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Anyone who has ever hired professional movers to get the job done during a relocation understands that the quote you receive online or over the phone generally isn’t the price you’ll end up paying. You’ll find that this quote is more often than not just a ballpark figure, and one that can help guide you in the right direction while you’re creating your budget.
If you are speaking to a representative from a moving company over the phone, it is imperative that you are as specific about your belongings being moved as well as the moving space as possible. Leaving out any details on what needs to be moved is an easy way to see your quote skyrocket into an expensive contract price.
So, what things are the most likely to make a huge difference in your moving quote? Well, large items like pianos, pool tables, gun safes, and hot tubs will take a lot of extra effort, due to their weight. Also, you will need to disclose whether or not you have stairs in your place, and how far to a walk it is for your movers to go from the home or office space to the truck.
There is, in fact, a way to get a quote that doesn’t rise, and that’s called a binding price quote. With this sort of quote, you will have an estimator come directly to your home or office to make a comprehensive assessment of your moving space. This is the most recommended form of getting a quote, since you will have an industry expert taking a look at your items just as your moving team would on moving day.
If you’re unable to get a binding price quote, do yourself a favor and make sure that you are as specific as possible with your moving company while you’re informing them about all your items. You’ll thank yourself for it later, when your moving costs don’t magically increase.
There are a few different sizes of moving trucks that you can rent during your moving process, and choosing between them can be difficult. It may seem like you either have too much stuff for a truck on the smaller side, or too much stuff for one of the bigger trucks.
Though the smallest moving truck seems like it can only fit a few items, you’d be surprised how many things a professional mover can manage to squeeze in. Even though it may feel like a game of Furniture Tetris, you can easily fit a studio apartments’ worth of things into a 12 foot moving truck. This is ideal for young adults who are moving out on their own for the first time or switching from one apartment to another.
The medium range of trucks can be 14 to 17 feet, and can comfortably hold a 1-bedroom apartment or small 2-bedroom home’s worth of items. This is the truck that is most recommended to couples or families with only one child, as it can hold an immense amount of stuff for a reasonable price. Also, this size of moving truck is the most fuel-efficient, so you’ll be able to save double.
For large families and houses with three or more bedrooms, it’s recommended to go with a moving truck that’s over 20 feet long. Most moving companies offer two sizes in this class: 22 feet and 24 feet. These are the trucks you need to get the job done with large families. They can hold anywhere from 1200 to 1700 cubic feet of storage inside, which really comes in handy when you’re thinking about moving three or four bedrooms’ worth of things along with everything else in your home.
Something that many people overlook while they’re moving is that there are many bulky items outside which need to be taken into consideration. These are things like bicycles, grills, outdoor patio furniture, lawnmowers, and decorative items.