Finding the Right Mover

Moving your family from one place to another can be stressful if the correct decisions are not made as the relocation world is extremely complex.  Relocation costs for families and organizations can be extraordinarily high, especially during the “high” season – the period between May and September - when moving companies resources are in the highest demand.  The inexperienced consumer, whether a family or company, can quickly be taken advantage of by moving companies charging maximum prices.

First, the goals of the move must be defined to find the best solution.  What is the most important concern regarding the move? Is it the cost of the move? Is it to have no temporary storage involved? Will it require temporary storage? Or is it the time of the move? Each of these can be accomplished with the right planning and selecting the correct provider. However, not defining the goal will probably end up in your not selecting the right mover (Murphy’s Laws apply here) and increasing the stress level of your move.
If you select the correct quality mover you will definitely get the most out of your dollar invested, and you do not have to break the bank. Before contacting any moving company, your family should determine what items are to be moved to your ultimate destination, what items are to be stored somewhere, and if any items are to be disposed of or left behind. When you have a general plan, contact at least three legitimate moving companies to obtain a move estimate – they should not charge for this.
You must be prepared and careful when interviewing different move consultants to evaluate the services their company can provide, do not just pick the nicest/cutest guy.

• The move consultant should be an experienced, Certified Move Consultant through the American Moving and Storage Association (AMSA) and be able to give you a complete description of the company’s entire move process. The move consultant will walk throughout your property, looking through closets and storage areas to include garages and attics to calculate the estimated weight of everything you want moved. A good move consultant will notice all access points; any specialty concerns such as art, marble, electronics; and discuss the company’s valuation policies. All of this information will be used to calculate the estimated charges.
• The move costs will vary based upon the type of move you are requesting:
  • A local move (moving a maximum of 35 miles) will be priced based on an hourly rate.
  • Local permanent storage is normally based upon the number of pallets to be used or weight.
  • Intrastate moves (moves starting/ending in the same state) – this varies state by state. Most states have some sort of regulation or licensing, but not all – something you need to verify.
  • Interstate moves (moves originating in one state and ending in another) are priced based upon weight/miles and additional services.
  • International moves (any move leaving/entering the U.S. from/to a foreign location) priced based upon weight and customs costs.
• If you are needing an interstate move it is smarter to get a non-binding quote versus a binding quote. A lot of consumers do not really know the difference and take the binding quote, which often does not end up in their favor.  A binding quote is based off of the weight estimated by the move consultant; however, often the weight is bumped (increased) a little. Basically, if the consultant believes you have a 10,000 lbs. shipment, the moving company will issue a quote for 11,000 lbs. to make sure it does not lose money. For a binding(bound) quote move you will be paying for an 11,000 lbs. move whether you have 4,000 lbs. or 12,000 lbs. The consultant will also have documented all of the articles to be included in your move, so if you add anything in you will have to pay the cost of a change order.

 
Overall, it is normally best to go with the non-binding quote based on the actual weight of the shipment. This way you are only paying for what you move and any additional services you request. If you decide to pack your own items or give away a lot of things, your move costs can go down as well. Everything is calculated using the certified weight tickets, so even if the estimated weight was off you are still only paying for the actual weight. However, a quality mover will limit the variance to no greater than 115% of the estimated weight and not charge you for any amounts beyond that unless you added items to your shipment after the estimate. Once you get your quotes from three movers, you need to determine which works best for your budget.

• The move consultant should be able to organize your move to meet the dates you need and advise you on storage options. People often need temporary storage as things come up during the settling of the home; however, destination storage is not always the best option. If the mover has a warehouse close to the origin location they can often pick the shipment up in pallets and release the shipment to the long distance driver when you are ready for it which minimalizes the handling and opportunity to lose things. The move consultant should also provide you with a written estimate and copy of the U.S.DOT “Your Rights and Responsibilities When You Move” pamphlet or a link to it.

Following these suggestions will not guarantee you will not have a move with issues (Murphy’s Law), but you will definitely be off on the right foot in selecting a good move provider. Other things to consider are a company’s safety rating – you can check this at the U.S. DOT’s SAFERSYS website  and verify they are licensed provider. Most quality movers are members of the American Moving and Storage Association (AMSA) and will have their logo on their website. If you have any questions please contact us at KLN Solutions and we will do our best to assist you!