If you haven’t had a nightmarish moving experience, someone, you know likely has. It is not uncommon for important items to be found, lost or broken, after a move. An even worse scenario occurs when a low estimate balloons to an unreasonably high figure, after the items are loaded onto the truck. Generally, when you find a reputable moving company by checking reviews online before booking, you can avoid complications. We highly recommend scheduling an in-person moving consultation to get the most accurate quote. During that process, you can ask all the questions that may arise.
Scheduling the Estimate
We recommend calling three different moving companies and taking one day to get all of your estimates done. For smaller moves, while it’s possible to get a quote over the phone, professional moving companies are happy to send someone to you as it results in a more accurate quote and less confusion on move day.
It’s also recommended that you schedule the consultation well in advance before your move. If possible 3-4 weeks is a good amount of time. This way if there is a more cost-effective move date you still have time to make arrangements. This also gives you ample time to decide between companies. Price is not the only factor. Reputation, services offered and experience moving specialty items like pianos or pool tables can help make the choice easier.
Preparing to get your Quote
In the days leading up to your in-home survey, take a quick inventory of everything you have in your home that is being moved. If someone else is going to be there for the walkthrough, use sticky notes to label the items that will and won’t be moving. If you don’t know if certain items will be staying or going, it’s always a good idea to overestimate and modify your inventory as the move date comes closer.
It’s also a good idea to come up with any questions you plan to ask in advance, such as how long the move will take to complete (especially important when moving long-distance), how many movers the company will likely send and what services are included in the moves vs. what will be an extra fee.
Common services include:
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- Long term and short term storage
- Furniture disassembly and reassembly
- Packing and unpacking
- Carpentry/AV services
- Dismounting and remounting TVs
- Custom crating for large or especially fragile items
This is a great opportunity to price out different options for your move. Maybe you’ll need storage for a few days or weeks between places or would like all of your items packed for you. This is an opportunity to price out these different scenarios and see how they affect the price of the move.
Any representative will be happy to answer these questions for you to make the process of moving that much less stressful. They are also your point of contact going forward leading up to move day if you need to modify your moving inventory or add a service.
If you’re ready to schedule your free in-home estimate, fill out the form on this page or give us a call today! Otherwise, check out our blog for more helpful articles on everything moving-related!
Thanks for reading!