Moving a pool table is serious business.
In fact, it is probably the most difficult, bulky, and extraordinarily heavy (yet incredibly delicate) piece of furniture to move! Contrary to popular belief, it is not as simple as removing the legs and getting a couple of strong buddies to help you lift the tabletop. There are several critical steps involved in disassembling and reassembling a pool table. Because of this, we do not recommend attempting to move a pool table yourself. Instead, consider hiring professional pool table movers for the job who not only have the necessary qualifications and expertise, but also the appropriate tools for the disassembly, transportation, and reassembly of your pool table.
How Much Does It Cost to Move a Pool Table?
This is a question we’re faced with almost daily in our business. However, before we can determine the cost of moving your pool table, we must first gather some pertinent information from you about the table, the environment in which it is located, as well as the table’s origin and destination. We will explore these topics in further detail a little later, but to give you an idea of the things you can expect to be asked upon contacting us, here is a short list:
- What is the make and model of the pool table to be moved?
- What is the size of the pool table?
- Is it a one piece or three piece slate table?
- What is the origin and destination of the table? Basically, what is the distance we are going to be moving the table?
- Is there anything in the environment that would make moving the pool table more difficult (i.e. stairs, tight spaces, etc.)
As you can see, there are several factors involved in determining the exact cost of moving a pool table, and all will be taken into consideration before we give you an actual quote. But for now, let’s delve into these questions a little deeper to help you gain a better understanding of why this information is required for any reputable pool table mover. Many pool table moving companies, or moving companies in general, will offer “flat rates” for relocating large items of furniture, meaning no further questions are asked beyond “What is it that you’re moving?” While this type of flat rate may sound appealing initially, without knowing the ins and outs of a specific pool table and its environment, there will almost always be hidden fees tacked on in addition to this “flat rate”. That is just one of the reasons we pride ourselves at Pro Billiards for our service, as we always do our due diligence and get as much information as we can upfront so that there are never any “surprise” fees for our clients. To further elaborate on this, let’s explore some of the aforementioned points in greater detail to demonstrate why having more information is always better.
Question #1: What is the Make and Model of the Pool Table Being Moved?
You can be sure that this is one of the first (if not the very first) questions we will ask you when you contact us to inquire about the cost of moving your pool table. And this is for good reason! Knowing the make and model of the table will absolutely factor into the ultimate cost of moving it. For instance, is it an antique Brunswick pool table? Or perhaps a newer Olhausen table? Knowing not just the brand of the table but also the era in which it was constructed is helpful information for us to have, as different brands and different time periods affect the way we have to disassemble and reassemble the table. Other factors affecting this include things like the type of pockets: Are they drop pockets? Leather pockets or plastic pockets? Additionally, we would want to know if there were things like a ball return system or a recessed ball rack. Basically, any detail, no matter how seemingly insignificant you think it is, is good for us to be aware of. Why do we need to know these things, you ask? Well, no one likes surprise fees. And as previously mentioned, we at Pro Billiards do not wish to have “surprise” fees for our clients once we have been contracted to do the job. Of course, very occasionally there are some unforeseeable circumstances (like missing pockets or no cloth) that will end up costing the client a fee in addition to what was originally quoted, but ideally we would be aware of these issues from the get-go, and therefore be prepared with a quote that reflects that. And you can rest assured that if you do forget to mention these things to us initially, we have a fully stocked box truck with items like rubber cushion material, cloths, facings, and extra billiard table hardware to ensure that we’re prepared for any situation that may arise!
Question #2: What is the Size of the Pool Table?
Size matters – especially when it comes to pool tables! You can bet that you’ll be asked about the size of the pool table you need moved when you contact us for a quote. For instance, is it a 7 foot pool table? Or is it a 12 foot table? Obviously, larger tables will require more work and greater manpower than smaller pool tables. Therefore, it is imperative that we are aware of the size of the pool table you need moved before we can give you an actual quote. Just like knowing the make and model beforehand and ensuring we have the right tools for the job, we also want to be certain that we have the right number of movers to handle the job, no matter how large or small it may be. The last thing we want is to try and move a ‘Jumbo’ framework 12’ pool table with two guys, which could cause both damage to your table and injury to our workers! So just like the Boy Scouts say, at Pro Billiards, we too like to “Be Prepared!”
Question #3: Is the Pool Table 1 or 3 Piece Slate?
Similar to the point above about size, another question you will be asked is regarding the slate bed of your pool table. For example, is it a one piece or a three piece slate table? What if you don’t know whether your pool table is a one or three piece slate bed? Typically, if we know the make and model of your table, we will be able to determine whether or not it’s a one or three piece slate. However, some table models are available in both one and three piece slate, so it is always best for us to be aware of the exact makeup of your table before beginning the job. The main reason we need to know this is because a one piece slate table will naturally be more difficult to maneuver than a three piece slate, particularly if it has to be moved around corners, up or down stairs, or in tighter spaces (think of Ross from ‘Friends’ – PIVOT!!!). But in all seriousness, a one piece slate is much larger and a great deal heavier, therefore there is a greater chance of both injury to our movers and damage to the slate bed. To give you an idea, a one piece slate weighs approximately 450 lbs – and that’s on the low end. In comparison, a typical three piece 1” framed slate weighs 600 lbs total, but split into 3 pieces that’s only 200 lbs per wing. Naturally, this lighter and smaller sized piece of stone will be easier to move and will require less manpower per slab. While some moving companies will tell you that two men can easily move a one piece slate, this is not something we recommend (or are willing to do), due to the possibility of damage to the slate and/or injury to our workers. For a one piece slate, we always use four movers.
Question #4: What is the Distance Between the Origin and the Destination of the Pool Table Being Moved?
Another question we’ll need to know about is the distance from Point A to Point B. This is for obvious reasons, because if the distance between the origin and the destination is not very great, it won’t take us nearly as long to complete the task. Therefore, knowing the distance we’re traveling will ultimately factor into the cost of moving your pool table. In addition to this, we would want to know a little bit about the origin and the destination of the table. Specifically, is there anything in either of the locations that would make maneuvering the pool table more challenging? For example, perhaps you wish to move the pool table from the basement of a large house to a smaller apartment located on the third floor of a building. Getting the pool table out of the basement will not be as tricky as maneuvering it up 3 narrow flights of stairs and into a smaller space. We are, of course, up for the task, but just be prepared to describe to us a little bit about each location before we get there!
So What Are Pool Table Moving Companies Charging For?
Now that we’ve given you a head’s up of some of the questions we’ll ask you when you contact us to move your table, perhaps you’re wondering what it is you’re actually paying for, or what factors into the cost of moving the pool table. After all, isn’t a move just that, a move? Not exactly. Let us elaborate a little further to give you a better understanding.
1. We are Professional Pool Table Movers
What does this mean? It means we have the necessary qualifications and expertise to do the job. We are not just a generic moving company who hires third party installers to do the job. Our team is comprised of professional pool table movers who specialize in the disassembling, relocating, and reassembling of billiard tables. The trouble with third party installers is that they typically do not have billiard mechanics on staff, so if there is ever an issue with your pool table, the warranty may be through the manufacturer and not the moving company. This means you would have to pay for any additional service calls and trips. At Pro Billiards, our movers are insured through and employed by our company. This means that they are not subcontracted through another moving company, and that they are insured with both General Liability (which protects your home and your pool table) and Worker’s Compensation (which protects our workers). While State Law does require service companies to carry both types of insurance, it is rarely policed, and therefore most companies opt not to due to the high expense. At Pro Billiards, we protect everyone involved in the moving process, so you will never have someone set foot in your home that is uninsured or who is a third party installer. You can rest assured that you will be getting experienced, qualified, and insured movers who are employees of our company.
2. We Use The Right Moving Vehicles
Contrary to popular belief, using a pickup truck to move a pool table is never a good idea. That’s why at Pro Billiards, we use a box truck or enclosed trailer every single time. The main reason for this is security – an enclosed box truck or trailer will always protect your precious pool table from the elements or debris from the road. In addition, our professional box trucks have a large cargo area with plenty of floor space and places to secure each section of your pool table. The back door rolls up and down, and the truck or trailer is locked to ensure your valuable table is both secure and safe.
3. We Have the Right Tools for the Job
Just like having the right transportation vehicles, we’ve also got the right tools to disassemble and reassemble your pool table. Forget beeswax and shims! We use proprietary and proven techniques that have been passed down from generations of billiard mechanics to take apart, reassemble, stabilize, and level your table.
4. We Have No Hidden Fees
Some pool table moving companies will tack on extra fees once they’ve arrived to move your table for things that could have been easily prevented by gathering enough information about both the table and the location to begin with. At Pro Billiards, you never have to worry about “hidden” or “surprise” fees. We have a flat rate for moving pool tables, and will do our due diligence from the start by asking you all the aforementioned questions about your billiard table and its location to ensure we give you an accurate quote without any surprise fees popping up when we get there to do the job. The only exceptions to this are unforeseeable circumstances (which are extremely rare, but we do want to mention them). These include things like pool tables with missing pockets, or a table with no billiard cloth on it at all. In these cases, there would naturally be fees for additional pockets or cloth to be added to your table, but as mentioned previously, we would do our best to gather this information beforehand so that our quote would reflect these fees and they wouldn’t be sprung on you the day of the move.
5. We’ve Got Some Sweet Guarantees
We stand behind our team and our work. Therefore, we are more than happy to provide two awesome guarantees to our clients! The first thing we promise when you have us move your pool table is that we will do so without damaging the cloth. We take extra special care and are meticulous when it comes to preserving billiard cloth, since we know how important it is to gameplay. Therefore, if for any reason during our disassembly, transportation, or reassembly process your felt becomes damaged, we will replace it for FREE! And in case you need another reason to love us, our one year guarantee on the complete setup, configuration, alignment, and leveling of your pool table will leave you confident in our ability to ensure your pool table meets professional playing standards. Before leaving the job site, our team will ensure maximum play performance in both the setup and the physical gaming area. We will make sure you are fully satisfied with the setup before leaving, and should any issue arise pertaining to the move or the setup of your table within the first year, we will immediately schedule a maintenance visit to rectify the issue – free of charge!
Always Hire Professional Pool Table Movers For the Job!
With all of these things taken into consideration, and once we gather all the necessary information from you about your specific table, we will be able to provide you with an accurate quote on what it will cost to move your pool table. We should mention that the national average to move a 3 piece slate table is between $550 – $850, and between $950 – $1500 for a one piece slate table. However, if you want an exact number, please do not hesitate to contact us and provide us with the aforementioned information so we can determine an accurate quote. Moving a pool table is a big job, but Pro Billiards is up for the task and will do everything we can to ensure your experience is a positive one. While it may be tempting to rally up some friends and attempt to move the table yourselves, we strongly encourage you to hire a professional pool table moving company with experienced movers to do the job. Otherwise, it can cause serious injury and damage to both you and your pool table. A professional pool table moving company will have the necessary expertise and tools to make certain that your table is taken apart, transported, and reassembled properly at its new location, including paying attention to details such as joining the seams of a 3 piece slate table and leveling it for optimal playability – something an inexperienced person may either overlook or be unable to do. And remember, you get what you pay for! Discount companies do exist, but at Pro Billiards, we pride ourselves on the quality of service we provide to our clients, and will not settle for anything but your utmost satisfaction! Give us a call today to speak with one of our certified billiard mechanics!
