Moving Questions for Movers

[SuzySunshine]

We have now received the 3 bids for our move. They are all very close to each other in weight and price so I want to send each person an e-mail with questions so that we can decide.

This is what I have so far - what else should I ask?

- Please give me the name of the local agent who will be overseeing the packing/loading and unpacking/unloading? A reference from a satisfied customer at each end of our move would also be helpful.
- Are the packers, loaders, and unpackers employees of the local agent (or company) at both ends of the move?
- If the truck is loaded here on April 11th, when can we expect delivery of our goods?
- Please verify that the packing and loading dates we requested are still available? (include dates)
- Does your bid include disassembly and reassembly of furniture that you plan to take apart for the move?

One company specific:
- You have chosen to bid a shuttle service for our belongings, you are the only of the 3 that did this. The other two bid a long haul because of our driveway but still feel they can park the big truck on our street. How do we ensure that all belongings we sign off on at pick-up are moved from the shuttle truck to the cross country truck without being present at the transfer? (I'm kind of hoping this question will prod them to re-do their bid and take out the shuttle this would bring them more in line with the other 2 and this is the company the hospital prefers we use so paying them would be MUCH easier...)

What else??

[alison]

Which companies are they, may I ask? If they all come in about the same, I'd go with Allied. . They've always been on time, reliable (careful) and fast with (dis)assembly. They've only broken a printer and a lamp the times we've used them--and we got reimbursed within a week.

[SuzySunshine]

North American and Graebel are almost identical. Allied is more expensive but they are the one only of the 3 that bid a shuttle. Because of our driveway you can not get the big truck up it, which we expected but both NA and Graebel bid a long haul, meaning their loaders would have to carry it to the street to put it on the big truck but Allied bit a shuttle truck which adds a few thousand to the bid. I'm hopeful once I tell them they are the only one that bid it that way that they will take it off, then all 3 will be pretty much identical. Allied is who DH's hospital would prefer we use and therefore if anything went wrong they would handle it which I would prefer anyway but not at their current bid because their $1500 over our reimbursement and I don't want to pay the extra when the other two are under our limit.

[alison]

The hospital is paying for it though, right?

Allied has usually come in a bit higher for us when we've gotten bids, and for both our moves they packed our things using their brains and consulted us a lot when it came to baby stuff that they thought I may really need during the transit time. I appreciated them not just throwing things into random boxes and thought their bid made the most sense.

If the other movers say they don't need a shuttle, they will be there forever and piss off neighbors.

[alison]

They also quoted us for a shuttle, btw. They removed that charge when they realized they could do it without one.

[ides]

A long driveway or steep driveway does not need a shuttle.

[SuzySunshine]

We have a moving budget, $10K that was in DH's contract. Two of the bids come in just under that - the Allied bid is $1500 over that and we still have to pay about $1K to move DH's car so if we got with Allied we're looking at $2500 out of pocket for the move. We parked our ABF truck at the bottom of our driveway for a day and a half and it was not in anyone's way, I don't see how the big truck will be any different.

[SuzySunshine]

A long driveway or steep driveway does not need a shuttle.

I agree - we moved everything UP the driveway ourselves, people I'm paying can move things DOWN the driveway without charging me $3K for a shuttle. Plus I don't really want them moving my stuff off of a shuttle and onto a big truck out of my view, it just screams for something to get lost.

[JaneDoe]

Friends of ours who moved from Oregon to Florida this past December used Graebel. They had nothing but positve things to say about them. I was shocked by how quickly they moved their stuff.

The shuttle would concern me actually because it means extra handling of your stuff and therefore greater chance of damage. Have you compared the insurance for damaged goods offered by each of the three moving companies? I dont know if they differ at all, but it's worth considering. Chances are something wil be damaged during the move.

[alison]

If they're afraid their truck won't make it around bends or clear something above them, then I can see why they'd want a shuttle. But do ask!!!

[ides]

We had to use a shuttle from nyc & our stuff was moved from shuttle to warehouse to truck. Several boxes were lost & some furniture was damaged. Avoid one if you can.