Home Moving Services Contact Us Month: September 2019 Questions to Ask a Moving Company in NYC Questions to Ask a Moving Company in NYC By Admin | September 18, 2019 Like any major business, moving companies come in a wide variety. Finding the right company for your major move isn’t just a matter of cost comparison. The key is making sure that you’re working with a reputable company that falls within your budget and will get your things to your new location safely and as promised. The following are a few major questions you should ask any moving company before you sign on with them for your relocation. These questions should help keep you- and your belongings- safe during this transitory time. Are you licensed or regulated? Don’t just take the company’s word for it. It’s key to find out for yourself whether a moving company is licensed. Your state should have a transportation department that can point you in the right direction and let you know whether a particular mover is authorized. Are you associated with a trade organization? There are a few unions that exist for movers. Whether or not a company belongs to an organization isn’t necessarily a deal maker or breaker when it comes to hiring them. It is, however, excellent information to have if you should have to settle a dispute with the company in the future- the organization can act as a go-between, or offer regulated rules that can help solve issues. What are the exact charges in my estimate? If necessary, ask to look at a contract and a breakdown of everything that comprises the estimated cost. Many moving companies will assume you want it all unless you tell them otherwise, and an estimate may include such charges as packing boxes, breaking down beds, and unplugging appliances. Keep in mind that unless you read the estimate and specify that you don’t want these things done, you’ll be paying for them even if you did them yourself. How long will the process take? This question will need to be asked to a few different movers to get a good idea of what you should expect for your particular situation. If one company is giving you a time estimate that is dramatically different from the others, be suspicious. A three-bedroom house should take, on average, three hours to load into the truck and two hours to unload. A mover who estimates much longer than this may be trying to get more money out of you, while a mover with a very short time estimate is probably being untruthful. Go with your instincts. What liability and protection do you offer? Never choose a moving company that doesn’t have adequate insurance. A reputable mover will have a decent insurance policy to cover any natural accidents that may occur. Whether or not you insure your belongings yourself, you should never be responsible for damage caused by a moving company. The company absolutely must have a policy in place to protect you. The amount of protection they should have is up to you; do some cost comparisons among different companies. Read the fine print; some company’s insurance policies will not protect items against damage if you packed boxes yourself. Make sure to choose a company with a policy that makes you feel comfortable. Moving is a stressful enough experience; choosing a moving company can sometimes make it even worse. Make sure to do your homework, ask for referrals from family and friends, and don’t be afraid to ask questions when you’re choosing between companies. Keep in mind that you may pay a little more for a reputable moving company with good insurance and a clean track record. Also keep in mind that your belongings- and your peace of mind- are worth it. Things Everyone Forgets When Hiring a Moving Company in NYC Things Everyone Forgets When Hiring a Moving Company in NYC By Admin | September 17, 2019 Whether you’re moving across town or across the country, finding the right moving company for your needs can be tricky. Listening to family and friends for recommendations is a good idea, but isn’t foolproof and doesn’t take your particular situation into account. And flipping through the yellow pages and choosing companies at random certainly isn’t ideal. Luckily, the internet is a valuable tool that can help you find a moving company without all the stress and hassle. Using the Internet to locate a moving company involves a few simple steps. Find local companies Almost all companies nowadays have websites, and doing an online search for moving companies in your area is sure to pull up some results. Even if a particular company doesn’t have their own website, you’re almost certain to find yellow page listings online that will tell you the names and phone numbers of companies in your area. This is a great place to start. Don’t hold it against a company if they don’t have a website; it may just mean that most of their work comes from referrals, or that they mainly operate in a small geographical area and don’t have an interest in advertising online. On the other hand, if it makes your life easier to aim for companies with websites and cut down on telephoning for information, feel free to do so. Unless you live in a very small town, you should have plenty of selection available when it comes to moving companies in your area. Narrow it down Once you’ve found a full list of companies, your next step is to narrow it down to three to five companies that you want to compare in order to find the one you need. If the companies you’ve found so far have websites, check them over and rule out the ones that don’t offer the right services or that are out of your price range. Call a few that you’re not sure about and get a feel for what they have to offer. If you have friends or family that have used local companies before, this is a great time to put their recommendations (or warnings) into play in order to narrow down your list. At this point, you should check online to see if the companies you’re considering are listed with the Better Business Bureau, and if so what kind of record they have. One great way to find reviews and previous customers’ experiences with certain companies is to go to a search engine and type in: “Company name” followed by the word “Complaints.” This will pull up all sorts of consumer websites where you may find other people’s experiences with the company listed. Do the same thing and search for compliments, and you may start to get an idea of what type of company you’re dealing with. Get an idea of costs Once you’ve narrowed your search to a handful of companies, it’s time to get estimates. Many moving companies will need to come to your home in order to give a proper estimate, but you can at least get an idea of cost by visiting their websites or calling them on the telephone. Some moving companies offer online estimates that base costs off of the number of rooms in your home or the approximate number of boxes you have. If there are a few companies that look like they might work for you, then it’s time to get some concrete estimates and see some contracts. Remember… Never sign up to work with a moving company over the internet. It’s a great tool for doing company searches, but the actual process of hiring someone should always be done in person. They need to see your home and speak with you in order to give an accurate estimate, and you need to see the contract and read the fine print before you sign. Corporate Moving Guide: How to Keep Costs and Stress to a Minimum Corporate Moving Guide: How to Keep Costs and Stress to a Minimum By Admin | September 16, 2019 Corporate moves can be big and costly. If you’re looking for a mover to handle your company’s relocation to a new office environment, there are a few tips that can help you keep costs and stress to a minimum. The number one thing you can do is to shop around. Corporate movers are going to be more expensive than residential movers- this is a proven fact, and it makes sense considering the size of the job. Your best bet is to begin your search among companies that specialize in corporate moves. Don’t ever hire a straight residential mover to do a corporate job- it does require special training and expertise. Ask around. If you know of any local businesses that have recently moved, feel free to call them up and ask what mover they used and what kind of experience they had. Some corporate movers operate on referrals, so you shouldn’t have any problem getting the information. Make a list of what corporate movers are operating in your area before you start setting up estimates. A good corporate mover will insist on coming out to your office to give an estimate. They’ll need to see how many offices you have, what kind of furniture comprises them, and what the layout of the building is like. Corporate moving companies will also ask you questions about how much will be packed up by employees beforehand, and how to deal with sensitive paperwork and files. All of these areas of expertise are reasons why you need an experienced corporate mover. Be prepared to deal with certain areas of the move yourself. Have your employees pack up (and even move) their personal workstations. Leaving things like chairs and filing cabinets for the movers is fine, but you can save a lot of money by having employees put their personal papers and even their computers and monitors into their own cars. Let the mover know that you’re handling these things yourself, and it should greatly reduce the amount of your estimate. Finally, be prepared to deal with sensitive documents carefully. If you have customer information, payroll accounts, or other types of private paperwork, it should be moved inside locked storage boxes or handled by employees and yourself. Leaving these things open to the movers is unprofessional. A reputable corporate mover may even ask you to pay out extra insurance premiums if you have not properly secured your files. Hiring corporate movers means that the workers are most likely on a tight schedule. You should plan your office move several weeks in advance, and make sure that all employees have their things in order before they leave the office the day before. Having various employees running around securing belongings as the movers are trying to work will increase the hassle, take up extra time, and possibly increase your costs. Make sure everything is clearly labeled. Sit down with the movers ahead of time and provide them with a blueprint of your new office. Corporate movers should be prepared to move cubicles and office desks into the right areas of your new space. But in order to do so, they’ll need a map and labeled items. Give each area of the new office a letter/ number combo- A1, A2, for example- and ensure that the desks that belong in that area are labeled. This will also help if anything gets put in the wrong area during the move. Finally, slate at least one work day for the move. Employees can and should come to work to help with the move, but don’t plan on much work getting done. Even after the movers leave, the employees will have to hook up their systems, get their phones turned on, and organize their things. A Friday is an excellent day for corporate moves- but it’s also a popular one. So hire your movers well in advance… and start planning as early as possible. With a little forethought and a reputable mover, your corporate move should be a positive experience. Things You Should Know When Moving for the First Time Things You Should Know When Moving for the First Time By Admin | September 15, 2019 If you’ve experienced a move, whether it was to another town, across the country, or just to a different house, you know that moving day can be stressful and even traumatic. Keeping things under control is a simple matter of knowing what needs to be done and staying on top of it. The following moving day tips will help your next move go smoothly. Write it down. Making lists and keeping things on paper is the number one way to make moving day more organized. Trust us- you’ll thank yourself for it later. Make a paper trail of anything and everything, including: What is packed in each box? Dates for utility shut-offs and rental trucks Phone numbers for movers, landlords, and mortgage lenders Tasks such as mailing change-of-address cards or getting cars serviced Keeping information on paper is a simple but effective way to ensure you don’t skip over something or forget all about it. Keep all of your papers in one folder, and make sure you don’t pack it. Cross items off a to-do list as you complete them (not before) and group similar tasks together to make accomplishing them easier. Label everything. Whether you’re moving your own boxes, having friends help, or hiring professional movers, nothing will make your move easier than labeling everything. At the very least, each box should be labeled with the room it belongs in, so that helpers can drop it in the right location. If you’re really organized, start a list each time you begin packing a new box, and catalog every item you put inside. Tape the list to the outside of the box. This can be particularly helpful if you’re packing well in advance of your move… it’s easy to forget what went where when some time has passed. If you’re using bags to pack clothing and bed sheets, color-code them or use yarn tied around the handles to identify where they belong. Organize the little stuff You’d be amazed at how many small pieces get lost during a move. Batteries, screws, and remote controls can all easily get separated from the items they go with. If you’re packing electronics, roll up power cords and other components and attach them to the piece with masking tape. If you have to take something apart and are left with lots of pieces of small hardware, put an envelope or a small aspirin bottle in the box to hold the pieces. Tape picture hangers to the backs of frames. Keep your valuables with you No matter how safe your moving van is or how reputable your moving company may be, if you really don’t want something lost or broken you must move it yourself. Don’t learn this lesson the hard way. Wrap up valuable items and transport them in your own car. Similarly, pack important paperwork separately– the last thing you want to do is get to your new home and discover that you can’t find your contracts or phone book. Things go wrong during a move, and you can spare yourself a lot of heartache by assuming the worst and keeping your eye on the important stuff during the whole process. Finally, be prepared for some wrinkles in the moving process. It’s not necessarily fun, and chances are there will be some problems throughout the day, but with a little planning your moving day can avoid becoming a crisis. Make it as easy on yourself as possible with simple tips like these. 5 Helpful Tips to Avoid Stress When Moving to a New Place 5 Helpful Tips to Avoid Stress When Moving to a New Place By Admin | September 14, 2019 All of us have heard horror stories about professional moving companies and lost or damaged belongings. The truth is, accidents do happen and things do go wrong. If you’re not prepared for whatever may come up, dealing with a moving company can be a bad experience. But choosing the right company and making sure you’re ready for anything can greatly reduce your stress and make the experience a positive one. The following tips should help. Don’t leave insurance up to chance First things first: don’t hire a moving company that doesn’t offer some form of insurance. Run the other direction. Do the same thing if they refuse to show you the paperwork or act evasive about the details and liabilities of the policy they carry. Read all contracts carefully, and ask your moving company plenty of questions regarding their insurance. Some companies have lots of loopholes- for example, they will not cover any damage to your items if you packed boxes yourself, or if you help load the truck. They also may require special paperwork to be filed within a certain amount of days if something does get damaged. If the policy they offer isn’t enough to give you peace of mind, don’t be afraid to seek further coverage with a premium policy through the movers, or with a short-term policy from your homeowner’s insurance. Get references Most moving companies will be happy to supply names of former customers… but keep in mind that these will most likely be people who had positive experiences only. For a real picture of what your company is like, get online and check out some consumer reporting websites. Do a search for your company and see if you can pull up customer complaints through the Better Business Bureau or other reporting agencies. If you see anything that stresses you out, find another moving company. Don’t be afraid to ask The main reason so many people have trouble dealing with moving companies is because a lot of the policies and charges are written in fine print, and you won’t hear about them unless you ask. Don’t shy away from asking your company everything you need to know regarding what you’re paying for and how things will be done. If you’re trying to fall asleep the night before the move and wondering what will happen if the move takes longer than scheduled, you’ll be unnecessarily stressed. Think up every scenario and ask your movers how it’ll go well before your move date. Be prepared Everyone knows that moving is hectic, but it’s especially important to be prepared ahead of time when you’re dealing with a professional moving company. If you’ve chosen to pack your own boxes, it’s absolutely imperative that you have everything taken care of by the time the movers show up. Leave out necessary items like toothbrushes and telephones for the final day, and then put those items in your own vehicle rather than making the movers handle them. The vast majority of everything you own should be boxed up and ready for travel by the time the movers arrive. If you’re running around under their feet throwing things into boxes and taping them up, chances greatly increase that something will get lost or broken. Remember your priorities In the search for the right moving company, many people get frustrated and grab the company that makes the lowest offer. Avoid doing this no matter what. Give yourself plenty of time to compare companies and make a decision based on the cost and the quality of the workers you’re hiring. A moving company should never be a last-minute decision. Keep in mind that you may pay a little extra for reputable movers, but the stress you’ll eliminate from your life by doing so will be well worth the cost. Search for: Search RECENT COMMENTS ARCHIVES October 2019 September 2019 CATEGORIES Uncategorized September 2019 M T W T F S S Oct » 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 Recent Posts Top things to consider when moving to a new state Questions to Ask a Moving Company in NYC Things Everyone Forgets When Hiring a Moving Company in NYC Search for: Search Cheap NYC Movers © 2019 Pages Contact Us Moving services in NYC Categories Uncategorized © 2021 Fletcher Moving Company | Powered by WordPress | Theme by MadeForWriters