Stairs are physical work for a crew, especially with a refrigerator or a dresser full of books. The tariff recognizes that effort with a flight charge, which is why a two-story home can cost more to move than a ranch of the same size.
How flights are counted
Tariffs count a flight as a run of steps between floors. A second-floor bedroom reached from the street counts as one flight in many tariffs, and a basement can add another. The number of flights, and the charge per flight, appear on the itemized estimate.
The count belongs to the estimate, not to a guess on moving day, because 49 CFR 375.401(f) expects accessorial charges to be determined before the bill of lading.
Where flights hide
Mention each of these during the walk-through, even if the rooms hold little.
- Split-level and tri-level homes
- Basements and finished lower levels
- Walk-up apartments without elevators
- Outdoor steps from a hillside driveway
- Attics reached by narrow staircases
Flights compared with other charges
A flight charge covers vertical travel. A long carry covers horizontal walking distance between truck and door, and an elevator carry covers building lifts. Some tariffs add all three on one move, and each appears as its own line.
That separation is helpful, because you can see which part of the access is costing you and ask whether it can change. A client who learns at the estimate that a basement adds a flight can decide to leave the workbench upstairs, or to plan the move of those boxes personally.
What to have ready at the estimate
Make a quick tour before the estimator arrives and count the stairs inside and outside the house. Note which rooms sit above or below the entry level, where the heaviest furniture lives, and whether any staircase turns sharply or is too narrow for a full-size sofa.
Those details let the crew plan the order of the load and decide whether a heavy item should be lowered a different way, such as through a window, which is a separate conversation with the office.
Stairs and O'Brien's estimates
The O'Brien's estimator counts stairs room by room in the in-home estimate and records them on an itemized written estimate. Heavy pieces such as pianos are noted separately, since they need different equipment and a larger crew.
If a household has an unusual staircase, tell the office when you call 775-359-6683, so the visit can allow time to measure it.