How to Avoid Common Mistakes with Movers

We all know that moving can be a stressful experience and too many people find out the hard way just how stressful it can be. There are some common problems that happen with movers that make the event a little more challenging. Thankfully, those mistakes can be avoided. Here are a few ideas that can help.

Mistake #1: The Late Movers

You’re all ready and packed. Now you just have to wait for the movers to show up and help you get your stuff to the new location. You wait. And you wait. And you wait. Then you call and find out they are being held up at an earlier move. Half your day could end up being wasted just waiting for the movers to arrive!

The easiest way to prevent this problem is to book the first appointment of the day. If you are going to be their first stop, they shouldn’t be hours late. Make sure you call back and confirm your appointment time. Some unscrupulous movers will shift around appointments to better fit their needs and might even move your scheduled move time back several hours. It happens.

If you really want to make sure the movers will be on time, insist on adding that to the contract. For example, if the movers do not arrive at my home by noon then I receive a 10% discount on the total cost of my move. Some movers won’t budge on this but that usually means they have a serious problem with being on time.

Mistake #2: Price Changes

The move is nearly finished. All of your boxes and furniture are being placed in your new home. You are starting to feel as if you can relax. Then you get the bill: it’s A LOT more than you were expecting to pay. Because the work is already done, you are in no good position to dispute the bill without getting into a situation you are probably way too exhausted to handle.

You could prevent this problem by getting the estimate in writing. The estimate should include how much time the move is expected to take, how much per hour will be charged, and a list of additional fees, such as those for multiple stories or extra movers. With a written estimate, you have something to whip out to dispute the higher charges. Plus, some movers will guarantee that your final bill will be no more than a specific percentage over the written estimate.

Mistake #3: Broken Items

Movers are not always as gentle as they should be, even with boxes clearly marked fragile. Too often people find out after the move is done that some of their belongings have not made it through the ordeal unscathed. You can prevent this by segregating your fragile items from the rest of your belongings during the move. Box them up carefully then move them to a self-storage unit and move them into your new home yourself. That way if anything gets broken it won’t be because of a mover.

While these three tips won’t remove all of the stress from moving, they can help you avoid some of the problems others have faced.

If you found these tips helpful, please comment and share below.

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