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Are your Professional Movers Professionals?
If you are paying for a professional moving company to move you, make sure that they are professional movers and not hired day laborers. Many times moving companies hire additional workers per day to fill out the crew.
Professional movers are properly trained for moving. Professionals should take less time then day laborers because they know how to do things right with one try. Make sure you get what you pay for.
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U-Pack Moving Tip: Simple Self-moving
Self moving is a relatively new and increasingly popular method of transporting yourself and your possessions from one home to another. By doing your own packing, you save a lot of money and get an excellent opportunity to keep tabs on your things during the move.
The two most popular methods of self-moving are to have a trailer (generally about 28-feet long) delivered to your home, which you then load up with the boxes you've packed. You only pay for the amount of space you've used. The movers then collect the trailer and transport it to your new location. Alternately, you can have a storage container delivered for self storage self storage. Best for small moves, the container is packed and collected by the movers. Both the trailers and the containers can be dropped off at your new home for unpacking or to a storage facility that you select ahead of time.
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Deduct Your Move From Your Taxes
Since your move is often tax deductible, make sure you get an appropriate receipt. You cannot use a moving quote and a cancelled check as a moving receipt.
Each state has a different bill of lading that is used as a receipt. Check the IRS website and your state's Department of Revenue website for a list of the necessary receipts and forms you'll need for the tax season.
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U-Pack Moving Tip: Space for Your Self-Move
Making your self-moving experience as smooth as possible is a top priority. Be sure that you allow adequate space for your moving vehicle, whether it's a trailer or a portable storage unit. Contact a moving company directly to get specific vehicle sizes.
For example, a 28-foot trailer needs at least 14 feet of clearance overhead. Keep this in mind if you're having it parked anywhere but on the street or in your main drive. The trailers also generally measure just under ten feet wide and/or tall, so take this into account if you live on a narrow street. Portable storage units vary in size, but plan for an average of 6'D x 7'W x 8'H. Leave plenty of space around the unit for easy access.
Regardless of the method, you'll want to have your moving vehicle parked as close to the house as possible to avoid unnecessary walking and hauling of heavy items.
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Cost Effective Long Distance Movers
When researching moving companies, you will usually find the most cost effective way to move your possessions out of state is to get a large national company to do the move for you.
Larger moving companies may have cheaper prices because they usually combine moves by putting a few loads on the same truck. The more loads on the truck the more people to help absorb the cost of fuel and travel time.
The downside of using a larger moving company to transport your items long distance is that since there are several loads on the same truck, delivery to your new location may take up to a month in travel time, and some items may get mixed up with other loads, so mark your boxes properly.
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U-Pack Moving Tip: Comparing Movers
Before you select one moving company over another, you must make a comparison of the top five or so based on their moving services. Besides simply finding movers with the lowest rates, here are a few important points of comparison:
If you're traveling long distance, you need to know about the availability of the truck -- in other words, whether it will arrive at your new destination in a reasonable amount of time.
Will your items and other movers' items be sharing space in the truck?
Can the movers come to your home to give you an estimate, and can you get it in writing?
Are there any hidden service fees or charges?
As an added precaution, be sure to look up your potential movers with the Better Business Bureau (BBB).
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Hidden Charges
Find out from your movers if there are any hidden charges, like mileage fees, when getting estimates and quotes. Many times movers charge extra for stairs, wardrobe boxes, moving pads, tape, etc. You will want to use a mover who will not sneak in any additional charges and will be upfront with the price. It is also important to know all the additional charges that you may incur when evaluating potential movers.
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U-Pack Moving Tip: Self-service Moving Companies
If you're on a tight budget and want to save money, one of the best ways to offset moving costs is to hire a self-service or containerized moving company. These movers offer storage containers for you to keep your items in, while giving you peace of mind thanks to their safe transport from your old to new residence.
Some people choose cheap moving services that do everything from packing to transport, but often you get what you pay for. Low cost can equal low quality service. Instead, opt to meet halfway with a self-service moving company. You'll do the packing yourself, but you'll get quality assistance with the most challenging part of the project -- the move itself.
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Contacting Moving Companies
Once you decide that you are going to use a moving company for your move, it is time to start calling for estimates and quotes. The more moving companies you contact the better, but try and get at least three estimates. You should not only compare price, but also your level of comfort with the moving company and the moving companies experience.
When you find a moving company that has a competitive price and you are comfortable with, make sure you ask if the company will be performing the actual move or if the job will be subcontracted out to another moving company or franchise.
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