Moving is never easy – physically, emotionally and costly. During this very stressful period we are sure you are going to want to hire some professional help, some motivated movers that will make all the work so much easier. Unfortunately, not everyone can afford this kind of support. And even for the one that can afford it it is everything but cheap. Because of those reasons you should be very careful when making a contract with your moving company, read everything at least twice and check if there are any kinds of hidden fees in the company’s policy. In order to avoid them, you must know what could be shown as hidden fees in the first place. We are bringing the list of possible hidden fees you should pay attention to in order not to pay extra cash.
1. Time is important
Of course, not every move costs the same and there are many reasons for that. One of those reasons is TIME. It is not the same if you call your movers two days earlier or two months in advance, or if you decide to move in the busiest time of the year or during the winter. We are giving you some information that might be useful for you not to pay some bills extra price:
Choose to move during the winter months.
Time from June till September is known to be the busiest time of the year for all the moving companies. Because of that, prices are usually a lot higher and you must call and reserve your date a lot in advance. If you decide to move during the fall/winter season and especially from October till April you might just avoid some unnecessary expenses.
Call and make all the arrangements at least a few weeks in advance.
A lot of people tend to delay their moving and arrangements with their movers until the very last minute. And this is okay, of course, the company is there to help you out at any moment. But, it might just cost you a little bit more. If you call your moving agency some time in advance they will probably give you the original reasonable price. But, if you decide to call your packers and movers at the very last moment they can charge you some extra fees for emergency calls or last minute calls. Take 5 minutes of your time and try not to procrastinate any longer, but call your moving company right now and save yourself some dollars.
Pick carefully your moves on weekdays.
We know that many of you go to work every weekday and have kids that go to school from Monday to Friday. Because of this, no one is willing to break their everyday routines with moving, packing and unpacking, tidying and cleaning and disassembling furniture, so they would rather choose to move on weekends. Of course, moving companies know that it is the busiest time and might just charge you a bit more than usual. You should as well call your movers a few weekends ahead in order to make your reservation. If you have the possibility, we advise you to pick a day between Monday and Friday and avoid this kind of extra cost.
Avoid the beginning and the end of the month.
It is not a secret that most people these days tend to rent their apartments. Most leases need to be paid at the end of the month and this is why many people choose either end of the month or the beginning of the other to book their move. Of course, this means that there is higher demand in this period, that you need to call and make your arrangement earlier and that they may charge you more. If you can, choose a date in the middle of the month that is also a weekday and not weekend.
Carefully pick hours during the day.
Even this matters, yes. Time during the day that you wish to move at can play a big role in determining the final price of your move. For example, if you are wishing to move during hot summer days, it is natural you would like for it to be done when it is a bit cooler, like in the mornings. And just like you, everyone else thinks the same and your movers know it. Also, time during later hours in the evenings can get pretty busy as well, since most people are getting back home from work at that time. If you can, we suggest you choose some timing from 12am until 4pm since this time is not that busy and you probably won’t have any hidden fees added to your price.
2. Distance matters
It is logical that a local move that requires a half an hour drive and a long distance move that requires a few hours, and sometimes even a few days cannot be charged the same. Those long distance moves may even include some third party vendor that your movers have some sort of arrangement with when it comes to traveling a bit more. This all can have an impact on forming your final bill so it would be nice if you would get familiar with all the details and information, especially about cross country moves.
- A lot of people move from one part of the country to another for different reasons and that is nothing strange at this time. But when it comes to this type of moving it is important for you to be very informed about all the Terms and Conditions of your moving company.
These moves can include professionals taking overseas postings or expats heading back to your old home. In any case, there could turn out to be more than one vendor included. You need to call your moving agency and get all the information about who will be in charge of your move at each moment and also get familiar with all the prices that might show up.
3. Loading and Unloading your belongings
It is not easy nor fun lifting heavy furniture and your bulky and large belongings. Also, if you are a woman or have any kind of health problems it is not recommended for you to lift them on your own. Also, if you have some antique furniture or sensitive electronics or computer devices it is the wisest to call your moving company and ask for some professional help. But, it won’t be for free. Your movers will charge you an additional fee for this kind of service. If you do not wish to pay for this service we suggest you call some friends and ask them for help.
- Also, we advise you to ask your movers if they can park their truck in the nearest possible parking spot so that it can be easier for you to load your items. If your moving company charges by the number of men required for the job, you could offer to assist and lower the price this way.
4. Do your own packing
Just like with loading and unloading your inventory in the truck, packing service can be charged as well and usually is. We understand that working hours, crowded family and pets do not allow you to spend too much time packing and worrying about your move but it might save some extra money in your pocket. Also, your packers might charge you some extra fees for all the packing supplies your move might need. If you decide to do this part of the job on your own or ask for some help from your friends do not remember to get enough boxes (in different sizes), packing tape, packing paper, plastic bubble wrap, markers and tools. Remember to be extra careful when packing fragile items.
5. Furniture disassembling
Now, this is maybe something you haven’t really thought about, but your furniture, especially the larger pieces of it, cannot just be grabbed, lifted and carried to your new destination just like that. It needs to be disassembled first. And if you do not do it, your packers and movers will. But they will also charge you some extra fees for it. If you have proper tools you could do it on your own. Of course, under the condition you know how. But even if you do not and you are short on money there are always options.
- You could ask friends or some family members for help or watch some YouTube videos that will help you understand how disassembling works. This way you will avoid one additional extra fee and save some money.
6. Storage
Usually all the moving companies have their storages that they use to delay their customers’ stuff when needed. If something would happen, for example the day when you said to your landlord that your old place has come and your new place suddenly turns out not to be ready/available for moving in for any reason, you would have to do something with all your things, that is, to place them somewhere.
Most people who live in an apartment or rent it do not have their own garages to delay their inventory in. So, if this happens to you, you would probably have to rent a garage somewhere or ask your friends for a favor. On the other hand if you hire professional movers, they would provide you with the best storages to lock your precious things until your new place gets ready for you to move in. Of course, this comes with a price that could be a hidden fee.
It is best you ask your moving company if they have storage and how much they charge for a day. This way you will know everything in advance and will be able to manage your finances properly.
Besides these extra fees that might cause you some trouble, it is not bad to know how your company charges in order to avoid some unnecessary spendings or get surprised when the final bill arrives.
Hourly
Some companies tend to charge hourly. This means that the more time your move takes, the more they will charge you. And this can depend on many factors. Time your movers will need to finish the whole moving can depend on number of your items, on whether they are just moving or packing as well or perhaps even maybe even doing the unpacking, are they going to disassemble your furniture etc. you should ask your movers right away about how much time they think they would need to do the work in order for you to handle your expenses easier.
Number of men needed
Some companies tend to charge based on the number of men required for the job. The more men you need the higher the price will be. Number of men also varies based on how much work there is. If you have a lot of stuff in your inventory or need more than only moving service, it is natural you will need more men, at least if you wish to move in reasonable time.
By weight
Many movers like to charge based on the weight of your inventory. It usually goes like this: an estimate comes to your house and measures the weight of all your belongings. After that they decide on the price. It is important that you stay there and carefully watch your inventory being measured in order not to get tricked.
