks have three weights hung from cables or chains, and each one usually weighs a different amount, so it must go back in the same position.
- Pendulum: The pendulum, usually brass, swings to regulate the timekeeping and is the most delicate part to pack.
- Chime rods: These metal rods produce the chimes and can bend or tangle if they’re left loose in transit.
- Bonnet: The bonnet, or hood, is the wood and glass frame around the clock’s face.
- Finials: These decorative pieces, usually wood, sit on the top and sides of the bonnet and snap off easily.
Knowing which parts need special care makes it easier to compare what each mover will handle. See what movers charge for your move.
How do you prepare a grandfather clock for a move?
Never move a grandfather clock without taking it apart first. Swinging weights can break the glass, and loose chime rods, chains, and pendulums can bend or derail. Work through these steps in order.
Document the clock
Photograph the clock from every side before you touch it, and take notes or a video as you remove each part. You’ll use them to put the clock back together and to support a claim if something arrives damaged.
Remove the glass
If your clock has removable glass shelves, panels, or inserts, remove them and pack them separately. They’re usually held in place with small wooden or plastic tabs you can loosen with a screwdriver or pliers. Put the tabs and screws in a labeled zip-top bag inside your parts box, then wrap each glass piece in packing paper and pack the pieces together in a mirror carton. Particularly long or thin glass may need a crate.
Secure the cables or chains, then remove the weights
How you handle the weights depends on whether your clock is cable-driven or chain-driven:
- Cable-driven clocks: Wedge a foam block or a tight square of folded newspaper above each pulley, then wind each weight up until it stops against the block. This keeps tension on the cables so they don’t tangle or slip off the drums when the weights come off.
- Chain-driven clocks: Wind the weights about halfway up, then bind the chains together below the movement with twist ties or thin wire. Keep them tight, or the chains can come off their sprockets.
Wearing clean gloves, lift each weight off its hook and label it left, center, or right as you face the clock, since each weight usually weighs a different amount. Many weights are already marked on the bottom. Wrap each one in a moving blanket or paper, and pack small ones in a 1.5- or 3.0-cubic-foot carton so the brass shells don’t dent.
Label each weight left, center, or right as you take it off. Weights usually differ in heaviness, and hanging one on the wrong hook can stop the chimes.
Remove and pack the pendulum
Hold the pendulum steady in the middle, lift it slightly to unhook it, and never force it. Wrap it in a thin sheet of foam or a clean blanket and pack it on its own in a mirror carton. Don’t change the pendulum’s adjustment nut, or the clock may run fast, slow, or out of beat once it’s back together.
The pendulum is the part most likely to get hurt. Better Moves Project participant Irena moved a very large clock with a lot of glass on her January 2023 move from Columbus, Ohio, to Easley, South Carolina. Her movers wrapped the clock in a moving blanket and then cardboard, but the pendulum still arrived with a bent piece that needed repair.
Wrap the chains and stabilize the chime rods
Bundle loose chains from bottom to top, wrap them in paper so they can’t scratch the finish, and seal them in a plastic bag in your parts box. Avoid taping anything to the inside of the case, since tape can damage the wood. To keep chime rods from banging together, slide sheets of paper or small foam squares between them until they stop moving, but don’t put tape directly on the rods. Add crushed paper between the rods and the case if they still shift.
Remove the finials
Take off any ornate scrolls and finials that aren’t glued in place or part of the bonnet. Wrap each one in packing paper and add it to the labeled parts box. Then close and lock the case door, or tape any fixed glass to the wood from the inside.
Prepping a clock takes time, and so does getting quotes. Start comparing movers today.
How do you pack & load a grandfather clock?
Not every mover boxes or crates a grandfather clock. If your clock isn’t especially old or valuable and the loose glass is out, wrapping it in quilted moving blankets may be enough, with a layer of cardboard over the blankets for extra protection.
To wrap it, keep the clock standing and have your helper steady it while you drape the blankets around it, lighter side facing in if your pads are two-tone. Hold the pads in place with tape or mover’s rubber bands at the top, middle, and base, without wrapping so tightly that you stress the case.
Then move the clock on a hand truck, strapped in place, and load it onto the truck standing upright, never on its side. Secure it against the truck wall with logistics straps and pad it so it can’t shift or tip. If it has fixed glass panels, cover them with cardboard and load the clock away from anything that could break them. Some clock retailers say newer clocks can ride on their backs if they’re packed exactly right, but older clocks should only travel upright because of how the heavy movement is mounted, so upright is the safe choice for any clock.
Long-distance quotes can vary widely from one mover to the next. Compare long-distance movers before you book.
How do you set up a grandfather clock after a move?
Setting the clock back up is the same work in reverse, and the clock won’t keep time until it’s level and in beat. If you aren’t comfortable doing it yourself, book a clock shop visit for the week you move in.
- Place and level the case: Stand the clock in its final spot, against a wall and away from heat vents, and use a level to adjust the feet until it’s steady front to back and side to side.
- Remove the packing materials: Take out the foam blocks, paper, and twist ties from the cables, chains, and chime rods.
- Hang the pendulum: Hook the pendulum back on carefully without forcing it, following the notes or video you made.
- Rehang the weights: Put each weight back on the left, center, or right hook it came from, since mixing them up stops the chimes or throws off the time.
- Reinstall the glass and finials: Replace the shelves, panels, and finials, and refasten the tabs.
- Start the clock and check the beat: Give the pendulum a gentle push and listen for an even tick-tock. An uneven beat means the case needs leveling or the clock needs adjusting.
If the clock still won’t run or chime correctly after a day or two, call a clock repair shop rather than adjusting the movement yourself. Ready to plan the rest of your move? Get matched with vetted movers in minutes.
FAQ
How do I find a moving company that will move antiques?
Nearly all full-service moving companies will move grandfather clocks and other antiques. If your clock also needs servicing, hire a specialty mover or a clock shop for that part. Ask each mover how it packs and covers antiques before you book.
Should I insure my grandfather clock before moving?
Yes, make sure your clock is adequately covered during the move. Free released value protection pays no more than $0.60 per pound per article, so choose Full Value Protection for a valuable clock. Some specialty movers include coverage in their price.
How do you put the weights back on a grandfather clock?
Hang each weight on the same left, center, or right hook it came from, since each one usually weighs a different amount. Improperly hung weights can stop the clock from chiming or keeping time. If you’re unsure, hire a clock shop to reassemble it.
Can you move a grandfather clock without taking it apart?
No, take out the weights, pendulum, and loose glass before any move. Swinging weights can break the glass, and loose chime rods and chains can bend or derail. Even a move across the room is safer with the pendulum secured.
Can a grandfather clock be moved lying down?
It’s safest to move a grandfather clock standing upright. Older clocks should only travel upright because of how the heavy movement is mounted. Some newer clocks can ride on their backs if packed correctly, but check with a clock shop first.
How much does a grandfather clock weigh?
Most grandfather clocks weigh about 100 to 300 pounds, and very large or ornate ones can weigh more. That weight is why you need at least one helper and a hand truck. On a long-distance move, the clock’s weight also adds to your bill.
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