13 Costly Moving Mistakes You’ll Make Without a Moving Manager

Moving into a new home should be fun and exciting- as stress free as possible!  Mistakes can ruin the process, cost you extra money, and waste valuable time. Fixing moving oversights/disasters can be overwhelming and expensive.  There’s no shortcut- do your homework, pay attention to details, and be smart about how you spend your hard earned dollars. Here’s some cost-saving advice:

Moving Mistakes You Can Avoid With a Moving Manager

Below you’ll find 13 things a moving manager has perfected.

1. BUYER BEWARE: Before hiring a moving company or moving manager, read the fine print! Many claim, “we are the best in the business”, or quote suspiciously low estimates.  Compare apples to apples when shopping around, and look out for variations in pricing policies.  Choosing a moving company is not like buying a refrigerator. Terms like “binding estimates” and “guaranteed price” sound promising, don’t they? What about plans like Assured Price Protection and Option Binding?  Identify any strings attached.  Estimates are usually based on a finite list of items so a pre-move inventory oversight can result in a higher bill than expected.
2. ASK ABOUT EXTRA COSTS:  Ask about surcharges for accessibility logistics, moving things up and down stairs, not having a close parking space for the truck, and re-packing supply fees for items you improperly boxed up. You have no negotiating power after the move. Don’t sign on the dotted line before doing your research.
3. DON’T PROCRASTINATE:  Early birds get the best prices and their first-choice move day. Movers schedule their workers and equipment several weeks in advance, and the lead-time can be longer during the warmer months.
4. DO NOT BE UNDER-INSURED: If your new, very heavy, $2,000 TV is shattered, what compensation is guaranteed? Remember that “valuation protection” is NOT insurance. It’s just a certain amount of money per pound (e.g. $0.60/lb) you’ll be entitled to as a result of damage.
5. REAP BENEFITS OF MANAGER-VENDOR RELATIONSHIPS:  A move can become expensive if it results in a broken computer, a scratch on your prized dining room table, or your grandmother’s antique dishes being dropped.  Don’t rely on one suggestion without further scrutiny. Professional move managers are excellent not just because they pre-screen for quality and price, but because they have a longstanding relationship with their vendors and a promise of repeat business.  Professional move managers constantly re-evaluate their service providers to ensure clients receive only the best.  They also insure all things stay according to plan.  Additionally, our database includes every move-related service – repairmen, window treatment businesses, electricians, cleaners etc.
6. TAKE CARE OF LOGISTICS:  Fixing last minute oversights can be costly and stressful. You’d be surprised how many people forget to tell their insurance company and Pepco they are moving, or to arrange for service at the new house.  Not applying for parking permit or scheduling elevators can cause real issues. Professional move managers have a checklist as long as your arm of minute details like these and more.
7.  DON’T MOVE OBSOLETE ITEMS:  Your move bill is determined by the quantity of boxes and other packing supplies, total weight of your belongings, and the number of pack/unpack hours.  Why add unnecessary costs by taking items you no longer want, furniture that will not fit, items you have not looked at in years and never will.    De-clutter, sort, and purge BEFORE the move, not after!
8. BE SMART WHEN SELLING VALUABLES: Downsizing often involves the sale of expensive family heirlooms, antiques, china, silver and more. Professional move managers have the contacts you need, including estate-sale agents as well as liquidators that buy everything.
9. AVOID INDISCRIMINATE PACKING: Don’t end up with interest charges on unpaid bills or a lower credit rating because of sloppy packing. Moving companies pack by room, not drawer by drawer. Whatever’s on the microwave goes in a “Kitchen” box, even if it’s a Verizon invoice. Imagine how you’ll find it in January if it’s mixed up with the summer place mats!  If you can’t pack yourself, then make sure you closely supervise the process, or hire a move manager who properly labels everything and uses common sense before placing anything in a box. Who wants to waste valuable time later searching for important documents, or spend money to replace items they can’t find.
10. USE FREE SERVICES: There are aspects of the moving process you only learn through experience, and this is one of them. There are always items to dispose of – if you can pass things on to those in need, it is a great feeling.  There are numerous charities desperate for donations and will pick up at no cost. Counties also offer free pickup of large items you may be throwing out.
11. PLAN TO THE NTH DEGREE:  Moving mangers label like crazy, make a precise floor plan with accurate measurements, and ensure everything goes exactly where it’s supposed to in the new home.  Nobody wants to re-do the movers’ job after they’ve left, struggling with heavy boxes placed in the wrong room. Plan ahead and ensure you aren’t faced with paying a second time to have someone re-locate living room furniture to the basement. Who wants to find out on move day that their king-sized bed doesn’t fit up the narrow staircase, or your antique bookcase is too wide for the office doorway?  Wrong-sized furniture should be dealt with ahead of time so its delegated along with other items and you won’t be rushing into buying replacements.
12. SUPERVISE: If you lack the time to properly oversee your move, get help. It’s not worth trying to save money on this. The additional costs/time lost for not being able to find things, items damaged or missing or simply being left with a mess, can be huge.  This is what a moving manager does.
13. MINIMIZE LOST INCOME AND VACATION DAYS: If you DIY the move, will your time away from work mean losing that lucrative contract? Will it be frowned upon at the office? Does it require giving up precious vacation time? A common error people make in preparing their move budgets is overlooking the opportunity costs of managing the move themselves. They also underestimate the stress and physical fatigue.  What about taking that longed-for beach vacation during move week, and leaving the job to a trained professional?

Contact Potomac Concierge and Have Your Moving Handled by a Pro!

Scrimping on move services is a false economy. If you’re a Washingtonian, you may have just spent upwards of $1 million on a new home.  Budgeting just a fraction of 1% of that value for a move manager helps ensure against much more costly mistakes, not to mention peace of mind. Contact us today and get your move started off on the right foot!