This is a guest post by our friends at MovingCompanyRates.Net
It has been said that moving is one of the most stressful events that a person can experience. This checklist can help to make moving less traumatic.
Compare moving company rates side by side and save on your next move.
–Make sure that you have submitted a change of address form to the local post office branch. You can do this by mail, in person or online. There is a small fee to do so online. If you subscribe to magazines, you need to cancel delivery or notify the companies of your new address, since the post office does not forward magazines.
–Arrange to have your utilities turned off after you have completely moved out, in case there is any delay in your move and you need an extra day or two-it will cost less than reconnecting the utilities. Be sure to call to cancel your trash pick up and recycling, too. Don’t forget about the cable or satellite companies as well, and internet service. Sewer and water services have to be discontinued too.
–Do you have a health club membership? Check to be sure that your locker is empty before your move. If you have any library books or video rentals, return them so they do not get lost or forgotten in the confusion of packing.
–If you use a dry cleaning service, don’t leave any items behind. How about your neighbors? Have you or another family member lent them tools or other things that you want to take with you?
–Decide what to do with any houseplants. They will not survive a long move without air and water.
–Professionals to give your new address to include: doctors, dentists, insurance agents and accountants. Do you have official school records and transcripts and medical records? Have you closed any bank accounts that you will not be using? Have you got sufficient cash to pay the movers? You might need cash for other purposes too, and you should plan accordingly, to avoid any bank delays when cashing or depositing out of state checks.
Once you get settled in at your new place, be sure to apply for a driver’s license and register any vehicles as soon as possible. Also make sure you do your homework when looking for the best car movers in your area.
The number of moving companies is increasing like never before. This is because thousands of people are relocating every day. But how to find a dependable moving company is among the most asked questions by the consumers. You have to be precise while selecting movers since some of the local companies do not have right equipments or even a moving truck. There are also stories when people were scammed by so called movers. Some companies would win over with their low moving rates or professional services, but the reality is that they may not have the true signs of reliable company.
The important thing to be mentioned is that the moving company has to prove themselves that they can offer professional services to their customers. There are positive measures that show towards reputable movers. The most important sign of a fine company is that they would take moving inventory before the moving date. Usually they carry a pre move inventory if they take the job seriously. They would provide you with a moving quote after evaluating your household items instead of pressuring you to hire their services. Most of the moving companies will do this for free. Therefore if any company that you call are not willing to go over your items, chances are there that they are not serious about your move.
Normally the movers offer their customers with three types of moving estimates; the binding, nonbinding and binding not to exceed estimate. You can be certain of the trustworthiness of the moving company if they provide at least two type of estimates. It is crucial to verify if the company would offer you with a copy of “your rights and responsibilities when you move” if it is an out of state move. Generally a good moving company would provide their customers with this booklet. You certainly would like to know about additional charges for other supplemental services provided by the movers. Be sure that you clear up everything referred with additional charges with the movers. The best part is that a professional moving company would advise everything about extra fees in the first place. They would not ask for extra money at last and make a hassle there.
Before hiring any moving company, you need to make clear all the questions with them. If the company has nothing to hide they would always answer any questions you ask. Also inquire about the damage claim process if anything would happen to your possessions during the transportation. Professional movers would certainly satisfy you with correct answers.
Most local movers will likely give you the alternative of moving at an hourly rate or an itemized quote. Which option is better? Let’s break down the dissimilarities and advantages between these two options.
Hourly rates:
If you are paying the mover by the hour, usually they start the clock when the moving crew arrives or when they leave their office and ends when they complete the move. Most moving companies require minimum number of hours and at most cases it’s 2 hours. Even if your move takes only an hour, you still will be charged for 2 hours. After the minimum hours has been met the additional time is prorated in 15 minute increments.
One of the advantages of selecting an hourly rate is that you don’t need to prepare an inventory list for your possessions. This is valuable for people who are relocating out of a storage unit. No one wants to pull everything out of their storage unit to take an inventory, put it all back in, and then have the movers pull it all out again on moving day.
On the other side, stairs/elevator and distance from one home to another are something you should to acknowledge with the hourly price. If you are moving from a third floor apartment and don’t have a close parking for a moving truck then all those stairs and the distance are going to make a big difference in a time. If you live in a busy part of the city, make sure your movers will not get stocked in traffic, because they are on clock.
Itemized quote:
An itemized quote is where you need to make an inventory of everything you want the moving company to transport, you should let them know if there are any stairs on the way and also let them know the distance from your home to their moving truck. This is a good option for people who want a fixed price. It doesn’t matter how long the process takes, you only being charged for what the movers are moving. If you live in a small apartment, this option may work out to be less than the hourly minimum. This type of move might be good for people who are relocating across city.
Most moving companies will not estimate how long your move might take, because unexpected things happen on moving day. The final conclusion will be yours to select between the two different moves.
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