1. Beware of an inexpensive price.
A disreputable moving firm will present you with a low estimate. On the day of the move, he will stroll around your property and point out, “Oh, a few of these things have to be packed.” And then he’ll charge you an excessive amount to do it. Or he may say, “Gee, we’re going to have to take that bed apart.” And then he will tack on another absurd charge.
To prevent this from taking place, ensure you’re as detailed and clear about every box and furniture. For those who have time, ask the moving company to come to your home for a quotation. They may want to do the walk-through over the telephone, but you might get screwed should you go that route. If you’ve got furniture pieces that needs to be disassembled and reassembled, they ought to be part of your written price quote – and the crew is in charge of bringing the ideal wrenches and tools. And once you get your final bill, assess it carefully for any strange costs.
2. Make smart selections.
Your greatest problem is getting hooked up with a unregistered moving service. He not only is lacking in insurance, but additionally workers’ comp. If one of these fellows trips and falls down your steps holding a heavy piece, get out your chequebook, my pal.
3. Plan your move intelligently – if you’re able to.
Late May through August is packed with individuals seeking to move, so it’s not a great time. The best period is around Xmas.
4. Look at specialized moving firms.
Anyone can move a piano or a snowmobile. However for those who have museum-quality fine art, call in the people with the white gloves.
5. Deal quickly with “decitful” moving companies.
If your movers arrive and you have a poor feeling about them – perhaps they said something that wasn’t appropriate or they just look somewhat rough – keep a few things in mind. It is a demanding business of hard physical labor, so do not judge a book by its cover, as they say. If it is an issue of hostile behavior, get on the telephone in two seconds with a manager. And do it before anything’s on the van.
6. Safeguard your items.
If you do not like the manner the movers are working with your items, be direct. Say, “Hey, you are making me nervous.” Should they be tossing stuff around or appear to be careless, you stop the job. Notify your estimator that you do not know what’s happening, however he’ll have a claim for damage if things do not improve. He’ll get a supervisor out there, pronto. No honest moving company wants a problem.
Do not forget that the contents of boxes you pack yourself are not covered for damage or loss, so be sure you pack them as well as possible. When it comes to valuable items such as jewelry or small electronics, you should move those yourself. Let’s just say, some items could possibly get “lost.”
7. Keep close track of the clock.
But don’t get worried too much about it if it seems like they are “wasting time.” Many people have an unrealistic target of the time it will require. People have reported that they paid for three movers, but they only see two guys moving stuff. Where is the third? He is on the back of the truck wrapping and packing. No crew wants to dog the job. They want to get back, relax, and have a beer.
8. Watch your own actions.
A few movers may possibly “punish” clients for rubbing them in the wrong way. If they feel they have been abused and disrespected, they’ll want to get away from the bad customer and get the task done as fast as possible. They’ll wind up putting a lot more boxes in the garage than there need to be and quietly mumble, “Let them carry ’em in the house on their own.” As an additional tweak, they will flip the boxes so you are unable to read the labels to see what is in them or where each goes. The worst thing you can do during a move is be dismissive, treat the workers like filth, and not permitting them to make use of your bathroom.
As soon as the workers gets there in the morning, tell them right off that you’re going to buy them lunch. At times guys on the crew do not have the money or the time. This little act can easily lift the whole spirit of the move. Additionally, be prepared when the movers get there. Be totally packed. Then, make sure you stay out of the way.
9. Look out for hidden inflated costs.
The shifty mover might start including stuff that is not on your estimation. He will charge a fee for every moving pad – pads are free, by the way – and then $4 to tape the pads to the furniture. Or they’ll state particular items suddenly require particular boxes. And guess what? They’re $12 each.
10. Be cautious about cash-only transactions.
It’s not a warning sign, that’s a “run away!” Don’t forget: You can not put a stop to cash. You can stop a credit card.
11. Follow up with a complaint.
If you are unlucky to have something go wrong during the move and the mover fails to resolve the complaint, register a complaint with the Better Business Bureau. It’ll lower his rating and hurt his business. After that, take him to small-claims court. No moving service in his right mind would like to stand before a judge who probably has experienced a couple of poor moves in his lifetime.
International Removals 