Moving?

Fuel surcharge and peak rates

2009-04-14T12:48:00.000-07:00

Hopefully everyone has been enjoying the low fuel rates these past months. Not only has it been cheap to drive around town but moving across the country has been cheaper as well.

Recently the surcharge has been 1% and that translates to very low fuel surcharge that the costomer pays. For instance this last summer we had months that it reached over 20 percent so you are basically saving almost 19 percent on your move. So it's a great time to use professional movers to help with your relocation.

Also, we are coming into the busiest time of the moving season. If you are planning on moving try and plan ahead and not move during the peak times. During these times a lot of moving companies will charge peak rates which will end up costing you around five percent more. Typically the peak rates are used on the last and first fiave days of the month.

We would be happy to explain any of these cost saving tips in further detail. Happy moving.

Bait and Switch

2009-03-23T09:33:00.000-07:00

With the economy the way it is people are always looking for the lowest cost mover. Unfortunately there are Rogue movers out there that use a strategy called bait and switch. What they do is they do an estimate for your move and purposely underbid it so you will pick them for the move. They have you sign the contract and your moving day comes, they load all your belongings and all of a sudden the total for the move goes up, way up. There are a few things you can do to avoid getting taken by one of these movers. Here are 5 things to look for.

1. Demand a not to exceed estimate.

2. Check for complaints on the moving company at http://www.movingscam.com as well as http://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/ .

3. Never let them get away by giving you a phone estimate they are inaccurate and a way for the rogue company to bait and switch

4. Ask for references from past moves the company has done.

5. Last but not least never sign anything that you have not fully read.

There are a lot more things one should do when moving to avoid a bad experience but just use common sense and if it feels like the price is too good to be true it probably is. If you have any questions or move specialists would be happy to review you estimate or guide you in the right direction.

Top Ten things to remember when moving

2009-03-09T13:23:00.000-07:00

Moving can be one of the most stressful things in ones life. With all the things to get done and items to remember it can be overwhelming. Below are the top ten things to remember when you are moving.

1. Have a timeline and stick to it.

2. Chose a reputable moving company. You can check the AMSA's promover for a list of reputable movers.

3. Don't forget about the pets. They have special needs when it comes to moving, you just can't box them up and send them on the truck.

4. Transfer prescriptions, phone service, cable service and any other utilities the day of the move.

5. Pack the items that you will need for the trip before the day of the move and have it separated from your other belongings. Don't forget that tooth brush.

6. Make sure to carry your cell phone with you or give the # that you will be at to the movers.

7. Don't forget about the kids. Moving is hard on them, try to make it fun and let them help pack up the their toys.

8. Make sure that you use proper packing technique if you are packing yourself. If you don;t know how to pack you can contact moving professionals and they can pack for you.

9. Try and relax, occasionally little things may go wrong. Don't let them get to you. Find a solution and move on.

10. For the most part moving is a good thing. Whether its because of a promotion or you are moving to a better home remember that it won;t take long to settle in.

Moving??????

2009-01-21T12:52:00.000-08:00

Are you Moving? Are you confused with all the moving industry lingo and paperwork? Here are some tips to help you have a safe move.

-Never sign anything you don't understand, ask questions and if you mover cannot answer them find a different one
-Make sure the moving company you pick is a registered mover with a current USDOT and is registered with the Federal Motor Carrier Administration
-Your mover is required to have a dispute resolution program, find out what it is before you commit to anything-Make sure that you get a WRITTEN estimate. If the mover tries to give you a verbal estimate for an interstate move RUN they are trying to pull something over on you.

Contact our moving experts if you have any questions.