About a 500 mile move. Decent sized house filled with the usual stuff.

Any advice? Pitfalls to avoid? Recommended carriers?

Thanks in advance. Haven't done a move in 10+ years.

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Our best moves were always done by Graebel.

We moved from San Antonio to North Atlanta in February.

The truck showed up at our new house 20 days after they loaded in San Antonio.

Per contract, they had 21 business days. All others we checked were the same.

We brought enough in our vehicles and trailer to live off of but were glad when the truck arrived.

Hand carry your Jewelry, watches, guns and other expensive valuable in your vehicle.

Some movers hire people with "Sticky Fingers".

Read the contract carefully and know it. If you have access to a legal services, have them look over the contract for you.

Nail down whether you're paying by the contract or by the hour. Or a combination of both.

Do as much of the packing as you can so that all they do is load the truck.

If there are really priceless stuff you won't be able to live without should they get lost or damaged, take them with you.

Figure out if you're getting the full truck or if you'll be sharing the truck. Figure out the timing also and make contingency plans.

Good luck.

We moved from MO to IA, about 300 miles on a company dime, they paid United $20,000 to move us, what amounted to half a semi, in 4 days 3 guys packed our house, moved and unloaded, we had to unpack. Ours was a direct move out of luck though, no storage, I had to pass them on the way to let them in the next day. Nothing was broken. They'd grab two cans of green beans, wrap it in paper and put it in the box, then grab two more and do the same. It was a treasure hunt unboxing. I bought the crew lunch each day. In St Louis random people kept showing up asking if they needed help. Comically, they kept my 10yr old push mower out in the rain covered with a box and then charged the company a $300 "riding mower" fee. The 3rd party fees were 3 times what the items were worth. The cats, guns, computers and small valuables rode with me.

If I had known it would cost that much, I would have taken $15,000, hired a company to tag sale most of it, Uhauled or donated the rest and bought new once I moved.

I've worked with several guys over the years who were movers, both drivers and packers.

The piece of advice I can give you based on conversations with these guys. Treat them decently, and your stuff has a better chance of being treated decently. There are any number of ways to get back at you / your wife for what is perceived as a condecending manner.

Oh, clean out your fun medication before they show up. That certainly seemed to be a common oops that must be lost in another box item.

quote:

Originally posted by reflex/deflex 64:
I've worked with several guys over the years who were movers, both drivers and packers.

The piece of advice I can give you based on conversations with these guys. Treat them decently, and your stuff has a better chance of being treated decently. There are any number of ways to get back at you / your wife for what is perceived as a condecending manner.

I’d love to hear some of the stories, if you wouldn’t mind?

12 moves in 24 years.

Designate a room as “off limits” to movers. Mark it with a sign...keep it locked. In that room put everything you are going to move yourself: valuables, guns, ammo, important papers (wills, deeds, titles, birth/marriage certificates), clothes for the length of the move.

Feed your moving crew. Ask them what they want—-they usually tire of pizza. They are packing everything you own..it’s ok to spring for lunch. Also, lots of water, Gatorade, etc. also—designate which bathroom you want them to use—-they will ask.

Actually I'll be curious what the costs come back. I have a possible move with roughly the same miles.

We moved from Michigan to Colorado. Self packed everything we could into boxes. Furniture was all wrapped in blankets and plastic by the movers the day of the move. The same movers who packed us out in Michigan were the same guys who delivered everything 3 days later to Colorado. They not only moved our stuff into the new place but made an extra stop to a storage unit at no extra charge. I tipped both guys $100 cash each on the front and back end and fed them cold drinks and pizza. Not one bit of trouble for the entire move. We used ‘Two Men and a Truck’

Make sure they have insurance.

pack everything yourself that you can

number the boxes

hand carry your own really valuable stuff

let them do the heavy lifting

thanks for the feedback

if you have 'preferred vendors' please let me know

we boxed yesterday for 6 hours and barely made a dent (bought 24 med. and large boxes from walmart).

this may hurt: $$$.

i can take the guns / ammo. wonder if they will move the safe.

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When packing, pack to eliminate movement. Don't assume it won't be turned on the side or upside down (that goes for furniture with drawers too).

quote:

Originally posted by FRANKT:
Our best moves were always done by Graebel.

Our move from NJ to Utah was with Graebel, it went great. That was some years ago but I'd use them again.

I shipped guns and an expensive custom knife collection with them. I packed in boxes with books and fishing equipment, there was no problem. The only thing they packed were large pieces of wall art, did an excellent job.

quote:

Originally posted by Sig209:
thanks for the feedback

if you have 'preferred vendors' please let me know

we boxed yesterday for 6 hours and barely made a dent (bought 24 med. and large boxes from walmart).

this may hurt: $$$.

i can take the guns / ammo. wonder if they will move the safe.

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Have a huge garage sale and get rid of a lot of stuff you rarely use/don't need, if you can.

Don't be surprised if it costs $8 to $10k to move a family. I know I was.

Definitely dejunk, take things to the dump, sell, donate, etc anything and everything you dont use or want to have packed. They will literally pack trash if you let them.

Oh, and TIP your moving guys. They do have your valuables for 2 to 3 weeks.

quote:

Originally posted by reloader-1:

quote:

Originally posted by reflex/deflex 64:
I've worked with several guys over the years who were movers, both drivers and packers.

The piece of advice I can give you based on conversations with these guys. Treat them decently, and your stuff has a better chance of being treated decently. There are any number of ways to get back at you / your wife for what is perceived as a condecending manner.

I’d love to hear some of the stories, if you wouldn’t mind?

Demands to unpack boxes answered with a razor knife cutting the bottom 1" off and lifting the top off, spilling shit out onto the floor. Packing washing machines full of wet clothes, packing dirty dishes/food. Knowing things will vibrate and mess up the finish.

What I gathered was the difference between what the company paid move provided and what the family expected being very different led to many issues. Poor military families treated the movers like gold, appreciating the work involved, even providing lunch and beer money. Then it's off to a 7 figure home to be treated like shit.

It might not always be an accident when households travel coast to coast and back again or your stuff is stored very deep in a warehouse. Some of what I've been told is no doubt "trucker stories", but I've certainly seen a theme.

I haven't had to move in ages, but some friends used one of those pod systems and really liked it.