About Us
Family Movers Ethio is Ethiopia’s trusted moving and packing company. From single apartments in Addis Ababa corporate relocations across Bishoftu and Sululta- we handle every move with care.
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Questions Related To
ApartmentMoves
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How much does an apartment move cost in Addis Ababa?Apartment moves at Family Movers Ethio start at ETB 13,000 for a studio and scale to ETB 45,000 for a 3-bedroom. Final pricing depends on access (lift availability, stairwell flights), distance between origin and destination, and any add-ons like cleaning or weekend scheduling. The price is locked before booking and doesn't change on moving day.
2
How far in advance should I book an apartment move?For weekday moves, 5–7 days' notice is usually enough. For weekend moves or end-of-month moves (when most leases turn over), book 2–3 weeks ahead. We accept same-day bookings when crew is available, but apartment-move-day availability is tight in Addis Ababa, especially during the rainy season transition.
3
Can you handle moves between condominium buildings with strict access rules?Yes. We've moved into and out of every major condominium development in Addis Ababa, including Bole Bulbula, Friendship City, CMC, Jemo, Lebu, and Mekanisa. We handle the moving permits, security clearance, and lift booking with the building manager during the site survey period — moving day arrives with all paperwork already approved.
4
Do you charge extra for moves above the ground floor?Stairwell moves up to the 4th floor are included at no extra cost when the lift is unavailable or too small. Above the 4th floor, additional crew time is added to the quote during the site survey. Lift access is preferred whenever the lift dimensions allow — we confirm lift specs (weight capacity, internal dimensions) during the survey to flag any item that needs to come down via stairs.
5
What happens if my apartment lift breaks on moving day?We carry contingency plans for lift failures: stairwell move with reinforcement crew, partial day-extension if the move runs long, or rescheduling at no penalty if the building lift is fully out of service. Lift failures are uncommon but they happen — we don't charge clients for the building's mechanical problems.
6
Can you pack everything, or do I need to pack myself?Both options work. Most apartment moves include free packing as part of the standard service — our packers arrive 1–2 days before moving day to pack non-essentials, then finish on moving day with everyday items. If you prefer to pack yourself, we provide free boxes and materials and the crew loads what you've packed. Tell us during the site survey which option you prefer.
7
Do you move on weekends?Yes. Weekend moves (Saturday and Sunday) are available at no surcharge. Most clients prefer Saturday moves because they have Sunday to settle in before the workweek. Sunday moves are particularly popular for office-adjacent apartment moves where weekday access is restricted.
8
What's the difference between your service and cheaper local movers?Three things: full-time trained staff (not day labour), locked pricing (no surprise charges), and condominium experience (we know how to navigate access rules without delays). Cheaper movers often quote 30–40% less but charge more on moving day, arrive understaffed, or get blocked at the building gate for missing paperwork. Our quote is what you pay; our crew is who shows up.
9
Is my deposit refundable if I need to cancel?The 30% booking deposit is fully refundable up to 7 days before the scheduled moving day. Within 7 days, we refund 50%. Within 24 hours of the move, the deposit is non-refundable because we've already committed crew and vehicle for that slot. Rescheduling (rather than cancelling) is always free if requested at least 48 hours ahead.
10
Do you serve Bishoftu and Sululta from Addis Ababa apartments?Yes. Long-distance apartment moves to Bishoftu (47 km southeast) or Sululta (25 km north) are part of our standard service area. Pricing scales by distance and crew time on the road; expect a 15–25% premium over an equivalent in-city move depending on access and timing.
Questions Associated To
Villa&HouseMoving
1
How much does a villa move cost in Addis Ababa?Villa moves at Family Movers Ethio start at ETB 45,000 for a small 3-bedroom standalone home and scale to ETB 100,000 for a large premium villa. Multi-building compounds are quoted custom because of variation in size, access, and timelines. Final pricing depends on the number of rooms, distance between origin and destination, specialty items requiring extra handling (pianos, safes, antiques), and add-ons like cleaning or weekend scheduling. The price is locked before booking.
2
How far in advance should I book a villa move?For weekday villa moves, we recommend 2–3 weeks' notice. For weekend or end-of-month moves, book 4–6 weeks ahead — these slots fill faster. Compound and embassy moves should be booked 6–8 weeks ahead because of the longer planning window required. We accept shorter-notice villa bookings when crew is available, but premium moves benefit substantially from advance planning.
3
Do you handle compound moves and embassy relocations?Yes. Compound and diplomatic moves are a regular part of our work. We've handled relocations involving multiple buildings, embassy security protocols, controlled crew access, multi-day phased schedules, and international shipping coordination. These moves are quoted custom because every compound is different — pricing depends on building count, total floor area, security requirements, and shipping coordination scope.
4
Can you move antiques, art, and family heirlooms safely?Yes — and we recommend declared-value insurance for items above ETB 50,000 in worth, arranged through our partner insurer at quote time. Specialty crating is available for paintings, sculptures, and irreplaceable items. The crew leader on every villa move is briefed on high-value items before moving day so the team handles them with appropriate care.
5
Can you move a piano?Yes. Upright pianos are handled by an experienced crew of 4–5 movers with appropriate equipment. Grand pianos require an additional specialized crew and equipment, planned during the site survey. Piano moves are added to the quote as a specialty service. We've moved pianos across staircases, through narrow doorways, and into upper-floor villas — but the planning has to happen ahead.
6
Do you provide multiple vehicles for large villa moves?Yes. Standard villas typically use 5-ton trucks; large villas and compounds often require 8 or 10-ton vehicles, sometimes multiple loads. We don't compromise capacity by overloading trucks or extending moving day past safe working hours. Vehicle scheduling is part of every villa quote.
7
What if my villa has a steep driveway or narrow gate?We confirm vehicle access during the site survey. Our fleet includes smaller 3-ton and 5-ton trucks for properties where larger vehicles can't reach, and we plan staging (loading items at the gate, transferring to a larger truck nearby) when needed. No surprises on moving day.
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Can you coordinate with international movers for an outbound relocation?Yes. We frequently work with international shipping companies on the local side of an international move — packing, crating, transporting from your villa to the shipping facility, and handling export paperwork on the local end. Tell us your international shipping company during the site survey and we coordinate directly with them.
9
What about post-construction or new-build move-ins?We work alongside builders, cleaning crews, and finishing contractors on new-build move-ins. We can also coordinate with carpenters or installers if specific furniture needs assembly at the destination. New-build move-ins are usually scheduled 1–3 days after the construction handover so the villa is fully ready for unpacking.
10
Do you serve villas in Bishoftu and Sululta?Yes. Long-distance villa moves to Bishoftu (47 km southeast) or Sululta (25 km north) are a regular part of our work. Distance pricing is added to the quote — typically a 15–25% premium over the equivalent in-city move depending on access, road conditions, and timing.
Questions Related To
OfficeMoves
1
How much does an office move cost in Addis Ababa?Office moves at Family Movers Ethio start at ETB 40,000 for small offices (up to ~10 staff) and scale to ETB 130,000 for large offices (30–80 staff). Enterprise moves with 80+ staff or multi-site requirements are quoted custom because every enterprise relocation has unique needs. Final pricing depends on staff count, floor area, IT complexity, distance, and add-ons like cleaning. The price is locked before booking and doesn't change on moving day.
2
How far in advance should I book an office move?Small offices: 2–3 weeks ahead. Medium offices: 4–6 weeks ahead. Large or enterprise offices: 6–10 weeks ahead. Weekend slots fill faster than weekday-only bookings, so book early when your move requires weekend scheduling. Enterprise moves with phasing across multiple weekends should start planning 8–10 weeks out so we can secure the right crew for each phase.
3
Do you handle weekend and after-hours moves?Yes — and weekend or after-hours scheduling is included in our standard pricing, not added as a premium. Most office moves happen Friday evening through Sunday so Monday morning starts at the new office without disruption. We can also phase enterprise moves across multiple weekends if needed.
4
Can you handle our IT equipment safely?Yes. Our office moving crews include staff specifically trained for IT equipment handling — workstations, monitors, printers, servers, network gear, and cable management. We can coordinate directly with your IT team or external IT provider for specific shutdown sequences, server migration plans, or network testing windows. For high-value IT equipment above ETB 50,000 in declared value, we recommend our declared-value insurance option.
5
How do you handle sensitive documents and records?For HR, finance, legal, and healthcare offices that require document chain-of-custody, we provide signed documentation tracking each box from packing through unpacking. Locked transport vehicles are available for confidential records. Crew can be background-checked for specific jobs at client request. These services are included as standard for offices that request them — not at premium pricing.
6
Will my team have downtime during the move?Almost none, if planned correctly. The whole point of weekend or after-hours office moves is that your team works Friday at the old office and starts Monday morning at the new office. For larger moves with IT setup requirements, Sunday afternoon and evening are typically reserved for IT installation and network testing so any issues are resolved before Monday. Phased moves for enterprise clients can be coordinated to keep specific teams operational throughout.
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Can you coordinate with our IT provider, cleaners, and other vendors?Yes. Vendor coordination is part of every office move. We work directly with IT installers, network providers, signage companies, cleaning crews, finishing contractors, and security system installers throughout the move. Tell us during the site survey which vendors are involved and we coordinate timing directly with them so handoffs happen smoothly.
8
What about parking, lift access, and building permits?We confirm all of this during the site survey at both buildings. Most office buildings in Bole, Kazanchis, and the central business district require advance lift booking and a moving permit — we handle this paperwork during the site survey period so moving day arrives with all approvals in place. Our truck fleet includes smaller vehicles for buildings with restricted access.
9
Do you handle multi-building or multi-site enterprise moves?Yes. Enterprise relocations with multiple existing offices being consolidated into one (or one office expanding into multiple sites) are quoted custom. Phasing across multiple weekends is standard for these moves. We map out the full operation during a longer site survey (60–120 minutes) and provide a day-by-day breakdown with crew, vehicle, and timeline allocation per phase.
10
Do you serve offices in Bishoftu, Sululta, or industrial parks?Yes. Long-distance office moves to Bishoftu, Sululta, or to industrial parks like Bole Lemi or Kilinto are part of our standard service area. Distance pricing is added to the quote — typically a 15–25% premium over the equivalent in-city move depending on access, road conditions, and timing. For industrial park relocations, we also handle warehouse equipment, machinery, and pallet-stored inventory.
Questions Associated To
ProfessionalPacking
1
Are my belongings insured during the move?Yes, Family Movers Ethio is fully licensed and insured. We take every precaution, but your items are covered for peace of mind.
Learn more about our [Safety Standards].
Learn more about our [Safety Standards].
2
Can you handle high-security or government relocations?Absolutely. Having handled moves for the Office of the President of Ethiopia, we have the expertise for high-security logistics.
Read about our [Presidential Trust] milestone.
Read about our [Presidential Trust] milestone.
3
Do you offer office and corporate relocation services?es, we specialize in minimizing downtime for businesses by providing efficient office moves after hours or on weekends.
Explore our [Corporate Moving Solutions].
Explore our [Corporate Moving Solutions].
4
How do you handle fragile or high-value items?We use specialized crating and "White Glove" handling for electronics, artwork, and sensitive documents.
Tips for [Moving Fragile Items] in our latest blog.
Tips for [Moving Fragile Items] in our latest blog.
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