Whether you have always believed in magic or utterly denied it, you may wish to master a magic trick or two when moving house. Surely, a powerful magic spell would be of much use when you need to relocate an entire household across the country. Practicing relocation magic, however, may be a bit of a challenge. But even if you can’t get magical assistance for your forthcoming relocation, professional moving assistance might serve you just as well. Especially if you hire a full service moving company to do the job, you may really feel like a spectator of a magic show – all your belongings will disappear from your old home and reappear at your new residence without any effort on your part. If you are curious to understand how that happens, you need to know what do full service movers do and why some people even consider a self-move when they have the option to hire professionals and forget all about hectic packing, heavy lifting, and moving stress.
What is a full-service moving company?
Full service movers will handle your move from start to finish. This means that experienced professionals will pack your household items and personal possessions, load them into the moving truck, drive the vehicle to your final destination, unload your belongings, take them to their rightful places in your new home, and even reassemble furniture, set up appliances and dispose of the packing materials, if you wish so.
What does full-service moving include?
Full service moving is all-inclusive. So, once you have booked the services of a trustworthy full service moving company, all you need to do is decide on your moving date and state your specific requirements. The movers will take care of everything else – all the essential aspects and small details of the moving procedure.
How does a full-service moving company work?
Full-service movers will come to your home at the agreed time on Moving day to safely pack your items and disassemble your furniture (if necessary). When your belongings are properly prepared for shipping, the movers will take them out of your property and secure them in the moving truck. An experienced driver will take the vehicle to your destination. Upon delivery, the movers will repeat the above-described procedures in reverse order.
How to find reliable full-service movers?
Your first step is to get a full service moving online quote. You will be contacted by several reputable companies that will offer to do the job for you. Research the candidates, read full service moving reviews, and single out three or four companies that seem to offer the best proportion between quality of service and requested price. Ask these selected companies for on-site binding estimates and use the opportunity to get all the relevant information you need. Review your options with the moving company representatives who come to your place, inform them of any possible obstacles, state your specific preferences, discuss any extra conditions, and go into meticulous details to get an accurate estimate of the final full service moving cost. Compare the received offers, and pick the movers that best suit your needs and your available budget. Have in mind that going for the lowest offer may turn out to be a severe mistake (you may end up dealing with inexperienced movers or, even worse, rogue movers).
SEE ALSO: How to avoid moving scams
When making your final choice, consider the company’s experience and reputation, verify its USDOT number, check with the FMSCA about records of past problems or complaints, and make sure you are going to put your move in the hands of licensed, insured, and reliable professionals. Finally, ask for possible discounts, settle on a convenient moving date, and read the moving contract carefully before signing it.
What are the advantages and disadvantages of full-service moving?
To make an informed decision about your forthcoming relocation, you need to weigh all the pros and cons of full service moving.
So, why use full-service movers?
The main advantage to this moving option is that you will be working with licensed and experienced professionals who will provide the best possible protection to your belongings and will insure them in transit. What’s more, you won’t have to lift a finger during the arduous moving process – the movers will do all the hard work and will take care of all the details.
If you opt for full-service moving:
- Your belongings will be packed by professionals who will complete the task in a quick and efficient manner. Not only will you have your items packed as safely as possible, but you won’t have to spend hours on end on the laborious packing process;
- The movers will do all the hard work, so you won’t be exhausted by Herculean moving tasks and won’t risk accidents and injuries during the strenuous moving procedures;
- Your move will be performed by experienced professionals who have been trained in the best practices of the moving industry. They have the required know how and the proper equipment to complete all the moving tasks with maximum speed, safety, and efficiency;
- Your belongings will be properly insured. Full service moving companies accept the liability for any personal possessions damaged or lost while being in their custody. However, the basic liability protection that comes for free covers only $0.60 per lbs per item which and doesn’t allow punitive damage claims, so you may want to pay a little extra for full value protection and ensure your peace of mind;
- You will have a gratifying moving experience, without any of the hassles and troubles typically involved in the moving process. All in all, there will be no moving stress for you.
But, why NOT use full-service movers?
- You will have very little control over the situation. If you have already envisaged the entire moving process and want your items to be organized to your liking, or certain things to be done in a particular way, opting for full moving service may not be a good idea;
- The full service moving cost is quite high. You will get what you pay for (speed, efficiency, safety, peace of mind, no stress, no hard physical work), but full service moving will cost you more than any other moving option.
How much does full-service moving cost?
Despite all the pros and cons of different moving options, it is usually the cost of the move that determines your final choice. The answer to the crucial question How much do full service movers cost?, however, can vary significantly depending on a number of factors. You’ll have to get an estimate for an accurate number, but you can easily calculate the approximate amount of your relocation expenses if you know how full service moving companies estimate the cost of moving.
The full service moving cost is based on the distance to your final destination, the total weight of your shipment, the time required for packing, loading and unloading your goods, the number of movers involved in the process, the complexity of the job, and your specific requirements. Have in mind that the prices and charges are different for local and long distance moves.
- When moving locally, you will be charged by the hour. You can expect an average cost of $100 per hour (for two movers and a truck). Keep in mind that most companies have a minimum charge, equal to the charge of 3-4 hours’ work. So, even if you are moving a one-bedroom apartment across town, the final full service mover’s cost will be at least $400;
- When moving out of state, your final moving costs may soar up to $10,000, depending on the actual distance to your new home and the weight of your items. You can bring down the costs a bit if you reduce the number of items you are going to relocate, pack by yourself and transport some of your belongings in your own car, etc., but full service moving will not be light on your budget.
SEE ALSO: How to cut down on moving costs
To sum it up, a full-service move is the most advantageous option for home movers who:
1) are too busy to pack up their belongings and take care of all the laborious moving tasks;
2) have to move on a short notice and don’t have the time to organize the arduous moving process on their own;
3) can take advantage of job relocation packages, major discounts, or any other special conditions that will allow them to have most of their moving expenses covered by someone else.
If you want to save time and minimize stress during your relocation, consider full service moving – it may not be your cheapest option, but it is certainly your easiest, safest, and most beneficial option.
