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Moving Companies Tips
Find Out What Other Moving Services Are Offered
Moving companies often offer a different range of moving services and specialties. Before your begin contacting moving companies, sit down and make a list of moving services you may need for your home or office, such as express moving, piano movers, artwork packed, storage, rubbish removal, chandeliers removed, heavy duty machinery, and appliances. Find a mover that covers a majority of the moving services you will need to move your home.
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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
If you are moving into or out of an apartment building or complex, make sure the moving company you hire are experienced apartment movers. Moving into and out of an apartment may require different equipment such as dollies, masonite, and back boarding. Many times moving companies also need to fax a copy of their liability insurance to the apartment super or building manager. Having a moving company with experience with apartment moving will save time and prevent any unforeseen problems.
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U-Pack Moving Tip: Preparing for the Long Haul
Long distance movers specialize in caring for your home possessions when you move from one state to another. You can help the movers -- and yourself -- by eliminating all unnecessary items from your home before the moving truck rental gets there. In every room of your house, ask yourself which items of furniture and other, smaller possessions are really going to be needed in your new home. Are there any items that it would be better to sell now and replace later? (For example, will it be more cost-effective to sell your bedroom set and buy a new one rather than add the cost of having it moved?)
Many of our possessions are simply things that have accumulated over the years and that may have outgrown their usefulness. By removing them from your moving inventory, you'll save time, money and effort for you and your long distance movers.
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Finding The Right Moving Company
Moving companies are not legally allowed to carry items or accessories under pressure, such as propane tanks, and fire extinguishers. They are also not allowed to transport several different types of household cleaners and chemicals. If you have any of the above items packed away in boxes, make sure you inform your mover. You do not want to delay deliver of your items or cause any harm to the movers or the truck.
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U-Pack Moving Tip: Moving Check Lists
Every smooth-running shipping company uses manifests or checklists to keep track of products going in and out of the warehouse. When it's time for your move, you should think of yourself as a shipping business and your home as the warehouse.
Be sure to keep an accurate account of all items as well as the boxes they are in.
Make several copies of this inventory list to give to each adult member of the family as well as your movers.
When moving day arrives, check off each box as it gets loaded onto the moving truck, and make another check as it gets unloaded and places in your new home.
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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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U-Pack Moving Tip: Trailer Moves
Moving companies that offer the most flexibility are generally the best ones to select for your big moving day. A great option some movers have is the Trailer Move. With this method, an 28-foot trailer is delivered to your home. You have a set period of days (usually around three) to pack up the trailer. After you're done, the moving company will pick up the trailer and move it to your new location for unpacking.
When should you use this option? When you aren't sure of how much you'll actually be moving (after yard sales and give-aways), and when you're on a budget. Trailer moves charge only for the amount of space you take up in the trailer. It's a great choice when flexibility is important!
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Remember Time Frames
A moving truck driver can only drive up to 500 miles a day or ten hours which ever comes first. If you are moving from the east cost to the west cost, remember it will take a minimum of at least six days for delivery. On the other hand, if you are moving within a 500 mile radius, your delivery can arrive in as little as one day. Make the proper arrangements ahead of time to be available for the delivery day. It is also a good idea to allow some flexibility around that day, in case the transport arrives a little quicker or takes a little longer.
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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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Flexibility On Moving Date
If you are considering using a moving company for your move, find out how flexible they are with the moving date. If you are trying to sell your home and move into a newly purchased home, many things can happen at the closing that may require you to speed up or delay your moving day. Speak with the moving company and find out what they offer or possible solutions if this happens. It is better to have all possible scenarios thought out then to have to scramble the day of your move for other solutions and methods.
Moving is often a chain of events in which you may need to wait for your new location to be empty before you move in. This requires you to rely on other people and may result in other scenarios.
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U-Pack Moving Tip: Making a Nationwide Move
If your move involves traveling across state lines, your best bet is to select one of the many relocation services that have experience in transporting possessions across long distances. Chances are these drivers know the routes and rules of the road better than smaller companies, no matter how inexpensive or well-meaning they may be.
One of the most trusted names in national transport is ABF Freight System. You may already have seen their bright yellow ABF logo on trucks and trailers across he country. Not only do the ABF drivers have to pass rigorous driving exams, the company as a whole is known for its safety ratings. They've won numerous awards in safety, freight-handling and claims since 2001. If you're going to trust your personal items on a nationwide journey, it's well worth the extra time to find a company that can be trusted.
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Check With Smaller Local Moving Companies
Make sure you get moving quotes from a variety of moving companies, including large national moving companies and local mom-and-pop moving companies. Smaller local moving companies often offer better service by usually only having one job per day with the same moving crew. You will get more personalized service and more added services for less then you would with a larger national company and you will not be just be another number with a smaller company.
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U-Pack Moving Tip: Moving Day
Once you've hired your residential moving company and the big day has arrived, here are some tips to make the move a simple and easy one:
Keep your personal items separate from the ones that will be traveling with the movers.
Keep all pets out of the way of the movers.
Make sure all passageways from the house to the truck are free of debris.
Have plenty of bottled water (and a few energy-boosting snacks!) available for the movers and yourself.
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How Long Has The Moving Company Been In Business
Find out how long the moving company has been in business. You will want to hire a moving company that has been in business and has a lot of moving experience. With experience usually comes reputation, so ask around before you sign. If you are paying for professional movers, you want to receive experienced professional movers.
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U-Pack Moving Tip: Timing is Everything
Planning your move takes more preparation than packing alone. Looking into budget truck rentals is one of the first steps your should take. Once you've received a handful of quotes and have selected your moving company, be sure to book your move immediately. The longer you wait, the more flexible you'll have to be with your moving dates. Ideally, you should have your moving date firmed up no later than four weeks prior to moving. If you can arrange it, six weeks in advance is even better.
Bonus Tip: Depending on who you hire, you may wish to ask if you can receive discounts for mid-week or mid-month moving days. Most people move on the weekends or the very end of the month, so it's possible you can save more by moving at a less popular time.
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Start Moving Early
After you choose a moving company and pin point the move-in date, make sure you ask what the start time is. You want your start time to be first thing in the morning, to allow you added time for unexpected situations. If your start time is any later in the day, most likely you are scheduled after another move.
If your move is not scheduled to be the moving companies first move of the day, you risk having to wait around for your movers to arrive and even have your move run overtime into the next day.
Moving is usually stressful enough, make sure your move is scheduled for early morning and will be completed that day, if it is a local move.
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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.
