Most of what people want to know before booking a Petaluma move comes down to a handful of questions: is this a real company, how does pricing work, and what happens if wildfire smoke or a rain-soaked west-county driveway gets in the way of move day. Below are the straight answers, the same ones Marcus Robb and Denise Messer give over the phone every day.
Reserve Your Move Day
Call or text us and walk Marcus or Denise through the rooms — nobody hands you off to a script
Your flat rate goes into writing before you hang up, not after a follow-up call
Hector or Bryce parks the truck in your driveway at the window you picked, not somewhere close to it
What Petaluma Households Want to Know Before Move Day, Answered
Is Robb & Messer Moving and Storage a real, licensed moving company?▾
Yes — fully licensed and insured. We carry a California Cal-T household goods carrier permit and US DOT/MC authority for interstate moves. We run our own trucks and uniformed crews — we're not a broker, and we don't hand your job off to someone else.
How far in advance should I book?▾
2-3 weeks ahead is comfortable for a local move, and 4-6 weeks for a long-distance haul, especially in summer. We can often work in shorter notice, but the earlier you call, the better the date and crew size you'll get.
How does pricing and quoting work?▾
Most quotes are flat-rate, built off a quick phone walkthrough or a few photos you text or email over. You get a written number before move day — no hourly guessing game once the truck shows up.
What's the deposit, and is it refundable?▾
$200, and it comes off your final invoice. Cancel 72+ hours before your move date and it's fully refunded.
What's your cancellation policy?▾
Cancel or reschedule 72+ hours out and your deposit is fully refunded. Inside that window, the deposit covers the crew and truck we'd already blocked off for you.
What isn't covered by the flat rate?▾
Piano and safe handling ($150-300), extra stops, and materials beyond what was quoted for a full pack. Anything outside the original walkthrough gets called out and priced before we do it, not after.
What if something of mine breaks during the move?▾
Any loss or damage falls under the $1M cargo coverage on your job. Call the office the same day if you can, and Denise walks the claim through with you directly — no outside claims desk in between.
Does wildfire smoke season affect scheduling?▾
Late August through October, yes. Smoke advisories can ground outdoor loading for a day, and an evacuation warning west of town can move your date on short notice. We build in flexibility for exactly this every fall.
Can you move plants and pets?▾
We'll load houseplants with the rest of your boxes if they're packed and ready. Pets need to travel with you or a family member — our crew can't be responsible for animals during a move.
Is tipping expected?▾
It's appreciated but never required or added to your invoice. Crews that handle a hard move well — a piano, a bad staircase, a same-day reschedule — do see it reflected in tips.
Are you licensed for moves outside California?▾
Yes. Beyond our CA Cal-T permit, we hold US DOT and MC interstate authority, so hauls like Petaluma to Reno, Sacramento, Los Angeles, or Portland are run under our own authority, not passed to another carrier.
What We Handle For Petaluma Households
Local Moving
A one-bedroom walk-up near downtown Petaluma or a five-bedroom estate out toward Sonoma wine country — the same crew, the same flat number, no subcontractor added to the bill halfway through the day.
Learn more →Long-Distance Moving
Sacramento, Reno, Los Angeles, or the long pull up to Portland — every lane out of Petaluma gets priced by Bryce Coleman off the miles and hours the job actually takes, not a flat per-mile guess, and the same crew that loads your driveway is the one that carries the key at the other end.
Learn more →Apartment & Condo Moving
We scope the tight parking near the historic depot and check stairwell widths on second-floor walk-ups before move day, so nobody is improvising a plan on the curb.
Learn more →Office & Commercial Moving
Your business keeps running while we work around it — commercial and office moves get scheduled into the hours when your building is quiet, so equipment and file cabinets move carefully and your staff is back at their desks the same day.
Learn more →Packing & Specialty Item Services
Materials get priced up front, not estimated after the fact, and the same crew that packs your kitchen in the morning is still there loading the truck that afternoon.
Learn more →Storage Solutions
When your escrow closing and your move-out date don’t land on the same day, we inventory every box, keep it clean and dry, and deliver it back exactly as it left your old address.
Learn more →Licensed, Insured, and On the Record
California Cal-T Registered Mover
US DOT & MC Authority on File
Angi-Rated Petaluma Movers