Moving!

August 8, 2005 5:47 AM

Thinking about hiring movers for my next move...

1) How much can I reasonably be expected to pay? I'll be moving in-town, probably no more 10 minutes or so down the street, from a 2-bedroom apartment to a townhouse, and it could certainly be done in a few hours.
2) Will movers move boxes that they did not pack? I'm not sure about the liability issues (they don't want to be held responsible if I pack something incorrectly and it breaks in transit). I'm much more concerned with the furniture, which I really don't want to deal with, so if someone won't move boxes, that's fine.
3) Are you supposed to tip after the move? If so, what amount is appropriate?

posted by emptybowl to grab bag (30 comments total)

Answer to #3 here.
posted by kuperman at 5:50 AM on August 8, 2005

Oh, and I live in the Annapolis, MD area, if that matters any.
posted by emptybowl at 5:50 AM on August 8, 2005

The Truth About The Moving Industry

I found this link not too long ago. I knew there was a reason I saved it!

I live in Maryland, too...

I hired a company called Allstate Movers back in 1998. They had a full page ad in the local phone book. Their representative came to my apartment, looked at all of the boxes and furniture, and quoted me a price. Moving Day arrived. The movers showed up in a rented truck from UHaul, with several non-English speaking helpers. The guy who quoted me a firm price for my move turned out to be the boss in charge of getting my furniture ready to put in the truck. He must have used a mile of padding and stretchy plastic wrap. I saw at least four or five rolls of packing tape get wound around my already taped boxes.

At the end of a very long day of packing the truck, we arrived at my new place. Lo and Behold! The boss man wanted his money up front before the workers would unload the truck. Oh, and the price was considerably higher than his quote. "Packing materials, tape, extra time, more boxes than I saw..." Yeah, right.

I resisted. He insisted. I asked to speak to his boss. I got somebody on the phone and negotiated. I threatened to call the police. All the time I was afraid that this creep was going to drive off with all of my possessions in the truck, and I'd be hard-pressed to get anything back.

Finally, we reached a compromise. I paid more - by several hundreds of dollars - than I was quoted in writing, and the tired workers unloaded my possessions into a heap in the middle of each room.

My story isn't unusual, as it turns out. Be careful. I saved that link for you...
posted by Corky at 6:06 AM on August 8, 2005

I am going through this too. I called a local firm, they are sending someone out to give me a quote for the time and men required. The customer service rep told me that 1 truck and 2 men would run $100/hr (min. 4 hours), 3 men and 1 truck would run $138. She told me that it could probably be completed in the 4 hour time frame. I have a 2 bedroom (~1000 sq. ft. apt.) and am moving into a house ~6 miles away. When my parents moved, they had to sign an insurance form for all of the items moved, including items boxed personally. Since they also told me that I could "rent" boxes from them - $2 per carton refundable when I give them back (up to 2 weeks after the move), I imagine they would move what you pack.
posted by blackkar at 6:09 AM on August 8, 2005

I've used movers a few times, and I've found that the most important part is in finding a good mover. A reliable company will make a world of difference between a smooth move and a nightmare. Ask for recommendations from people you know. Don't be afraid to ask questions when you call companies, and ask what recourse you have if you're unhappy with any component of your move. (A good answer to that question is that a supervisor will be travelling throughout the day and visiting move sites to make sure you're happy with how things are going.) A good company will be happy to answer your questions and make you feel at ease. If you have any qualms after talking to a company, don't hire them.

Now, to answer your questions:

1) You'll have to call a few companies and get an estimate. They'll give you their hourly rate plus a tough idea of how many hours and people they think the job will take. Hours x people x rate = your cost. Some companies will send someone out to give you an estimate, but others will just give an educated phone estimate for a 2-bedroom apartment with an average amount of stuff.

I moved from one apartment to another a couple of times, and it took an average of 5 - 6 hours with 2 movers. If you have a lot of furniture or a lot of heavy boxes, it will take longer or require another mover. It usually ended up costing around $500 or including tips, but then I haven't moved for a few years so I'm sure that's increased by now.

2) Sure, but as you said, they won't willingly be held liable for anything that breaks. However, good movers know how to move lots of boxes quickly yet carefully. Still, I recommend carrying any very fragile or very valuable things yourself, if only for peace of mind.

Also, pack well; get newspapers, foam pellets, and bubble wrap and use them as needed. Things are less likely to break if they don't have any room to move around in their boxes.

3) Yes. $20 per person is a reasonable amount for the move you're describing. Having water is a nice idea, and I've always offered lunch as well (*not* a requirement by any stretch, just a gesture), which is sometimes accepted, sometimes not. When it's accepted, I order up a few pizzas.

Lastly, try not to worry too much. It's such a luxury to have people to move your stuff, that even if they're a little late or put some boxes in the wrong room, it's still much better than doing it yourself. Good luck!
posted by boomchicka at 6:14 AM on August 8, 2005

I had really good luck using the movers I found (and that had good ratings) on emove.com. It was linked through U-Haul so they certainly moved things they didn't pack. They were more truck-loaders than anything else.
posted by abbyladybug at 6:29 AM on August 8, 2005

I've done similar moves a couple times in the past in North Carolina. Since you're using movers and not moving that far, the game is a little different than a complicated cross-country move.

I've used Two Men and a Truck and been happy with them. None of these hijacking-my-stuff horror stories. Be very clear that you just want movers and pack your own stuff. The bad stuff seems to happen when you get the company to pack for you...

Now, right away, only ask the company to move furniture and boxes. Do not have them move boxes with fragile or important stuff in them (computers, dishes, glasses, china). Yeah you'll have to move some stuff yourself, but its much better than them breaking it and having to file insurance.

Take all the boxes you want them to move and stack them near the front door. This speeds up your move time immensely. Make sure to label them clearly.

So more to answer your questions:
1. It usually runs about $300-400 for what you're talking about.
2. They will move boxes they didn't pack, but I highly recommend you don't let them move anything fragile or extremely valuable. You're close to your moving destination, so move that stuff yourself.
3. Already been addressed. I've never tipped in cash, but I have given away stuff like car speakers or other electronics that I didn't want anymore. Those seem to be appreciated as much as money.
posted by Sasquatch at 6:39 AM on August 8, 2005

Boomchicka is right. Have at least water (although for one early-morning move I had big bottles of water, and coffee + doughnuts). Offering lunch is a nice gesture as well, but they might not take you up on it, preferring to move on to their next job. Almost every mover will move boxes they haven't packed; if they have a problem with that, they'll most likely be up front about that.
posted by Vidiot at 6:41 AM on August 8, 2005

I'm in Maryland too, and I've moved several times from apartment to apartment (and, most recently, from a 2-bedroom apartment to a 4-bedroom townhome). In response to your specific questions:

1. I've always paid between $600-$800 for a move like the one you describe. That included three movers and a truck. Most recently, however, the move cost around $1,100 (but this was due to us adding an extra stop at our storage space).

2. Movers absolutely will move these items; they would fall under the same liability clause as the rest of your items (see your moving contract for details). In my experience, the only things they won't move are framed artwork, live plants, artificial trees (or, I presume, real ones, hehe), and lamps.

3. I usually tip $40 per mover, but have read others do $20-$25. I offer water and/or Gatorade, and used to buy donuts and pizza but these were always refused.
posted by justonegirl at 6:45 AM on August 8, 2005

Do NOT find movers online - ask people you know. This is so key.

I used Big Green Movers in DC (I think they may actually be based in Maryland) and they were great. Not cheap, but scrupulous and absolutely trustworthy. I found them by asking around.
posted by CunningLinguist at 7:09 AM on August 8, 2005

I'll second what Sasquatch said. I've used movers twice and both times it was an easy and smooth experience.
posted by john m at 7:56 AM on August 8, 2005

One tip: ask what kind of truck they'll be using. If they have something small like a 20" then you may be looking at multiple trips - which will ballon the per-hour pay they get.
posted by scarabic at 8:41 AM on August 8, 2005

Approach the moving job as if every single mover you contact is a lying sack of shit who is planning, right now, to cheat you by as much as they possibly can while they have possession of all your worldly goods.

Because it's true.

You're thinking, oh, no, it can't be that bad. You're wrong. It's worse. You've got a short-distance move, so the odds are better for you, but they're still not at all good.

They will steal your stuff if you don't watch them like a hawk. With most companies "reliable professional movers" means one foreman plus 3 illegal immigrants that he hired that morning. They will simply ignore even firm, written contracts, and heaven help you if you don't have a written contract or the mover is a fly-by-night judgment proof operation.

Agree whole-heartedly with word-of-mouth recommendations. Knowing that a mover completed at least one move of a friend of yours without screwing them is worth a LOT.
posted by jellicle at 8:42 AM on August 8, 2005

If they have something small like a 20" then you may be looking at multiple trips - which will ballon the per-hour pay they get.

I think scarabic meant 20'-- which is actually a pretty long truck and adequate for most moves. It's the 10-12 footers, box trucks, and cargo vans that will more often require extra trips.
posted by Kwantsar at 8:49 AM on August 8, 2005

Tipping the mover well was one of the few times that I received a tangible return on my gratuity. At pickup, I gave the driver and his helper $120 total and the two packers $60 between them. I was nervous about my Bay Area to Manhattan move, so I thought overtipping was a little bit of insurance (also, my company was paying for the move, so I was only out of pocket for tips).

The driver knew when my flight was arriving to New York and said he'd do his best to get my stuff there on time. The moving company had given me a 10-day window for arrival. Well, it turns out that when the driver got to NJ to hand my stuff over to the Manhattan mover he found out my job was last on a 10-day long list - so he and his wife rented their own Ryder truck and brought my stuff personally. It saved me a couple nights in a hotel and made the move much easier.
posted by mullacc at 8:54 AM on August 8, 2005

I was in the military for six years, and was relocated several times. Treat the movers with human respect, have everything lined up for them as much as possible ( #2 some prefer boxes opened so they can inspect the packing and contents before sealing), and have the fluids and snacks available.

If it is hot outside, keep the inside as cool as possible. They won't hang out inside your home; but it will be a very nice blast of cool air when they make the trips inside. Unless the outdoors is zero degrees, I don't think the inside needs to be too warm.

And of course, any heirloom items (my great-grandfathers fishing tackle, my grandfathers fishing tackle, my fishing tackle... if I was a bitch I think I would have A LOT of jewelry) that can not be lost without harm should be moved personally.

I always tipped. If it was a cross country move, I would tip packing and delivery. A small price to ?pay? to ensure care of thousands of dollars of HHGs.
posted by buzzman at 9:00 AM on August 8, 2005

if I was a bitch I think I would have A LOT of jewelry

??
posted by footnote at 10:07 AM on August 8, 2005

You may as well just burn most of your possessions rather than hire "professional" movers. It's less expensive and far less stressful. If you only have a two-bedroom place, you can do it yourself. Get a couple of friends to help if you can, and don't, for the love of God, rent a U-Haul.
posted by Optimus Chyme at 10:09 AM on August 8, 2005

Second some of the comments above. I've used professional movers six times in ten years. Nothing has ever been stolen, damaged, or sneezed on funny.

Get recommendations from co-workers, friends, etc. Any moving company should be able to provide references -- check them. Call them up and ask if there were any problems, whether they delivered what was promised, whether they felt like it was worth the hassle, etc. It's probably worth it to look for people who specialize in apartment moves, which tend to have more reasonable rates than those who are geared up to move a whole house. IMO, stay away from big companies, who job this stuff out to whoever.

Pack everything well -- don't cheat. Smaller boxes are better, especially if heavy/fragile. Wrap legs of furniture in bubble wrap, and remember to remove shelves of bookshelves (tape hardware to the back.) Make it as cut-and-dried as possible.

Apartment moves have run me approximately $300 + $20 tip for each guy and taken under three hours with three guys. I'm now spoiled by REALLY good movers, though, who are considerably cheaper than their competition.

Renter's insurance is the best deal going for protecting your stuff.
posted by desuetude at 10:28 AM on August 8, 2005

I hired movers for the first time on my last local move and learned an important lesson: PACK EVERYTHING YOURSELF.

I had left some artwork and electronics unpacked because I had planned on moving them myself, but during the chaos of moving day when you have to attend to a hundred things, I decided to have the movers move them.

I should have known something was wrong when the foreman smiled so widely at the prospect.

Out came reams upon reams of bubble wrap and tape. Everything was packed better than I would have done myself (which I can't complain about) and everything arrived safely (again, no complaints) but the problem was the cost.

They had to wrap several items (but not THAT many), and the total for wrapping materials was almost equal to the cost of the move itself! So, my budget was unexpectedly doubled, which can really throw you for a loop during move-time, when you're not only paying for the move, but are likely having to pay a large deposit on your new place and the inevitable outlay of miscellaenous cash for other move-related expenses.
posted by robbie01 at 11:19 AM on August 8, 2005

Get a couple of friends to help if you can, and don't, for the love of God, rent a U-Haul.

Why not UHaul, Chyme? I'm moving next week and that's wht I'm planning to do exactly, now I'm scared.
posted by tristeza at 11:58 AM on August 8, 2005

tristeza--I'll second OC. In my experience with U-Haul they're just really poorly run. I will never use them again. I would suggest reconfirming all your arrangements in person and not using the online system.

The first time I made a reservation completely online. They were supposed to call by a certain point the day before to confirm where to pick the trailer up. They didn't call. I finally got a hold of someone, and it turned out they didn't really have the trailer I reserved AND the one they had was all the way across town at the other U-Haul. We wound up borrowing a pickup truck and moving without the U-haul.

The second time I made a reservation in person at my preferred location. They completely screwed it up and just outright lost it. No truck for us--which I only found up because I was extra careful and called to confirm a week out. I'm quite sure that had I not called I would have found out the hard way when I showed up on the day of the move. They were very reluctant to fix it, although they admitted it was their fault. They finally got me a much bigger truck than I had asked for--which was a nightmare to drive--and again, at a different location. Plus, when I went in to deal with it in person they kept a long line of people waiting for 25-30 minutes for a single person at the counter, while the manager stood by the whole time flipping through paper work.
posted by handful of rain at 12:44 PM on August 8, 2005

I've seen a lot here about packing your stuff yourself, which might be good advice - but I haven't seen a thing on learning how to pack. And you need to learn if you're ever going to move farther than 10 minutes down the street.

We've done both - moved across the country and moved a few blocks, packed ourselves and had the entire home packed by the movers - and all those fancy dishpacks really do help. You can buy them yourself at a box store instead of from the moving company, and you'll save a lot.

For the short move, placing your dishes between folds of folded towels in a laundry basket will do. But if you want to keep your drinking glasses intact, that dishpack will save them. I understand your desire to save money, but that may not be the place to do it.
posted by lambchop1 at 1:33 PM on August 8, 2005

I and several of my friends (in different cities) have had problems with U-Haul also. It depends somewhat on the management of the location, of course, but too many coincidences of similar bad experiences start to sound an awful lot like bad management from above:

* They have a habit of losing reservations -- I've experienced variations of the "whoops, your truck is all the way across town...and it hasn't been cleaned...and it's a different size...hang on, I'll get back to you" situation also.
* They have a bad reputation for truck maintenance/repair.
posted by desuetude at 1:39 PM on August 8, 2005

On preview: For glasses, vases, and other similarly-shaped items, use liquor-store boxes, which come with reinforced cardboard inserts for bottles, and wrap your glasses in several sheets of newspaper. Haven't lost a glass yet.
posted by desuetude at 1:41 PM on August 8, 2005

On a slight tangent, as an alternative to U-Haul, I've had much better experiences with Penske. Good rates (+ more discounts if you're a AAA member), good service, good trucks.
posted by Mrmuhnrmuh at 2:42 PM on August 8, 2005

U-Haul is a nightmare. I once waited eight hours for a truck on moving day. When I finally got one, they advised me not to turn it off for fear it wouldn't turn back on.

Every single person I know who's moved locally with small movers has been ripped off. Every one.

I moved across Canada with United and was very happy. Very professional movers and very quick. They ended up charging me less than the quote. They slightly damaged one table and pointed it out to me (I wouldn't have noticed otherwise). I drove across the country at a pretty good clip, stopping only to sleep, and they beat me by a day.

So I'd recommend the big movers if they do local moves and stay away from the small companies unless they come highly recommended.
posted by showmethecalvino at 4:26 PM on August 8, 2005

Tristeza - Penske, Penske, Penske. The trucks are in phenomenal condition compared to U-Haul's and it's just a much more pleasant experience.

Oh - Mrmuhnrmuh mentioned Penske. Well, let me second it, then.
posted by Optimus Chyme at 11:31 PM on August 8, 2005

Thirding the Penske recommendation. My only possible source of complaint with them is that each of the 3-4 times I've used them, they didn't have the truck I made a reservation for, but to their credit, on each occassion they gave me a bigger truck at the cost of what I reserved. (This last move, I ended up with a 20' diesel monstrosity with a lift, air brakes, and a driver's seat on springs. For $100.) And, of course, each time I ended up needing every cubic inch of the larger truck.
posted by mike9322 at 6:04 AM on August 9, 2005

I just want to add my voice to the "for the love of GOD DON"T USE U-HAUL" brigade. I unfortunately was not given the friendly warning showmethecalvino recieved and actually did experience the truck dying on me in the middle of the move. Then they lied about where I was supposed to drop off the truck. They don't belong to the BBB and could give a shit about you once you sign the form. Avoid at all costs.
posted by XQUZYPHYR at 11:45 AM on August 15, 2005