If you decide to move, it is not a small decision. The cost of a move is a not small a small amount at all. Therefore, we want to do everything to ensure everything things within your budget. You research a lot and analyze quotes from several moving companies. Finally, you choose the best quote for you and your budget.
Wait! Some moving companies quote less and add additional charges at the time of billing. We know that this is the last thing anybody on the move wants. Therefore, you should never move ahead before making sure there are no additional charges to moving quotes. Moreover, some of the unexpected charges also come because of a lack of proper planning.
Therefore, if you are wondering how much do movers cost, we have prepared a list of 5 additional moving charges for your convenience. Now, the question is- How can you figure out these additional charges? It would be best to discuss these moving charges with your moving company to avoid surprise moving charges. Let’s check them all!
Double Check Your Packing Stuff
There are different items to be packed, and their requirements are also different. Although most things don’t need any special expenses, some things need special expenses.
First of all, there are heavy items. If it’s possible, most of the moving companies disassemble heavy items before the move. You can also have some heavy items that cannot be disassembled.
The second type is items that need special handling. For example- Your crockery, electronics, and appliances. These things need to be wrapped, cushioned, etc., to protect them. There are high chances that without special care, these items will get damaged.
Therefore, a number of moving companies charge additionally for packing such stuff.
The Location of Your Next Home Matters
The costs highly depend on the geography and the location of your houses. The first expense here is Shuttle fees. It is a common issue that as per the local ordinances, it may prevent a large moving truck to park. In this case, you will have to park your track in a convenient off-site location. After parking the truck, you will have to unload and shuttle, i.e., transport your stuff to your home.
The second obstacle is that some cities want special permits for loading and unloading a moving truck. Therefore, you will have to pay for these permits. It’s because you cannot park that large moving truck anywhere. However, every time the truck gets parked at the parking zone, the cost increases naturally.
Storage Units
There are many scenarios where you may be required to get storage units. Things don’t go as you expect them to. For example, let’s assume that when the moving truck reaches its destination, your new house is not ready to move. It means that you will definitely have to buy storage units.
You can avoid storage unit costs by proper planning. You need to ensure that your new house, whether rental or owned, is ready when the truck arrives.
Your Timing Matters Too
It will not be wrong to say that the moving industry is seasonal. In the United States, 80% of the move occurs between April and September. Therefore, the timing of your move can make drastic changes in the expenses.
For example, you decided to move in March but you could not because of some reason. The result is that your expenses will increase by a good amount. However, it’s not just the peak season that affects the rate.
There are many moving companies that work on demand-based pricing. It means the higher the demand, the more your expenses will be. Sometimes, if you even change days within the same week, the expenses can vary.
Firing Your Moving Company
Most of the respected moving companies are pretty good at their work. Despite this fact, there are chances that you may hire the wrong moving company. We recommend you check the credentials of the company thoroughly before hiring. It is really a pain to go through the hiring process again.
When you are doing your research, make sure to look at the company’s cancellation policy. The moving deposits are typically refunded within a specified period of time. Most of the companies follow this refund policy, but ultimately it comes to a cancellation policy. Ultimately, the things written in the cancellation policy will only be executed. Therefore, it is necessary to have a look at the cancellation policy of the company.
Conclusion
Our last piece of advice is to get a binding estimate from your moving company. There are two types of estimates moving companies give, i.e., binding estimates and non-binding estimates. The binding estimates bind a moving company not to charge more than the estimate. It also forces the moving company to take the quote as accurately as possible because they cannot charge more than the estimate. There are even some exceptions to binding estimates, but it’s much better than non-binding estimates.
