Hidden Moving Costs You Should Know About
We at All My Sons Moving & Storage of Boise will not play the hidden cost game with you. We want to ensure a quality move to Boise for you, and in order to do so, we will give you the breakdown of costs for your move. What you’re typically looking at when hiring movers and their costs, it’s not simply their time, the gas, and the move, it’s a pretty complex breakdown. Sometimes, other companies may tell you a certain price for a truck and a few movers but will hide a bunch of other charges underneath that too-good-to-be-true quote.
Here’s what you may find is hidden:
Moving Insurance.
Your basic protection is typically between 30 and 60 cents per pound of all combined items for your move. This will more than likely not cover the true value, replacement, or reinstatement of your belongings. Often times, a company will offer Full Value Protection, which will cost considerably more money.
Extra Charges for Bulky Items
Some other movers may charge quite a bit extra for having to handle larger, heavier items, from pianos to pool tables to lawnmowers, playground equipment, and other large, heavy, and bulky items.
Long-Carry and Negotiation Fees
Movers will usually charge extra for long-distance carrying—like if the moving truck is down the street from the house or relatively far from the house, they may assess a fee for every 75 feet they have to carry an item (distances may vary). This is a tricky bit that most people do not know about, so it is best to check with your mover to know if and how they will assess this fee.
Just as well, they may charge an extra fee for having to navigate stairways, elevators, doorways and hallways of irregular dimensions.
Cancellation/Change of Service Fees
This is one fee plenty of movers assess. If you need to cancel or change your service, they may keep a deposit or ask that you pay them a percentage of your quoted price. Because All My Sons does not deal with contracts (we use Orders of Service), we do not charge for cancellations or changes to your order of service if work has not yet been done.
Storage
Some companies charge extra for storage, some offer 30 days free storage (already included in your quoted price). Storage fees can be equated to a monthly vault charge by weight or by square footage, typically $1 per sq. ft. or $60 per 1500 pounds.
Extra Stops
If you have not added multiple stops/pickups for your move, and thus have not had them added to your estimated cost, they may be added on if you need to load-up at the house, then at a storage unit, drop-off some items at a new unit, and then finally unload the rest at the new house, or how ever the itinerary must go. Be sure to request extra stops if you need them.
Travel Fees
These fees are not necessarily between one house and another, but between their business location and your home and then the final destination and their business location. It may cost them a good deal in gas and time per mover to travel from and back to their home base, and they will, more than likely, charge you for their travel.
Fuel Charges
These charges are usually included in the original estimate/quote for service. But sometimes, a company will unjustly tack on an extra surcharge for fuel consumption for the move. Unless it is expressly stated that the services do not include the price of fuel which will be determined later, this surcharge is illegal. Be wary of this extra cost assessment. Even if you make an agreement with a mover to assess the cost of fuel at a later time, you should probably work with another moving company for your move to Boise; this is just plain unfair.
AVOID SURPRISES
Ask your mover for a breakdown of costs. Scrutinize the details and ask questions if you don’t understand something. If they don’t give a straightforward answer, it may be time to get another mover. You don’t want hidden fees to get in the way of your move. All My Sons Moving & Storage will be straightforward with you. We don’t want to hide anything from you. We will breakdown every cost at your request, so you can understand where your money is going.
Another useful tip is to get a professional survey and evaluation done for your move. Our moving experts at All My Sons will take a full inventory of your move, including weights and dimensions of your belongings as well as what fragile items there may be. With this, we will accurately assess and evaluate your move. No surprises, no hidden fees. You will be comfortable to know that you’ve got an honest family to take care of yours on the move to Boise.
If you need packing help, a few extra supplies, or you’re moving local or long-distance to Boise, we’ve got you covered. We’ll even move your car!
Give us a call today for your free, no-obligation quote at (208) 272-9405!