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Cheap Full Service Movers and Packers, Costs, Costs, and Everything you Should Know

What's in this article?
  1. Cheap Full Service Movers And Packers, Costs, Costs, And Everything You Should Know
  2. Non-Binding Quotes
  3. Binding Quotes
  4. Must Know
  5. Costs Of Hiring A Moving Company
  6. Local Cheap Full Service Movers And Packers
  7. Long Distance Moving Costs
Cheap Full Service Movers and Packers, Costs, Costs, and Everything you Should Know

Cheap Full Service Movers and Packers, Costs, Costs, and Everything you Should Know

Before covering the actual costs of cheap full service movers and packers, let us first review what their service is all about. It comes in a series of services, enumerated as follows:

  • Home inspection. Before the move can begin and before you can settle on a price for it, a company representative must first visit your home and make an in-home inspection. This is done to assess how many items need moving, what moving them will cost, what truck will be needed and how many people.
  • Assessing the risks. Another goal the representative doing the inspection will have is to assess the risks related to the move. Certain items, like pianos, hot tubs, safes, pool tables, artwork, old furniture piece, are more difficult to relocate and / or must be handled with greater care. The expert must take note of the home’s exit routes, as well as any obstacles, such as tight or narrow corners, the lack of an elevator, small doors, etc.
  • Insurance. When moving highly valuable and / or expensive items, it’s recommended you discuss purchasing insurance with your movers. The liability coverage given by your contract with the moving company may not cover the entire value of your items.
  • Estimating the Price. When it comes to estimating the price of the move, know it will be affected by the following factors: the scheduled date, the shipment’s weight, the nature and number of additional services you ask for, as well as the distance to the items’ new location. After making his / her calculations, the representative will normally issue you a moving estimate, either a binding or non-binging one. You can find out more about these two quote types later in this article.
  • Packing. Cheap full service movers and packers will of course pack your items before picking them up. This is the most energy draining and time consuming task in moving, so it’s best left to the company.

Also, since different items need different levels of protection, inadequate packing may lead to them breaking during transport.

So, you are not held responsible for their destruction, we recommend you leave this part of the process to the company’s team.

  • Disassembling the furniture. Movers will also disassemble your furniture, then reassemble it at the new location. This is done to speed up the move, but also because some furniture will not fit through a door in its assembled state.
  • Moving your automobile. Cheap full service movers and packers may collaborate with an auto transport company to come and pick up your vehicle. They are fully equipped for the task, so you can entrust your automobile to their care.
  • Custom Services. Depending on the challenges posed by your move, the process will be customized. The company may bring custom crates to move your artwork or move certain items through your windows. Because each home and the furniture inside it is different, no 2 moves will be exactly the same.
  • Delivering your belongings. After signing the contract, the entire process becomes the responsibility of the movers. They will load your items in a truck, drive it to its new destination, and unload it there. Many movers offer a one time placement of your items as part of their package, meaning if you know where you want everything placed in your new home, they can do it for you.
  • Re-assembling your furniture. Cheap full service movers and packers will reassemble all your furniture and place it where you ask them.
  • Disposing of packing materials. The packaging materials used when picking up your items will not be left in your driveway. Cheap full service movers and packers will gather them all and remove them from your property, if you request it.

A-1 Auto Transport can help you move your household goods nationwide. Call 888-241-3110 to get a free, no obligation to buy price quote on interstate moving services.

Non-Binding Quotes

If the person assessing your belongings prior to the move gives you a non binding quote, it should not be considered the final price. This is an estimate, so you know what to roughly expect the move to cost. The final price may or may not exceed it.

The non-binding quote must mention that the amount they will collect when delivering your goods cannot exceed 110% of the original estimate. However, this does not apply to services rendered after the contract, after you’ve loaded the items. These additional services are billed within 30 days of delivery. To avoid any potential scammers, always ask for the price of any service outside the pick-up, driving and delivery package.

Also, cheap full service movers and packers are required by law to give you a legal weight certificate, after weighing your belongings on a certified scale. You can request to be present at the weighing of your items, since this will affect the final price of the move.

Binding Quotes

A binding estimate is an agreement in writing between you and the moving company. It is made during the reservation and mentions the move’s total cost, according to the cubic feet / weight of your items and the services you need.

The law permits movers to ask for a charge when giving binding estimates in writing. However, you should not be misled by the binding part of the paper and think it is the final price.

If on the day of the move, the items which need moving seem to be more than what was agreed upon, the carrier is not obligated to respect the quote and move the items. Before your belongings are placed in the truck, the company may reconfirm the quote, give you a revised quote in writing, or change the binding quote into a non binding one.

Both parties must agree to these changes. Before signing anything, double check the new rates, services and weight.

Must Know

All estimates must be given to you in writing, and contain the cubic feet and weight of your household items, all the requested services, the rates of these services and the way you will pay for them: credit card, check, cash, or money order.

  • Note: If the company provides you with additional services, regardless if it is done at your request or is a necessary part of the move, they will ask you for their payment before unloading the items. According to federal law, cheap full service movers and packers must give you a minimum of one hour to decide if you want any additional services. If you agree to pay for these services, the company must make a written attachment as part of your bill of landing which you will have to sign.
  • Remember: The Federal Government requires and allows only 2 moving estimates: non-binding and binding. For more information on the laws governing the transport of household good across different states, check the code of federal regulations, title 49, chapter 3, subchapter B, part 375, Subpart D.

Costs of Hiring a Moving Company

Cheap full service movers and packers cannot offer you an exact price until they see your home and belongings. This is because each case is different. However, whether you’re moving across town, across the state or to the other side of the U.S., the costs of relocating your belongings will always be influenced by the following factors:

  • Distance: The longer the distance between the pick up and the delivery point, the more your transport will cost. Longer trips will have to account for the driver’s lodging and meals as well.
  • Weight: It’s recommended you get rid of or sell any items you no longer need to reduce the costs of transportation. Heavier / larger items require bigger trucks / trailers to carry them, as well as more labor to pack, load, and unload them. Because of this, cheap full service movers and packers will charge you more proportional to the weight of your things.
  • Extra services. Any additional service you require or ask for will add to the final price. Before signing anything, discuss the moving process with the company to check which services you can skip to save money.

Local Cheap Full Service Movers and Packers

Most companies charge local moves by the hour. Therefore, if a single worker takes care of your move in a single hour, you can expect to pay approximately $30. The time it takes for cheap full service movers and packers to complete your move depends on the level of difficulty, distance between your residences, etc.

If the place you’re moving from is a studio apartment, the job can usually be done by 2 movers in at most 4 hours. So, you can expect to pay around $180-$240. Moving from a 2 bedroom home, normally takes 6-7 hours for 3 movers to perform, so the cost should be at most $630. Finally, 3 bedroom apartment moves require 4 people and approximately 9-10 hours. In this case, the costs can go up to $1200.

Of course, these examples are just approximations and should not be considered exact measurements. They will vary depending on your unique circumstances.

Long Distance Moving Costs

Cheap full service movers and packers calculate long distance costs differently from local ones. For example, if you’re leaving a studio apartment and plan on moving 2000 pounds worth of items over a 1000 miles distance, it may cost you around $1500. This is excluding any additional services.

Leaving a 1 bedroom apartment with 3500 pounds weighing belongings over 1000 miles will cost you around $2500. A 2 bedroom apartment may have around 6000 pounds worth of items. To move all those belongings over a 1000 miles distance, you’ll have to pay around $4200, excluding any additional services.

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Joe Webster always knew the auto transport industry would be a great career option. And with decades of experience, Joe is now an established consultant for A1 Auto Transport.

Joe was born in Santa Cruz, California. During high school, Joe worked as a mechanic; a job continued to work part-time during his bachelor's degree.

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NO. 018191NF
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Paramount, CA 90723
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Boca Raton, FL 33431
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FMC 22206
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Edison, NJ 08837
NO. 17858N
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1160 South Rogers Circle Suite 1
Boca Raton, FL 33487
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NO. 021869F
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