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Industry Facts Shopping Around

The Value of a Detailed Inventory List

A detailed home inventory list is not something that most homeowners have readily available. Keeping a current record that’s updated quarterly is a good idea, especially for high-value items. Maintaining tabs on your belongings is beneficial when it comes to insurance claims and relocating homes.
We recommend this Home Inventory Checklist created by StateFarm: https://static1.st8fm.com/en_US/content_pages/1/pdf/home_inventory_checklist.pdf

 

When contacting movers in preparation of moving, one of the most important pieces of information they’ll need to collect is the list of items being relocated. In addition to the list in itself, if you’re concerned about your delicate/expensive items, a moving company will request an approximate valuation in order to quote you for FVP (Full Value Protection) insurance for specific items or even lump sum insurance.

by Roey Hazot
Industry Facts Shopping Around

When Local Movers Guarantee a Price

Beware! Movers operating legally and under licensure provided by the ICC (Illinois Commerce Commission) are not permitted to offer guaranteed and flat-prices for a local move. Every now and again we come across a client that mentions something to the effect of, “..But X Movers quoted me exactly $500.00! Why can’t you guarantee a price!?” So, if it’s illegal, why do some movers do it?

There are two possible reasons:

 

  • A “mover” isn’t legally licensed to help people relocate within Illinois. Instead they advertise themselves on online classified pages. These guys are simply looking for work. Chances are they’ll show up with a truck, van, or even a rented truck. Since they aren’t licensed, your goods aren’t protected and covered by a movers insurance. If something is damaged…you’re on your own.
  • Bait-and-switch! A licensed mover can assure a customer that they will charge them a flat-rate of, say, $300.00 to move their 2 bedroom apartment from River North, Chicago, IL to Evanston, IL. Then the movers show up, begin the move, load the customer’s goods onto their truck, and BAM! “Hi, this is Frank with Y Movers. My crew is telling me that you have more furniture than we expected and that the move is going to take longer. We can no longer honor our quote of $300.00. We’re going to have to charge $700.00.” Well, what choices does a customer really have in such a situation? Not very many. The movers verbally told you they are offering a flat-rate, but in reality, on paper, and filed with the ICC, they charge hourly. You have to pay up, especially since your items are already on their truck.

The takeaway should be to double-check a mover’s reputation online, verify that they are licensed through the ICC, and not believe promises that other movers can’t make.

 

Resource links:

by Roey Hazot

Featured

Industry Facts Shopping Around

Top Four Sites to Search a Movers History and Reputation

 

Today we’re going to share with you the top 4 best places to search and understand a mover’s reputation online:

This following list is in no specific order

  1. BBB – Most people are familiar with BBB, at least I think they are. The Better Business Bureau “…Ensures that high standards for trust are set and maintained. We exist so consumers and businesses alike have an unbiased source to guide them on matters of trust. We provide educational information and expert advice that is free of charge and easily accessible.” This is the go-to site for seeing a quick snapshot of a mover’s reputation over the years.
  2. Moving Company Reviews – “MCR verifies every review with a Bill of Lading (move receipt) to ensure it was written by a real customer for a real move.” MCR has paved the way for reliably reviewing moving companies. Each review is verified, so you know everything you read is accurate and trustworthy.
  3. ICC – The ICC (Illinois Commerce Commission) is the issuing body for a mover’s local license. Without a license through the ICC, a moving company can’t legally perform a local relocation within Illinois. Always make sure to ask a mover what their ICC license number is, so that you may be able to double-check their credibility.
  4. DOT – The DOT (Department of Transportation) is the issuing body of a mover’s long distance licenses. Without a license through the DOT, a moving company can’t legally perform a long distance relocation.

What about all the other review sites out there? They’re nice and each serve their own purpose, but will all the sites out there it becomes too overwhelming. Pick 1, 2, 3, or 4 from the above and you should easily be able to get a general feel of a moving company.

 

A few resource links:

 

by Roey Hazot
Industry Facts

Industry Trends Are Neat!

I guess people in Chicago have had it with these passive-aggressive seasons we experience. According to AMSA’s (American Moving & Storage Association) most recently published Mobility Data trends, Chicago had the second most outbound moves in Q4, 2014!

Their reporting’s are as follows:

Top 10 Metropolitan Areas, Outbound

  1. Washington, DC
  2. Chicago, IL
  3. San Diego, CA
  4. Phoenix-Mesa, AZ
  5. New York, NY
  6. Atlanta, GA
  7. Los Angeles-Long Beach, CA
  8. Philadelphia, PA
  9. Seattle-Bellevue-Everett, WA
  10. Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN

That’s out of an estimated 307 million Americans that relocate annually!

Hopefully this just means less crowded rush hour traffic?

 

Source: http://www.promover.org/mobility

by Roey Hazot
Shopping Around

Why We Love, Love, Love MovingCompanyReviews

MCR (MovingCompanyReviews) changed the moving review’s game for the better when they first launched in 2012. See, the problem movers have (had!) with online review giants is validation. Essentially, and very easily, anyone can hop online and write a review, good or bad. There’s no verification process. It suuuucks. Why does it suuuuuck? Well, mostly because very few customers go online and publish positive reviews and, believe it or not, there was this awful period of time where movers would go and publish fake reviews bashing other companies. THE ORIGINAL INTERNET TROLLS!

 

Anyhow, fast forward to 2012 when MCR launched. They decided that it was time movers received the praise they deserved. As they so accurately write on their About Us page, “MCR verifies every review with a Bill of Lading (move receipt) to ensure it was written by a real customer for a real move.” They even reward people who post a review with a gift card, or better yet a PIZZA! If only you guys came around sooner!

 

I’ve seen a lot of good come from MCR. Most specifically, we had the chance to move MCR’s Founder, Doug Breaker. He actually wrote about it here: http://blog.movingcompanyreviews.com/how-finding-a-great-mover-took-me-3-years/. The best part…we didn’t know until after we moved him! Don’t you just love it when someone really believes in their own product? We sure do!

 

Thank you MCR for trying to fix an issue the moving industry has been facing for quite some time now.

by Roey Hazot
Packing Tips

What the Heck is Partial Packing?

Partial packing is the most cost-effective packing-of-furniture solution out there. Its aim is to make a customer’s relocation as smooth a transition as possible. Partial packing service covers all basic household furniture. It includes moving pads and blankets, industrial sized bubble wrap, durable shrink wrap, and specialized packing tape.

Moving pads and blankets are the most regularly used protector for furniture during the transportation phase. The most common furniture item that is packaged with a moving pad is wooden furniture. China cabinets, dining tables, office desks, and anything of the like will be securely packaged in blankets. Aside from what was just mentioned, items that are irregularly shaped will be covered as well. An irregularly shaped item can be as common as an office chair, to a disassembled bed frame, or even a BBQ. The moving pad is the most versatile tool a packer has.

Bubble wrap is used on any and all fragile items. When it comes to packing glass/fragile items extra protection has to be accounted for. This is why a mover can’t use generic wrapping, rather the industrial standard of bubble wrap. This type of wrap will protect anything from a TV, to the glass top on your coffee table. All mirrors that are part of your moving list will also have a layer of this security wrap. Fragile items that are packed with bubble wrap give those moving the reassurance that their most delicate belongings will remain undamaged.

Upholstered furniture requires special protection from the elements. The shrink wrap movers use will keep your most cherished upholstered furniture clean and safe during transportation. Common items that are wrapped in shrink wrap include sofas, mattresses, and floor lamps. Dust, rain, and dirt stand no chance against multi-layering of shrink wrap on your belongings.

The most important tool a packer has is tape. Tape is used on almost every single item. Special tear-resistant tape helps movers secure their specialized materials to all of your furniture. When it comes to using tape, movers aren’t sparing.

by Roey Hazot
Packing Tips

Packing Boxes! WOOHOO!

The 6 most common type of boxes are:

  1. Small (Book) Box
  2. Medium Box
  3. Large Box
  4. Wardrobe Box
  5. Picture Box
  6. China (Dish Pack) Box

Small boxes should contain your heaviest items, that aren’t super fragile. Make sure you stuff these guys with smaller items that carry weight, i.e. books, CD’s, bricks, etc.

Medium boxes should hold everything else that you wouldn’t put in a small or large box. All miscellaneous items, such as: contents in your drawers, remotes, cable boxes, kid’s toys, etc.

Large boxes should be filled with anything that takes up a lot of volume, but isn’t too heavy. Common items that go in large boxes are shoes, clothing, linens, etc.

Wardrobe boxes hold articles of clothing that are on a hanger. This tall box has a metal rod near the top that can support 25-50 hangers.

Picture boxes are used to carry pictures, mirrors, and/or TV’s. Depending on a picture/mirrors size, you can fit anywhere from 1-5 pieces per box.

China boxes are meant to hold any fragile items. These range from dishes and china, to lamps and fragile decorative pieces.

Most movers offer a full pack options. Taking this route means that the movers will bring their own boxes and pack every last item in your home. WHOA!

by Roey Hazot
Shopping Around

Choosing the right local mover in Chicago!

 

You know that feeling when your car is low on gas and you happen to be at an intersection that has four different gas stations all adjacent to one another? Yeah, search the web for movers in Chicago and you’ll feel the same way. Moving locally in Chicago can be easy; Moving in general can be stress free. When looking for a mover, here are the most important questions to ask:

 

  1. How does your company charge for a move? By default, and within Illinois, a company that moves you locally has to charge based on a set hourly rate and the amount of time that it takes to complete your move. Most companies will have a minimum amount of hours, which range from 2-4. In addition to labor charges, it’s common for a mover to have a set charge for the truck rental.
  2. What packing materials does your company include for free? Moving pads are the most common and versatile furniture padding a mover will use. A moving pad is a thick quilt that can be affixed to most household furniture pieces. The problem is: a good (but bad) amount of movers will tell you that this is all you’ll need. Come move day and they’ll charge you for tape, shrink wrap, and bubble wrap.
  3. Are you licensed/insured and/or bonded? A true pro mover in Chicago will be licensed and insured. If they are, they should be able to provide a COI (certificate of insurance.) A COI will reflect a relocation expert’s level of coverage. A bonded mover is one that is unionized. This isn’t a necessity, but does speak nicely about the quality of their movers.

 

Regardless of the above, the most important factor (aside from the overall cost) is the feeling you get from the relocation consultant you get in contact with. If you don’t feel the connection and the rep constantly rushes you, keep shopping around.

 

Good luck and happy moving!

by Roey Hazot

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