Are You Overpaying for Your Move?

In my 10 years in USA we moved quiet a number of time. Sometime we sold all our furniture and shipped bare minimum items via discount cargo shipper. Sometimes we called local movers to carry items we packed to another locality and unload there. We also hired service of interstate movers. Almost always I felt like being cheated with few dollars. I was never satisfied with my spend for moving.

Let’s say you are about to pay $1,000 for your next move. Now, check, recheck if there’s any other way where you can get a cheaper mover. Get quotes from multiple movers. Check to see U-Haul or Penske can give you cheaper moving option.You can ask your friends to help you load and unload. Let’s explore more.

You may think that trying to save money on movers after you’ve spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on your new place isn’t worth it. However, if you are not careful enough about which moving company to choose, you can end up paying a lot more than you’d expect.

(See Also – 10 ways to reduce moving cost)

Your Move Should Go Quickly

Local movers are often paid by the hour, and if you feel that your movers are slow-dogging it to get paid more, don’t hesitate and call the moving company’s office straight away.

Disassemble and Pack Your Stuff Yourself

This one comes down to how much you value your time. If you don’t mind spending time disassembling and then reassembling your large furniture as well as looking for cheap packing materials and packing your stuff yourself, then why would you want to pay extra money to have movers do it for you? But if you’d rather be productive with something else, just pay the moving company.

Get an On-Site Inspection

Some companies name the price of your move over the phone or Internet, and these are the companies you should run away from, because you will most definitely wind up paying a lot more for some “unexpected” services. Neither you, nor the movers can estimate how much time they will need to disassemble, pack and move your belongings until they’ve seen all of them. So always insist on having every quote you get from a moving company based on an in-home estimate.

Shop Around

Don’t settle with just one written estimate, get at least three or four from different moving companies to choose from. And you don’t have to take the offer with the lowest price either. As with everything, look for the best combination of price and quality.

Protect Walls and Floors

Walls and doors, floors and carpets risk being damaged as much as furniture. The majority of moving companies can offer you door pads and rug runners to make sure that your doorframes and carpets are protected, but these little accessories are very likely to become an extra charge. To avoid any extra charges, read through the contract you sign with the movers a couple of times to check whether every little service is itemized.

Take Photos of Your Belongings

A moving company is obliged to provide you with an insurance on your property. You’ll stand a much better chance of claiming the damage in case any is inflicted upon your property, if you can show the way it looked before the move. So take pictures of your most valuable items or those that are more likely to be damaged. It won’t take a lot of time, but you’ll feel a lot safer while having your stuff moved.

Check the Credentials of Your Movers

If you want to stay away from scam and overpaying, just make sure you move with a legitimate company. The movers must be registered with the FMCSA (which can be checked on protectyourmove.gov), if you are moving to a different state. Also make sure that the moving company offers liability insurance required by law.

And last but not least, just ask your friends to recommend you good movers or share their unsuccessful moving experiences with you.