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LOCAL MOVING QUOTES OVER THE PHONE: What you can (or should) expect.

July 12, 2010 By 3 Comments

 

In most states a “local move” or “intrastate move” is based on time so if you get your quote over the phone there is certain information that your local moving estimator should gather.  A visual “onsite” estimate is usually more accurate but for small moves like studio or one bedroom apartments a local quote can be given over the phone and still be good. There are generally 3 areas that should be covered to insure the proper information is conveyed to the move estimator.  Those areas include how much do you have to move, what are the logistics of your origin and destination, and how far and what type of drive is it from your origin to your destination.  This is assuming you don’t need your boxes packed for you.  If you do, an onsite estimate is a better idea.

The first area to cover is how much do you have to move?  You need to determine what’s in each room (not just how many rooms you have) so it’s best to go from room to room while on the phone with the local move estimator listing the furniture (and boxes) you have.  Each room is different so the more detail the better (even the smaller items matter).  Any local estimator worth his or her salt will also ask questions prompting you like is there any artwork? Are there any lamps? (what style, what size, etc).  Calculating your number of boxes can be difficult for a novice but the estimator should, again, ask questions, like how many linear feet of closet rod do you have (for wardrobe boxes), how many, and what length shelves  of books do you have? (For book boxes) how many cabinets do you have in your kitchen? How full are they? Of what? (for dish packs and large cartons).  These questions can help figure out the most difficult part of your local or intrastate moving quote.  Once you complete what’s in your apartment (or condo) your local moving estimator should check with you to see if you have any storage either in the building (or off site) or any garage or outdoor items like patio furniture, bikes, grills, or sports equipment.  It doesn’t matter whether you think something “isn’t much” or “isn’t a big deal”, the more precise you can be with your list of goods to be moved; the more accurate the local move estimator will be on his or her moving quote.

The second part of the local moving phone estimate equation is the logistics of your origin (where you live now), your destination (where you are moving to), and any restrictions that need to be followed related to the move.  Your local move estimator should find out what floor you live on, whether it’s an elevator or walk up (and the number of flights or stairs that are involved).  All these factors can affect your quote so be as detailed (and truthful) as possible, misinformation can only hurt you in the end.  Other questions should be is there a dock or loading area in the building? how far is it from the building to the truck parking (known as the push by movers) what is the distance from your unit to the elevator, etc? It sounds nitpicky but the logistical aspects of your move (on both sides) can make a difference of 25% to 35% in the time it can take to move out or move in.  Other areas of interest include are there time restrictions? If you live in an elevator building, do you have to make an elevator reservation? and is it exclusive use?  Are there height restrictions for the truck to get into the dock?  Do you have closing times?  The more information you give the better chance you have to get an accurate phone quote.  This is often the most over looked part of the local phone estimate process.

The third part of the local phone estimate is the distance and type of drive it is from your origin to your destination.  The local move estimator needs to get addresses (or at least neighborhoods) and the mileage between the two points to determine the time it will take a moving truck to get from point A to point B.  For instance, ten miles in a rural setting goes much faster than ten miles in a tight urban area.  Remember, in all traffic conditions a moving truck takes longer than a car to travel the same distance.

Once the local phone estimator retrieves all this information, he or she should be able to give you a quote including pricing (and how it’s determined), approximate length of time of your move, moving truck size, and approximate cost of materials, etc.  Also, if you can get 3 estimates you can compare and validate the quote you go with.  Like with any other part of the moving process, the more knowledge you have and your moving company has, the better decision you will usually make, and the more prepared your moving company will be to do you move.  Remember, you should always get the moving quote in writing after getting a phone estimate to insure there is no confusion.

Filed Under: Client Resources, Guide, Quotes, The Mover Tagged With: , , , , ,

HOW TO MOVE A SAFE OR GUN SAFE

February 15, 2010 By 2 Comments

Moving a safe or gun safe can be a tricky and potentially dangerous proposition so unless you have 4 strong people and the proper equipment it’s probably better to defer to the expertise of heavy moving specialists, machinery movers, or commercial movers with a background in handling heavier items.  If you decide to try it yourself, follow these tips to help complete.  Rent, buy, or borrow an appliance dolly with stair rollers, and a tripod extension so the safe can be attached to the dolly in a free standing position.  Then get enough sheets of Masonite to put down inside the residence to protect the floor.  You can get the weight of the safe by checking with the manufacturer, just make sure you have the make and model.  Once you get the weight, make sure the dolly is rated high enough to accommodate.  Anything over 700-800 lbs is probably too big for amateurs, even strong ones.

  1. Measure the safe and all stairways, hallways, and door openings to make sure the piece has a clear path to its final resting place.
  2. Make sure the Masonite is down on all floors (not stairs) overlapped in a descending fashion so the dolly doesn’t catch on a seam or lip sticking up.
  3. Outside the home, strap the safe to the appliance dolly tightly with the door pointing out.  You can wrap in a pad first or place protection (like cardboard) under the strap to protect the finish from scratches.
  4. To move upstairs, put 2 men at the top and 2 men at the bottom of the safe and tilt back when going up the stairs.  The “tilting” engages the stair rollers and helps the safe move up the stairs easier.  Always do one stair at a time, reposition, and a dead lift, the safe up again with everyone using their legs to provide the push.  When moving downstairs you have to make sure the momentum of the piece doesn’t take over so “one stair at a time” is even more important.  You can even add an extra person or 2 at the top of the piece holding a rope that runs through the middle of the appliance dolly. This can act as a type of safety net.
  5. When moving within the home on a flat floor engage the tripod feature within 2 people behind and 2 people in front of the safe. Once you reach the desired area, set the piece down on a piece of Masonite with its door pointing out.  Reposition the appliance dolly to the door side and move back into its permanent location.  Detach the dolly.

As stated before a safe or gun safe move can be difficult, but if you decide to try it yourself, these tips can help make the moving process a little easier.

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RELOCATING WITH AN INFANT

January 13, 2010 By 1 Comment

Babies too can sense if there is stress around them, so the key to moving with an infant is to make things as smooth as possible.  It is important that you as a parent formulate a plan and prepare yourself by eating right and getting plenty of rest in the days leading up to the move.  This preparation will help make for more relaxed parents and this will be conveyed to your infant by the tone of your voice.  Also a good idea is to talk to your baby about the move, even though they don’t understand, they can sense changes in your voice that can help ease them when there is a lot of activity around the home.  For instance, “we are almost to our new home”, or “today the moving truck is coming”, etc would be some examples of things to tell your baby.

When it comes to preparation there are several things that can help before moving day.

Hire A Babysitter (if possible): 

 Especially on a local move, it’s a good idea to plan this way in advance, that way your child is out of harms way. Someone  familiar (like a  grandma or grandpa if possible) can be fun for baby and helpful to busy parents on move day.

Plan A Route: 

If you are driving long distance in a car, make sure you have scheduled pit stops that are to be made, make sure you are taking breaks; a long car ride can be stressful, so you want to have a plan of where you will take a break ahead of time.  Also make sure you know where rest stops are, hospitals, pharmacy, in case of emergency and you need to stop right away.

Physicians: 

Make sure you contact your pediatrician ahead of time and have records transferred over, and set up a new doctors office if you are going out of state, or moving long distance, that way if you need to get in right away, you have no delays.

Checkups: 

Make sure to have your baby examined before the move, and  to make sure there are no illnesses, and that their immune systems are ready for the trip, to avoid any delays to your moving process.

Make sure you have enough essentials with you.  This will save you headaches in the long run.

ITEMS TO BRING:

Clothes, diapers, bottles if not breast feeding, car seat, carrier, shampoo, brushes, extra toys to keep the child occupied, changing mat, wipes, laundry soap, plastic bags for dirty clothes, hat, sunscreen, stroller, safety approved car seat, and most important first aid kit.

When traveling by car, the best way to keep your infant calm is to make sure you have toys to occupy them, or sounds that ease your babies, whether it’s a kids tape, or a noise making toy, test it out ahead of time to see what occupies them for a while.  It’s a good idea to make sure you take a lot of breaks, this will help make your trip less stressful.

If you have to travel by airplane, make sure you check with your airline to see what restrictions they have on infants. You may need medical clearance from a physician if you have a new born, remember you will be on a plane confined with about 200 other people, and not everyone is healthy flying.  Airplanes can hurt the infant’s ears, so you may want to consider feeding them so they are doing the swallowing motion during departure and arrival, to help ease the pressure on their ears. 

So remember when you are relocating and using a mover or doing it yourself, don’t forget your little one can sense your stress levels, and the more calm and prepared you are for your child, the easier it will be to relocate with your baby.

Filed Under: Guide Tagged With: , , , , ,

MOVING SENIORS TO ASSISTED LIVING

October 28, 2009 By 1 Comment

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Moving into an assisted living or elderly community can be a challenging time for your parents or grandparents.  By being supportive and strategic, you can ease the process for your loved ones.  Below are some helpful tips to assist with making the moving process a little easier, whether you do it yourself, or use a residential mover.

TIMING:

Do your research and selection way ahead of time.  There may be waiting lists so it’s a good idea to do the research months or a year in advance of when the move is needed.

SELECTION:

Determine what your needs are and prioritize them.  Location, amenities, levels of care, meal plans, social events, and economics are all items to consider when determining the best fit for your loved one.  Even demographics (if a facility has primarily WWII vets, or if they specialize in Dementia, Parkinson’s disease etc.) will help make the decision.  Let your loved one participate in the decision process.  It will make the process smoother for everyone and they will not feel as much resentment in the long run.

DETERMINATION:

Once you have decided on a new home, find out what you need.  Is it furnished or is furniture needed?  Can art work be hung?  Being able to bring as much as possible from a previous residence makes it homier.  Familiarity and comfort can make the transition easier.

ORGANIZATION:

It’s more work but do a floor plan to scale, to make sure everything will fit.  Having to leave behind grandma’s favorite victrola because it didn’t fit would be stressful.  The process will also speed the move in so everyone can get acclimated more quickly.  Some communities have floor plan designers or computerized programs that will help you determine what will fit and will work with you in doing so.

PACKING AND PREPARATION FOR THE MOVE:

Either get professional movers or assist in the purge and pack process.  Not only is packing physically taxing, it can be an emotional strain.  Work with your loved one to pack and prep necessary items and discard what isn’t needed.  It will help make the task less overwhelming.

CONFIRMATION:

Make sure everything is confirmed before your move in day.  If you are using residential movers, or if you need to confirm with the new building, etc. so there are no last minute surprises.  Check with the building coordinator if elevators need to be reserved, or pads and protection need to be put up before your move in can happen.  Confirmations in writing or by email are good, followed up by a phone call the day before can confirm all the I’s are dotted and T’s are crossed.

VISITS AND CONTACT:

Once your loved one is moved in, it’s a good idea to set up a schedule of regular visits.  It’s something that everyone can plan for and look forward to.  Remember resistance to this type of move can happen.  Being organized and planning well can help the transition go as smooth as possible.

 

 

 

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