Tag Archives: movers

Reasons To Hire A Professional Mover

Moving to a new home is both emotionally and physically stressful. The decision to either hire a professional mover or do it yourself is always a debate. Should you hire a group of professionals to do your moving for you?

Let’s take a look at their advantages:

1. Packing: Leave it to the professional mover

Packing alone accounts for approximately one quarter of your moving expense. Yes, that’s a significant number. Let’s do a quick cost benefit analysis: if you pack your stuff yourself, you may actually end up spending more.

First, you will probably use more cartons or boxes than required. Second, your fragile belongings may get damaged due to insufficient packing, so you end up incurring heavy costs. On the other hand, professional movers are trained to pack efficiently and do it quicker. What could take you weeks may take them only a few days.

Reasons to Hire A Professional Mover2. Know-how of the locality

Professional moving companies are very thorough in running local area checks. Understanding the routes and the neighborhood is essential so that your belongings can be safely dispatched and transported.

3. Your belongings are safe and insured

Let’s face it. Your hired help are professionals who are more experienced than you are. The safety of your belongings is of paramount concern to them. Your personal belongings are insured. This will provide you peace of mind. These professionals use heavy-duty wrap for all furniture and plastic covers to avoid damage and to seal your stuff from dirt and dust.

4. Use of the right equipment

A do-it-yourself approach is fine. Unfortunately, a borrowed truck from a buddy does not come with the right equipment to move your stuff safely – another reason you’d want to hire professional help. They come with the right gadgets that make moving simpler.

Your professional mover will use hoisting straps, two wheel, four wheel or appliance dollies, ramps and custom built trucks with air ride cushions to transport your belongings in a safe and secure manner. So whether it is moving an L-shaped couch out of your door or dismantling your furniture, your hired band of help will figure it all out for you.

5. Straight forward estimates

Ideally, there are no hidden costs when you hire professional movers. Their charges are estimates of the distance or the kind of service or storage you opt for. Since this is a local move, the distance cost will be relatively lower. These movers will discuss moving and service cost prior to when the moving begins.

6. Friendly customer service

Being trained professionals, these movers, in addition to providing you with the necessary services, also possess an impeccable customer service rating. Easy to approach, they provide suggestions and solutions to your moving problems. So if you want things done differently or require their opinion, feel free to voice it out.

7. Flexible storage facilities

Let’s say that you need to reach your final destination later than planned. Your professional movers will provide you with storage facilities with overnight, short-term or long-term storage options. Additional charges are applied, of course, but your belongings are in a safe vault under protection from theft, loss or damage.

The advantages of hiring a professional moving company may outweigh the do-it-yourself approach. It is also less stressful and poses a lesser health hazard. So put your reservations aside, and hire a professional mover for the job.

Save money with Pony Express Moving Services. Lower prices than traditional moving companies and you don’t have to drive! Free moving quotes.

What To Expect When Hiring Professional Movers

What To Expect When Hiring Professional MoversReady to move but not sure what to expect when hiring professional movers?

Whether you’re moving between neighborhoods or across states, the process seems chaotic. Even after you hire professional movers, you may feel uneasy about the big day.

Have no fear!

We’re here to help. Moving doesn’t have to be a hassle. Hiring professional movers should take the stress out of your move, not add to it.

Let’s dig into what you should expect when you hire a moving service.

Before Hiring Professional Movers: What You Need To Know

Before hiring professional movers you’ll need to know when you’re going to move. Most movers will ask for a 4-week to a 6-week window of time.

To ease your process, and guarantee your safety while you move, come up with a plan. A great place to start is a checklist of the things you need to do to prepare yourself and your family. This will keep you on track for the weeks leading up to your move.

Whether you are planning a local or long distance move, professional movers are here to provide you with a stress-free move that stays on your schedule.

Before You Move

Your moving day will be here before you know it. After you make your checklist, you’re ready to start packing.

Depending on whether you’ve hired a full-service moving company you may need to pack your items yourself.

Pack your items in boxes beforehand. Tape these boxes closed. Leave them in the room in which you packed them.

Label each box with the name of this room and a few key items.

If you have hired full-service movers, they will handle this packing for you.

What To Expect On The Day Of Your Move

You’ve made your list. You’ve followed it for weeks, anticipating the big day.

Now what?

Your moving service will let you know far in advance when they will arrive at your home. Make sure you leave room in front of your home for the moving truck to park.

Failure to do so could result in an extra “long carry” fee.

Once they show up, you should identify the operator of the truck. Often, he supervises the crew. Consider him your go to guy when you have questions.

Your day should pan out something like the following steps.

The Walk-Through

Your movers will conduct a short walk-through of your home to produce a written inventory of goods. They will assess the condition of every item in your home. Next, they will assign each item an inventory number.

This list helps to ensure everything arrives at your new home in the condition it left your old home. It guards against false damage claims made on previous damage.

You should agree with this assessment. Check that no item is missing from the list.

Request a copy of the written inventory.

Determining Best Practices

Expect for the movers to determine the order in which to load the truck.

Your moving service will determine in which room to start and how to best fit items into the truck.

Set aside anything you don’t want to enter the truck such as flammables, personal items, breakable items or high-value pieces.

Movers Prepare Entrance and Set-Up Ramps

Next, your movers will safeguard your home for the loading process. They’ll use blankets and padding to protect your carpet, stairways, hallways and floors. They’ll mark any hidden stairs within your home.

Your moving team will also safeguard the outside of your home. They’ll mark off any hidden steps or broken sidewalks.

Your moving company will come prepared with all necessary tools like carrying straps, carpet protectors, shrinkwrap, and rope.

Techniques For Loading

Movers will disassemble each piece like dresser mirrors and beds. They’ll wrap every item in padding.

Your moving company loads the truck from floor to roof. This will resemble a puzzle, so don’t worry if you catch a glimpse of your things stacked on top of each other.

To prevent your items from shifting, movers will arrange pieces for the tightest possible fit within the truck. Sometimes this involves taking items from other rooms and placing them together. You will tell your movers exactly where you want your items placed in your new home.

You will tell your movers exactly where you want your items placed in your new home.

If you let your movers know ahead of the time they can usually arrange to take your old or unwanted items off your hands. Professional movers may donate these items to local bay area charities or dispose of them.

Before Heading To Your New Home

Once packed tightly, your items are ready to move to your new home.

Remember that driver we spoke about in the beginning? He’ll present you with a bill that lays out all of the conditions of your move.

This includes your estimate and expected date of delivery. You will need to sign off on this bill.

Your movers are responsible for removing all tools, padding, boxes and anything else they brought into your home. No garbage should be left behind.

Make sure you have a contact number for your movers and that they have clear directions to your new home.

At Your New Home

You’ve made it!

Consider having two people at your new place. One will oversee the inventory checklist, marking off and inspecting all delivered items. The other can assist your movers by letting them know where things go in your new home.

If you find an item damaged during your move after the fact, it’s okay. You can always file a complaint with your movers after they leave.

You’re Ready To Hire A Professional Moving Service!

The excitement of moving to a new home should outweigh the emotional or physical stress.

Knowing what to expect with professional movers eases stress. The more prepared you are beforehand, the faster and smoother the process of moving.

7 Other Things Your Movers Wish You Knew

This entry was posted in Boston Moving Company, Moving Tips and tagged , , on by .

7 Other Things Your Movers Wish You KnewBecause, let’s face it, moving is stressful. And expensive. And did we mention stressful? It’s no wonder most people eventually decide to ditch the DIY approach and hire professionals. But that doesn’t mean the stress goes away. There are plenty of things that could go wrong.

To make the day go as smoothly as possible, you need to know how your movers work best—which includes when you should be there, when you can pitch in, and when you need to get the heck out of the way.

We quizzed some movers on their biggest pet peeves when it comes time for moving day. Here are seven things you need to know.

1. Don’t be afraid to do your homework—in person

“Our industry has a horrible reputation, and we’ve earned it,” says Aaron Steed, “There are good guys and there are bad guys, and it’s really hard to tell at the time of estimate.”

Every company is going to put its best face forward during the estimate process, but when it comes to finding out which companies will move your stuff and make you feel comfortable in the process, Steed recommends stopping by the office. In person.

“Some moving companies are the real deal, and then there are a lot of others where you just have a guy running it out of his apartment,” he says. With other companies, “the trucks have graffiti all over them and the guys look like they just got out of 10 years of solitary.”

Price is only part of the equation. Take some time to consider which movers have your best interest in mind and which are solely looking for a one-time paycheck.

2. Prep the move beforehand

Before you get out the bubble wrap, figure out what needs to happen for the day to go smoothly. Do you need to reserve your building’s elevator? Will the truck be parking on a busy street? If so, save a spot ahead of time. If you’re moving in or out of an apartment complex, make sure you know the rules—designated moving hours can cause major complications.

Don’t forget to inform your movers ahead of time if they’ll be transporting a particularly large or heavy item such as a washer, dryer, or piano. It might require extra help, and time spent looking for a third pair of hands is money wasted, says Mike Dahlman.

3. Get your packing done before moving day

If you’ve elected to do your own packing, make sure it’s finished. That doesn’t mean boxes untaped and scattered throughout the house. That means boxes filled, taped up, and ready to go by the time your movers show up. Ideally, everything will be located in a central room, which speeds up the process and keeps your possessions safe.

Even better: Stack your boxes against the wall, giving your movers “the freedom to move (around) and bring things in,” Dahlman says. “We don’t want to impede the entrance. The guys need to move quickly and easily.”

And yes, you really need to finish taping up your boxes beforehand.

“People don’t like taping their boxes, but if a mover does it, it adds a significant amount of time and money to moving day,” Steed says.

4. Label everything

You don’t need to write down the specific contents of every box, but noting where in your new home it should go is essential.

“It’s easier if the movers know where to put it as opposed to trying to delineate where it goes on move day, when we’re charging our hourly rate,” Steed says.

Also, make sure to keep your movers in the loop. If they don’t know what “Humbert’s room” means, it’s the same as if you hadn’t labeled it at all. And now’s the time to decide what area is your “great room” and which is the “den.”

“We can’t have the movers standing around during negotiations,” Steed says.

5. Tell us what’s valuable

Try as they might, movers aren’t psychics. They don’t know that the blue vase cost you $2,500, or that your grandma gave you that crystal decanter, or the retail value of your crushed velvet couch. Let them know beforehand what items they should keep a careful eye on.

“The best way to deal with damage is to avoid it—by communicating about things that are fragile and meaningful,” Dahlman says.

6. Get out of the way!

You might think you’re helping when you hop in the truck to sort items or help lift the piano, but you’re not. Really. Stop.

“We’re professionals and it’s a skill. We have a plan on how things can be done best,” Dahlman says. “Have respect for that.”

That means getting out of the way and letting them work. You’re better served directing the movers to the right rooms or reassembling furniture in your new home. (Movers prefer that you disassemble and reassemble your own stuff, so if you’ve been hoping they’ll take on the task of putting your Ikea bed back together—you might want to think again.)

Not only can an eager homeowner slow down efforts, but he or she can also be an insurance liability.

“It jeopardizes work safety and our insurance,” Steed says. “We can’t let customers on our truck or carry things with customers.”

7. Tip the movers (and maybe buy lunch)

Yes, you need to tip your movers—between $20 and $50 is standard, according to Steed, but more is always welcome.

“We’re in the service business, and what we do is incredibly hard,” he says.

Want even better service? Try tipping at the beginning of the day, something Steed says is “pretty intelligent.”

If it’s a long day of moving, consider buying lunch as well.

“The way to a man’s heart is through his stomach,” Steed says.

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How to Move During Major Holidays

Move During Major HolidaysHow to Move During Major Holidays

When you decide to move, you never know when your actual moving day will be.  If you’re selling a home, it could be snatched up by a buyer within a month or take over a year to find the right person.  Unexpectedly, you could end up moving around a major holiday or celebratory event like a birthday or graduation.  This complicates things if you wish to celebrate, and the moving company is scheduled to arrive during the festivities.  No disappointment necessary – you can celebrate and move simultaneously without missing the fanfare by following these moving tips.

Talk to Your Moving Company

Check with your moving company regarding moving rates during major holidays and holiday weekends to ensure it doesn’t cost more than anticipated.  If you absolutely must move around that time, you can budget for more money.  Also, make sure that movers are available at that time.  Packing in advance or hiring movers to pack for you will relieve extra pressure.

Traffic Report

Ask your municipality about changes and delays in traffic patterns due to previously scheduled parades and other holiday events.  Finding out at the last minute that a road is closed could interrupt the route chosen for moving.  Inform your movers of possible snags in transporting your furniture which they may or may not realize and let them know your concerns.

Hire a Sitter

If you have younger children who are disappointed in missing out on holiday festivities because of the move, find a sitter.  A sitter could take your little ones to a Halloween Trunk-n-Treat or the fireworks.  It will enable you to move into your new place and keep them amused.  Although they will miss their parents in the beginning, they’ll return with happy holiday stories to share.

Look for Holiday Activities

Before you move to your new town, find out what holiday activities they offer residents or what nearby festive events are happening.  Although you may cherish your typical holiday traditions, here’s your chance to create new ones, make new memories and meet new neighbors.

Host a Themed Housewarming or Holiday Party

How much fun would it be to host a holiday-themed housewarming party or in celebration of family milestones like an anniversary?  In fact, with a ready-made theme, a joint housewarming/holiday party will be memorable, highly anticipated and easy to plan.  If you need assistance from friends and family, ask them to bring a paintbrush to help paint, food for a potluck party or wear comfortable clothes for an unpacking party.

Don’t Stress Over Decorations

Yes, decorations are part of the magic of the holidays, whether it’s for Christmas, Independence Day or a special birthday, but is it the most important ingredient? Absolutely not! Adding to your stress by worrying that you didn’t hang graduation balloons on the mailbox after you just moved is unnecessary.   Furthermore, don’t beat yourself up that your furniture isn’t perfectly arranged or a trash can temporarily lurks in the living room.  With time, your home will assume its welcoming aura.

Postpone the Party

Maybe moving wiped you out so much that you just cannot fathom celebrating.  A holiday or birthday celebrated on a different day does not diminish the fun or its importance.  Postpone the party until after your moving boxes are empty and your energy returns.  Then you can party hearty and celebrate in style in your new home. Remember, moving is hard work and all you need for a perfect holiday is your favorite people.

How Much to Tip Movers

This entry was posted in Boston Moving Company, Moving, Moving Tips and tagged , on by .

How much to tip movers might be the last problem to deal with after a day of stress-inducing and crazy-making situations. You do not want to do is go into your moving day with no idea what the protocol is for tipping movers.

The end of the day could go something like this: The movers only have a few things left in the truck and the moment comes that you have been dreading. Panic sets in, sweat forms on your brow, and your heart starts to race. Yup, it’s time for the tip! No one wants to look cheap or unappreciative, but you don’t want to over tip either. Not that the movers would mind, but you are probably on a budget. Do you give it to one person and let them divide it or hand each person a tip individually?

Do You Have to Tip?

You might be saying, “Tip? What tip? Don’t they get paid an hourly wage?” Well, yes they do, but so does the casino dealer who deals you a straight flush and the valet person who drives your car a whopping 100 feet to you. Movers are included in the service industry and tipping is the way to show your gratitude.

There is a reason that moving companies, like Pony Express Moving Services, provide such a valuable service. They are doing something you absolutely don’t want to do. You may not even be capable of doing it. Moving is back-breaking work. Every day, they risk injury. They go home sore, and do it all again the next day. They move in the bitter cold while you watch from inside a toasty window, and they move in the hottest conditions when no one in their right mind should be away from an air conditioner. If anyone deserves a tip, it’s your movers.

And the timing of the tip is key. You might want to drop a $10 bill on each guy at the start of the move, giving them incentive to work harder. Then, if they do a good job, add on some additional funds at the end of the day.

One important note: make sure that your moving company is not adding a service charge onto the bill, as that would most likely cover a tip. You want to reward these guys for doing a good job, but you don’t want to double tip. It is a super-rare situation, but it never hurts to explicitly ask your mover whether that is the case.

How Much to Tip Movers - Pony Express Moving Services

 

How Much?

Now we get to the nitty gritty details. Calculating how much to tip movers is, like any other service situation, based on the total amount you are spending and the quality of the move.

In most cases, a 5 percent tip movers is pretty standard. Some say 5 percent of the bill should be given to a foreman for him to split among the crew. Others argue that 5 percent is more appropriate per mover.

This is merely a common suggestion. Many others advocate for 10, 15 or 20 percent. How much to tip movers depends on your level of satisfaction with the job and how much the job added up to.

You might be thinking that 5 percent is not nearly enough for the amount of work they just did. If they moved the contents of a 5-bedroom house across town in 8 hours, with no breakage and minimal fuss, you are probably right. You can open up your wallet for that one.

Sometimes, you have to use your best judgment. However, on average, most movers don’t expect more than 20 percent, but, after a day of hard labor, they certainly appreciate it. And would not turn their noses up at it.

Of course, there is an exception to the basic guide: long distance moving. In most cases, the only difference between a $2,000 move and one that costs $20,000 is distance. Long distance movers are generally tipped according to the number of days. Many suggest that a cross-country move of four to five days deserves around a $200 tip.

However, if they drove two days though the most horrible weather conditions, and managed to not end up in a ditch like cars around them, maybe they deserve a little more.

Beyond just long distance moves and the vagaries of the weather, what these crews are moving is important as well. If you have multiple flat screen TVs and thousands of dollars in computer equipment that must be handled delicately, you might want to do something extra special on the tip. That also applies if you have loads of heavy, antique furniture. Or movers that navigated 4 flights of stairs in a cramped New York apartment building with no service elevator.

What If I Don’t Want To Tip Movers

Tipping movers is just like compensating any other service worker. Not every mover deserves a tip. Based on the quality of the move, the temperament of the workers and how much of your stuff is intact at the end of the day, you can feel free to tip or not tip.

If you have a team show up late, trample your shrubs in front of the house, scuff the walls, use profanity in front of your kids, break your TV because they were tossing things around, and take a dozen cigarette breaks, then you probably shouldn’t tip them.

Everyone has heard a moving horror story. The cousin who showed up at his new house and had movers demand an extra grand just to open the truck and release his furniture. The clumsy crew that shattered Great Aunt Edna’s gold-rimmed vanity mirror, the one that has been in the family for generations. Those are obvious no-tip situations.

All that being said, if you read reviews and hire an established company with a great reputation, you shouldn’t be in this position.

In situations like that, where the movers performed well below expectations, you should bring up your dissatisfaction with the foreman/driver. Whoever is in charge. If they are unwilling or unable to rectify the situation, then you should follow up with a customer service rep at the home office.

Who to Tip?

You may assume you need to tip the crew leader more, but you don’t, unless they were visibly doing significantly more work than the others. Keep in mind that their hourly wage is likely higher, too. If one person on the team really worked a lot harder than the others tip everyone individually, so you can give the hardest worker more. If you are going to give them one amount to split, hand it to one person in front of the others and make it clear that it is to be split, so it doesn’t end up only in one pocket. If that makes you uncomfortable, you could just hand a separate amount to each individual worker, to make sure everyone gets the correct amount of cash.

Beyond the Cash

It is nice to provide your moving crew with some refreshment. Just like tip movers, this is not mandatory, but a pretty decent gesture nonetheless, given that these guys just hauled all your stuff up and down stairs and across town.

On hot days, hand out some bottles of water and maybe grab a pizza for lunch. Stay away from beer, though. Most companies likely have a policy against the crew drinking during or after a job. And the possible liability on your end is not worth it. You could end up on the hook if the crew takes to your beer offer too vivaciously and ends up causing some disturbances down the line.

If your move is during the winter months, pick up some coffee or hot chocolate for the crew in the morning. They will appreciated the gesture (almost as much as a tip).

Some might want to buy lunch and liquid refreshment instead of a cash tip. That may be a fine practice, especially if your move is relatively small. But probably best to stay away from cheaping out like that if you move involves more than one bedroom or an arduous journey.

How much to tip movers can be a vexing problem. The common wisdom is not as standard as tipping waiters and waitresses. But the guide above provides a wealth of perspectives and advice for getting through the social minefield with your wallet and sanity intact.

Now that you’ve been primed on how much to tip movers, it’s time to get moving! Start here to get a no-hassle, no-obligation price quote.