Monday, September 10, 2012

The Responsibilities of Movers and Brokers


Moving is always a stressful event, and can be even more stressful if you don’t understand the difference between a moving company and a broker. First things first, let’s get the lingo down. Everyone knows what a moving company does right? They save your back many hours of aching by taking your stuff from your old haunt to a new one. But what is a broker responsible for then? You can contact a broker to hook you up with a moving company that matches your needs as a customer. Their responsibilities do not exceed this match up though, and they cannot give you a binding estimate, and are not in any way responsible for lost or damaged items.

When speaking directly to a mover, you may receive a quote that is binding, and they may specify that their costs will not exceed a certain amount after they are able to personally review your belongings. It is important to check if any quotes you receive include any extra charges that may apply. Insurance is another cost that may be added aside from the initial quote. The basic cost of insurance coverage is 60 cents per pound, but each company is different. You can always work with a 3rd party for insurance coverage as well.

Be sure to note who is responsible for broken or missing items, and what process you can take if anything is damaged. Extra charges may come from parking fees, storage, mileage, or heavy and awkward objects such as pianos or other hard to move furnishing. You should always let the mover know about such objects up front and before they arrive on your moving day. Moving over long distances may sometimes require your items to be transferred to a different truck, which can increase handling fees or could cause extra damages. Also be aware of what form of payment will be accepted. Hiring movers that only accept cash payments is not recommended.

Most companies found on www.movingquotes.net will be able to accept credit cards, as they should have a merchant account set up. It is also a good idea to be clear of the exact amount that is due on the delivery date, as this will differ from the initial deposit amount. Some deposits are refundable, which is a good thing to check into when searching for a moving company. This article is a follow-up to a previous question, and attempts to outline the responsibilities of movers and brokers. In the case of a self-service move, you are responsible for your belongings and will likely not be reimbursed if an item is damaged due to poor packing.

Thursday, August 16, 2012

Family Living, and Moving

So that new baby is on the way, and you’re house with two bedrooms doesn’t seem to have enough room for five people.   It’s either time to move or time to build an addition.   As attractive as building an addition may be, it’s probably going to be far less strain on your marriage to go ahead and find your family a bigger home.   This is only one of many events that can lead people to relocate from one home to another, and it doesn’t necessarily matter why you have to, only that it has to be done, and that you want to do it as cheaply as possible.

The hard work is actually finding something that is in an area you want to live, affordable, and has the space that you’re going to need.   This is a good time to look at your future plans, and be sure that you aren’t going to outgrow the new house in the next few years.    Even if there are no plans for more children in that future, it’s probably still a good idea to get something with an extra bedroom or a den that could later be converted into a bedroom if needed.   That extra space will eventually come in handy.

Once that’s done, you’ll want to start planning the actual move, and you’ll probably want to do that by figuring out how much moving will actually cost you.   There will be many decisions involved in this.   One of the biggest is whether you want to do it yourself, or hire a professional moving company.   There are several websites you can go to and get help to find budget moving companies.   One I recommend is MovingQuotes.net.   You can go there, and get a very good idea as to what hiring someone is going to cost you.   You can then compare that information to what it will cost both financially and in added stress to rent a moving truck if you decide to go the do it yourself route.  

Some of the hidden costs to consider when moving yourself are the cost of fuel, number of trips back and forth you’ll have to make, and how much is your time worth?    Do you have friends and family that will show up on both sides of the move and help you load and unload, or are you going to be stuck lugging your mattress and dresser upstairs by yourself?  While it may appear cheaper to do it yourself, looking at these hidden costs might make you decide that hiring someone to do the hard work might actually end up better for your back and your wallet in the long run.

Friday, April 20, 2012




Your Pet To Go: Relocation With Man’s Best Bud

Moving to a new home, apartment, or condo is a stressful time to all who may be involved, no matter whether or not they travel on two feet or four. Just like you are able to anticipate feeling anxious and nervous in new surroundings, so can your pet. Pets are particularly prone to these feelings since they have no way to prepare themselves for these changes and they definitely have no vote in choosing their new place of residence. That’s why you need to take unique care to find and choose a new home which will not just fill your needs and wants, however the needs of your animal as well. Think about the following to make this choice properly. Quotes for reliable moving companies can get you there even faster.

First, it's important to locate a new home that is suitable for your pet. Are dogs permitted in your new place? Will your cat have a place to run around? Is there a yard or park nearby where your puppy can get physical exercise? Is there a sunny spot suitable for the amphibian? All of those things are essential, depending on what sort of pet you own, so make sure that you can answer these questions appropriately before you make a final option.

When relocation day comes it is important to make the procedure of moving from your old home to your new house as comfy and worry free as you possibly can. Making sure your pet if well-cared for throughout the process will give you essential peace of mind to concentrate on the larger job at hand. But discovering a appropriate relocating business for the household goods as well as your pets presents its own set of challenges. For example, many relocating companies will charge an extra fee to move your pets fishbowl or terrarium. Likewise, specialty relocating companies that are accustomed to moving cats and dogs can be pricey.

A pet who has only lived in one place probably will have the greatest challenge getting acquainted with their brand new dwelling. A pet that appears relaxed and comfy during daytime might become irritated and disoriented in the evening; confused as to the reasons you are bunking down in this new place. My old dog, a cocker spaniel, was like this when we moved. In the beginning he was curious and researched our new house, experiencing all of the new smells, sounds and sights. We were pleased to see the puppy happy and playing. But nightfall came and his temperament changed, leaving him pacing the floor and whining from time to time. He clearly was distressed. Apparently he believed our new house was a fine place to go to but not appropriate for sleeping. Ultimately our cocker spaniel came about and he spent the rest of his life in that home.

Thinking about your pet and his needs when planning, creating, and finalizing a move is very important for the health and well-being of your pet. Be mindful of selecting an environment that meets his needs. Make certain your pet is comfy and accounted for throughout the move. And expect that he may take time to warm up to his new atmosphere. Keeping a pet comfy during this transition is imperative to his happiness and long term health. A dog that is unhappy and stressed might lose inspiration and the will to reside. Because maximizing the years that you have with your best buddy is good for each of you, it's obviously best if you take the time to plan out a easy and simple move.