It’s autumn and the moving vans are out in force. If you’re among the thousands who are making the trek to a new home, it’s not too late to evaluate your moving options.
Should you handle the move yourself? Should you hire professional movers? Either way, can you get your family moved and settled without depleting your bank account along with your energy?
Your first decision is whether to hire professionals.
According to Paula Felbein, marketing manager for Naperville-based Allied Van Lines: “Take into consideration the nature of the move. Get into the details of what it involves. You can’t assume that just because five years ago you recruited a few friends to help you move, that you can do that again. You’ve accumulated more stuff, in all likelihood, and, you may be moving from one state to another. Even if you’re still in the position to recruit friends in your original location, whom do you recruit to help you in the new location?”
The American Moving and Storage Association has a worksheet on its Web site (www.amconf.org) to help you compare the cost of moving yourself to using professional movers.
Many truck rental companies, such as U-Haul, also provide information on their Web sites to help you figure costs. You can also discuss your needs with customer service representatives over the phone.
A do-it-yourself move involves renting a truck (and a trailer if you need to tow a car), as well as pads to protect your furniture and dollies to move heavy items. Other expenses include insurance on the truck, gasoline, boxes and packing materials and a night or two in a motel if you’re moving a long distance.
If you opt to hire a moving company, ask friends for a referral. Then call the Better Business Bureau of Chicago and Northern Illinois to see if they have received any complaints about the companies that were recommended to you. The local BBB received 542 complaints about moving companies last year, up from 463 complaints in 1998.
Why the increase? “There are bad apples out there, but the primary reason for the increase in complaints is that consumers have the misconception that their possessions are automatically insured,” said Steve Bernas, director of operations for Chicago’s BBB office. “Actually, the mover’s liability is only 30 cents to 60 cents per pound.”
That bare minimum coverage (the moving and storage industry isn’t allowed to use the term “insurance”), known as released value coverage, doesn’t cost you anything extra.
If the mover damages an item, the company must pay you 60 cents per pound for an interstate move and 30 cents per pound for a move within Illinois.
In other words, if a 12-pound computer printer is damaged while being transported out of state, the mover would be liable for just $7.20.
For additional coverage, check your homeowner’s policy to see if your possessions are covered during a change in residence. If not, most moving companies will assume greater liability for your belongings for an added fee.
According to Russ Stevens, special projects manager at Mid-West Moving and Storage Co. in Glenview, it pays to shop around for coverage. “You don’t necessarily have to purchase the additional coverage from the movers. If you can get it from somewhere else, or if it’s carried by your homeowner’s policy, you could save about $100 per shipment.”
Whatever coverage you agree to, make sure it is spelled out on the bill of lading or freight bill. “Any oral promises must — I stress, must — be put in writing,” noted Bernas.
This includes the moving company’s written estimate. The only way to get an accurate estimate is to have a representative from the moving company come to your home to see what you are moving.
Before the representative arrives, go through closets and other hideaways to make sure everything you’re moving is visible.
Your written estimate should list what will be moved and what services you’ll receive. For example, if the movers pack your belongings, the boxes and other materials they expect to use should be on the estimate.
Check the estimate for destination charges. These charges cover special circumstances that might crop up in your new locale, such as having to take your belongings by elevator to a fifth-floor condo. And don’t forget charges associated with moving plants and pets. Although a separate company usually moves plants and pets, if your primary mover is arranging this for you, make sure it’s noted on the estimate.
Request a binding estimate. It guarantees that your mover won’t charge you more than he estimated. Finally, give yourself plenty of time to review the estimate to ensure that every possible cost is listed. To avoid rushing through these important steps, the American Moving and Storage Association recommends getting estimates eight weeks before your move date.
Moving companies charge for their time by the hour, per crew member. Don’t assume, however, that a smaller crew translates to a lower bill. “Divide the man-hours by the size of the crew. That will tell you how fast the job will get done. If you have three men it will go faster than with two. The rate might be higher but the cost will be same,” explained Stevens.
By doing your own packing, you can dramatically reduce the cost of your move, but only if you know how to pack like a pro. Felbein of Allied Van Lines offers these packing tips:
– Use boxes that are designed for household moving. Moving companies can refer you to packing-material suppliers.
– Pack items like books and canned goods in smaller boxes so they won’t get too heavy to carry.
– Don’t stack dishes on top of each other. “It’s a common misperception that you pack dishes like they’re stacked in cupboard. However, they’re less likely to get damaged if you pack them on end,” she said.
Before packing small knickknacks, cushion the box with a lot of tissue and newsprint. Then use colored tissue paper to actually wrap them. This will help you see them when you unpack.
Don’t put money, family heirlooms and other valuables on the moving van. Keep them with you.
Another way to save the movers’ time — and your money — is to take apart anything in your home that needs to be disassembled before being placed on the moving van. “Anything you can do to reduce the amount of time involved in a move will reduce your bill. Disassemble beds and wall units. Disconnect cables from the TV, VCR, stereo speakers and computers,” said Stevens.
If managing the entire move yourself is too daunting, and handing it all over to a moving company is too costly, you can hire a trucking company to handle part of it. Ft. Smith Ark.-based ABF Freight System’s U-Pack Moving program, for instance, will drop off a 28-foot trailer at your home and give you two working days to load your belongings. ABF, which has several service centers in the Chicago area, then drives your belongings to your new home, where you unload them yourself.
According to Jim Ingram, who heads ABF’s U-Pack Moving division, the service is designed for people moving more than 500 miles. “The savings are significant. Our typical cost to move the contents of a two- to three-bedroom home 2,000 miles, is about $1,200,” he says, noting that if you’re moving a shorter distance, it would be cheaper to rent your own truck.
Finally, another cost-saving measure is to postpone your move to a time when moving rates are lower. That means avoiding summer and fall, as well as the beginning and end of the month. If nothing else, it will give you more time to pack.
