Are you planning on relocating? Have you made the necessary arrangements to ensure that your relocation goes smoothly without a hitch?
Preparing for a successful interstate move goes beyond hiring a mover and packing your household goods. If you want to avoid bad surprises and enjoy a move that flows smoothly from beginning to the end then you have to do a little more work when it comes to these key areas. Check them out below:
Looking for a mover: Find yourself a good moving company
It is important that you find yourself a highly reliable and professional out of state moving company. Doing so will purge over 50% of all potential problems associated with moving.
How do I find a good mover?
Here are the top qualities to look for in a mover:
- Has adequate experience in the moving industry.
- Has great customer care service, starting from your initial conversation with them.
- Has a fixed location and working phone lines.
- Is licensed, insured, and bonded.
- Has great reviews from past clients.
Top questions to ask a prospective moving company:
- How do you resolve customer complaints?
- What can I do to make my move better?
- What are the main reasons why I should hire you?
- Are there any extra moving fees that I should know about?
- How can I save money on my relocation?
Moving charges: Know how much you should pay
Moving can be an expensive undertaking. So another major way to protect your move is to make sure that you fully understand what you are supposed to pay. This starts with you researching typical moving costs for such a distance and household size.
What is a good price for a mover?
Local moves are often charged by the hour. The rate for this in southern California is between $100 and $200 depending on how many movers you get.
State to state movers charge based on distance and the amount of goods you have. The further out you are relocating and the more goods you have, the more you pay. An interstate move to the east coast can cost between $10,000 and $12,000 while a move from CA to the Midwest can cost half that.
To protect yourself financially when moving do the following:
- Compare several moving estimates first.
- Have thorough in-house estimates carried out.
- Ask for binding not-to-exceed contracts.
- Discuss all moving costs with your mover prior.
- Do not sign a blank contract.
Moving scams: Avoid fraudulent movers
Are there moving company scams?
There are some moving companies out there operating in a less-than-professional manner. The truth is, some moving clients get scammed out of their money in one way or another each year. So this is something you should be conscious about and ready to spot.
What kind of moving scams are out there? Most moving scams involve:
- Theft or “loss” of clients’ goods under unknown circumstances.
- Charging clients more than what was agreed upon.
- Movers being highly unprofessional. This could be in packing, delivery timelines, providing good vehicles, staff mannerisms, etc.
How do you avoid moving scams?
You can avoid falling for moving scams by doing the following:
- Ensure the out of state moving company you’re dealing with has an actual address and office.
- Make sure you and the moving company have a legal contract in place.
- Discuss all the details of the move with the company prior to moving day.
- Check that the company operates in a professional manner all through your encounter with them. Do not ignore red flags.
- Check to see what previous clients have to say about the company.
Moving delays: Plan well so that your relocation goes smoothly
Time is important when it comes to planning a move, especially a long distance move. You want to move out of your existing premises on the said day. You want the move to take as few days as possible. And you want your goods delivered to the new address on the set date – and not any later.
Avoid moving delays by planning your move well. The first thing you can do in this department is to choose your moving date carefully.
When should I set my moving date?
Choose a moving date early on, about 6 to 8 weeks ahead. This will give both you and the moving company enough time to plan adequately. You will also have enough time to hire your state to state movers without rushing.
As you choose your moving date, consider when your home sale will close if you’re selling. Also consider when the home you’re purchasing will close on the purchase.
Is it normal for movers to be late?
Movers can be late to deliver your furniture. But this is not always due to lack of professionalism. Some other factors may be at play. If you can, check to see that your moving date doesn’t fall on days when there are any of the following in the cities you’ll be moving to or from:
- Big sporting events.
- Bad weather, e.g. snow, hurricanes, storms, or tornadoes.
- Entertainment events, e.g. music festivals and award shows.
Moving insurance: Is your move insured?
Is there insurance for moving?
Yes, there is such a thing like moving insurance. Moving insurance is designed to help you get compensated should your goods get damaged or lost during the move. No matter how well you prepare, risks still prevail so getting moving insurance is always a good idea. You can get some forms of moving insurance from your mover, and others from insurance companies.
What moving insurance should I have?
There is Basic Coverage which is free. This is provided by movers only. However, this coverage only compensates you about 60 cents per pound of goods so it does nearly nothing for goods of value such as laptops, TVs, and phones.
There is Full Value Protection that you have to buy from your mover. The cost is about 1% of the valuation and you get compensated the full value of the lost goods. Or the mover replaces the items in question.
And then there is third-party insurance which you buy from insurance providers. It costs about 1% to 5% of the goods insured. In turn, you get full compensation for all goods without any exemptions. Natural disasters are covered too.
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We want your move to be as successful as possible. And we hope this information will help you achieve just that. Working with us at GPS Moving is also a sure way to guarantee a happy move. Talk to us today and request a FREE quote!
