Moving Service Tips

Choose Your Moving Option

If your move is not the result of a corporate relocation, one of the biggest decisions you will make about the move is whether to hire a moving company to do the entire job, do the entire job yourself, or choose a combination of the two.

You basically have four choices depending on how much money you want to pay and how much time you want to spend on your move.

Get up to six free moving quotes << here

There are advantages and disadvantages in each of the following scenarios. I recommend options one and two only to people with very few belongings, to the young and the strong, or to those folks with several good, strong friends. It’s almost always easier to ask for help moving ahead of time instead of waiting till the last minute

Option #1: do the entire job yourself. Rent or borrow a truck and pack and move all of your own boxes. This applies whether you’re doing a whole house move or an apartment move.

Option #2: you pack and load the trailer and the moving company drives into your home. Then you unload and unpack.

Option #3: pack your own boxes, hire someone to load and unload and drive the truck, and then unpack yourself.

Option #4: hire a moving company to do the entire job, including the packing, loading, moving, unloading, and sometimes the unpacking to. Most long distance moving service companies offer these services right up front as a standard option

Corporate Transfer?

For corporate transfers, relocation companies are authorized to provide different levels of relocation services depending on the job title you hold your company.

As you move up the corporate ranks, you may be entitled to a higher level of service each time you move. This benefit can be an added incentive to transferees and their families, who may have to move several times during their careers.

Get A Moving Bid or Schedule Moving Help

After you’ve sold your house you may get many phone calls from moving van lines offering to provide a free moving bid.

If you have yet to commit to a moving company and are still seeking moving tips, we recommend that you get at least three moving bits, even up to six can be effective.

Of course you can always find moving companies in your phone book, however you will find that the process is much easier when you complete a moving quote online and the moving companies call you to earn your business.

Alternatively, you can visit our homepage and request 100% free online moving quotes.

Each moving company will send a representative to your house or apartment to provide a free quote if they are a local mover or they will collect the proper data over the phone: be sure that all moving companies and the quotes they provide are based on the same set of information. Always compare apples to apples.

In making your final decision, you may not always want to choose the lowest bidder. You may want to consider a mover’s reputation in the industry, its availability, and its responsiveness to your needs along with potential online reviews.

Of course it’s never fun to move yourself, however if you decide to reserve a rental truck or make plans to borrow a truck from a friend or relative, this process also requires pre-planning.

With the do-it-yourself method you can always politely ask your family or friends for help with your move. Schedule a moving party. Provide food and beverages to entice people to help you. Alternatively, you may choose to hire a local moving company that will provide moving help at an hourly rate. You can also hire movers to pack your boxes, or you can pack all of the boxes yourself.

Once you’ve made your final selection, get a written estimate and follow these steps:

1. Always ask the moving company for a written estimate that is binding and guaranteed not to exceed a certain amount. You’ll find this is a standard option on most interstate moves however you’ll always want to ask just to be sure.

As always there may be extra charges imposed for additional services if the services are not brought to the moving company’s attention at the time the estimate is created.

Some things you’ll want to discuss like creating services, specialty packing services, how to handle high-value items and high-value inventory, requirements of insurance, the moving date, and of course the location and distance to the new residence.

You’ll also want to find out if the insurance coverage is based on the original price of the item or that items replacement value. Replacement value is usually preferred but must be requested upfront.

2. One item to be aware of is your moving companies assigned motor carrier number so you can call the US Department of Transportation at 202-358-7000 to determine if the company is registered and has the proper insurance on file, and this also applies to commercial movers.

3. Most professional movers will provide you a copy of the free booklet Your Rights and Responsibilities When You Move.

4. Always be sure to discuss in advance with the moving companies what their fees are for additional services such as an extra flight of steps, the need to carry items a long distance, and crated items. This is the only way you can prevent the moving company from changing the price or terms of the contract without legal recourse on your part.

5. Be sure to request unpacking services and their availability before the move begins. this of course will increase your moving estimate cost but is well worth the health of your lower back and sanity.

Incoming search terms:

• moving quotes
• quotes about moving on