Doing something for the first time is always tough and no matter how careful we try to approach the unfamiliarity and strangeness of it all, we tend to make certain mistakes due to lack of experience. How many times have we wished we could go back in time so that we would correct those very mistakes that left us feeling miserable? Countless, no doubt.
But unless time travel is invented, we’re stuck with the present and the past lessons that will keep reminding us not to make the same mistakes twice.
Here are 5 things that anyone who hasn’t experienced a move yet should know about their future relocation.
#1: Credibility and reliability of movers should be checked
Carefully checking movers’ reputation can save you from serious trouble with your move.
While hunting for a moving company that offers the relocation services you need for a price within your moving budget, keep in mind that you might get unlucky enough to contact a dishonest moving company – a rogue mover that is likely to use unethical and illegal tactics to lure you in. It could happen to anyone, so you need to take the necessary preventative measures and make sure the mover you select is a legitimate business that provides high quality services to their clients.
Every moving company must be licensed by the U.S. Department of Transportation in order to operate legally. Therefore, checking a mover’s USDOT number is the first thing on your checklist. Then it’s a good idea to see if that mover has been certified by the Better Business Bureau (BBB) and it’s a member of the American Moving and Storage Association (AMSA). Verifying that a certain moving company can be trusted is an essential requirement for a smooth relocation experience.
Xpress Movers is a fully licensed and insured moving company that offers excellent moving services tailored to your specific relocation needs.
#2: In-house moving cost estimate should be requested
Ask for at least 3 in-house estimates – they are more precise and it will help you choose the best offer for you.
Once you’ve shortlisted the potential winning candidates, ask for a representative from each moving company to visit your home and perform a precise visual estimate of the total moving costs. Although that estimate is not a moving contract and cannot guarantee the final relocation cost, requesting a binding moving estimate will give you a pretty accurate idea of what you’re going to have to pay in the end.
When you’ve gathered at least 3 moving estimates, it’s time to compare the conditions and most importantly, the prices. Be extra careful about offers that seem too good to be true, for they could be a typical sign of a scam scheme. Also, be on the lookout for demands of cash only payments and requests for large deposits of money. As a rule of thumb, should you get that familiar funny feeling that something is not right, don’t hesitate to move on to the next moving company.
#3: All moving paperwork should be read carefully
Understanding the moving company’s paperwork is vital for a trouble-free move.
Understanding the moving company’s paperwork is important for a trouble-free move. The licensed mover of your choice is required to provide you with a Bill of Lading – the moving contract between you and the carrier. The Bill of Lading must include your mover’s contact and license information, your contact information, the origin and destination address of the shipment, the agreed date and time for pickup and delivery of your household items, the services’ rates and method of payment, as well as more information about a possible dispute settlement program.
You are expected to agree to the provisions of the moving contract by signing it on Moving day, therefore you should request a copy of that contract some days in advance and make sure you have read it carefully. If there are any clauses that you don’t understand or find too vague, ask your moving company for clarification.
Besides the Bill of Lading, you will also be asked to sign the moving estimate (if you haven’t already done so), a valuation addendum and an inventory list.
Remember: under no circumstances should you ever sign incomplete or blank documents.
#4: Your possessions may need to be insured
Insuring your possessions is a must if you want full refund in case of loss or damage.
It’s important to know what insurance options are available to you before the move takes place. Properly licensed moving companies are required by law to provide you with either Released Value Protection or Full Value Protection.
- Released Value Protection comes free of charge but its coverage is minimum – $0.60 per pound per article. Basically, it all means that if an article gets lost or damaged while in possession of the mover, then the moving company’s liability is limited to the actual weight of the article in question multiplied by 60 cents. Therefore, you will only be compensated $18 dollars for an item weighing 30 pounds, which in most cases will be much less than what the item is worth.
- Full Value Protection (FVP) is the type of insurance that you’ll have to pay from your own pocket. Under FVP, your moving company will be required to repair any missing, damaged or destroyed item entrusted in their care, or reimburse it at its depreciated value.
However, you should know that your mover won’t be liable for items you have packed by yourself, items not found in the inventory list or items of extraordinary value (exceeding $100 per pound) unless a written agreement is already in force.
#5: Moving boxes can be found for free
Packing begins and ends with… boxes.
Packing begins and ends with… boxes. It’s the one ever-present moving element that no relocation can do without. The easiest option here is to buy brand new moving boxes from your chosen moving company but you may also consider the other alternative – to try to get yourself such cardboard containers for free, especially if your moving budget is tight.
The first thing you can do is ask your family, friends or neighbors if they have any boxes you can borrow. In this case, you can make the power of social networks work in your favor by posting a plea for help to all your networked friends. Hopefully, you will get a few positive responses, probably by people who have recently moved and have extra boxes that they can spare.
And secondly, your other safe bet is to visit a few local supermarkets and speak to their managers if they will be willing to give you good boxes for free. Often it won’t be an issue because you will save them the trouble of recycling those same boxes. However, you may be told to pick them up at an inconvenient time for you – either very early in the morning when the store opens or very late at night at its closing hours. Either way, with the crazy number of boxes you’ll probably need for your move, this option is surely worth exploring.
“Only a fool learns from his own mistakes. The wise man learns from the mistakes of others.” – this quote from the notorious German leader Otto von Bismarck is fully valid for anyone facing his/her first relocation. There is no need to make all possible moving mistakes and learn how to relocate safely on your own bitter experience. All mistakes have already been done, you just have to read and learn from the “wise”, or those, more experienced ones, who have passed through them and have shared their knowledge with you. At least we, at Xpress Movers, are doing our best to share our expertise with you and, hopefully, it will make your relocation smoother and less stressful than you’ve anticipated.
