After various fits and starts, the moving company has been selected. We chose the winner on a variety points, and we ended up with the same van lines that moved us here.
Moving interstate is really expensive folks, when you pay for it yourself.
Within a state, it's by the miles and by the hour.
Interstate is by the time, the miles, and the POUNDS. THEN you tack on the packing. We are having them pack because then the insurance covers damages incurred to your items. We may not have museum-quality items, but we have things that matter to us, and we want it all there in one piece, not pieces. And we'll fill the whole damn van.
Paper items weigh the most, in terms of small items piling up and equaling POUNDS. Old magazines that you are keeping because they have images you mean to scan, or reference articles that you turn back to? HEAVY. Books? HEAVY.
That both the husband and collect ephemera works against us.
The second-place company didn't get it because I wasn't too sure about the estimator. She glided through the house in a dream state, seldom tapping on her tablet. Did she get it all, or was she some sort of savant, I'll never know, but she did come within a ton of the last-place contender.
Our last-place contender was the van lines with the orange trucks. They have a good reputation, but he was simply an asshole. He came in dressed too well, set up computer equipment, and walked him around tapping things into his device.
When he asked where we were going I said "Cleveland" and his response under his breath was "That's too bad." Strike one, asshole.
Then I was showing him the family pieces that have been our families for GENERATIONS his crack was "Everyone has stuff that they claim is valuable." Strike two, asshole.
Strike three was delivered while he was printing his estimate and telling me that "Every time I have seen a move go bad is when clients violate the terms of the contract and expect the carrier to supply extra boxes - then our contract is void and the prices goes exponentially blah, blah, blah..."
And I am thinking to myself "Listen here asshole, maybe you did the estimate right, maybe you effed it up. Don't blame it on me." So strike three.
The cherry on top was that he demanded a signed contract in two weeks. Nothing like high-pressure sales and threats to earn my trust, right?
So we have our movers, and we are happy. We have our week, we are just waiting for verification.
Now I need to find a shredding company to take stuff to.
Yes, books and papers are heavy, but right now you are only looking at interstate shipping. If I think of returning to the U.S., weight, volume, and distance pale in comparison to getting things through Customs. I have heard nightmare stories, and even when I called the Customs department, they admitted they would give me a hard time unless I used a professional agent, which can quadruple the cost of the move. Failing to do so means that they will hold up your shipment (with hefty daily "storage" charges) while examining each individual item minutely for transgressions against regulations.
ReplyDeleteThe furthest I've moved was from Plymouth to London (200 miles), and we had a friend with a truck help us do it. Mind you, we weren't carting a helluva lot in the way of furniture, as we moved from a rental to a rental.
ReplyDeleteIt was still a nightmare. All moves are, even the last one which was just over a mile between properties (on that occasion I dug up an entire garden to transport!)...
Good luck! Jx
Cookie---
ReplyDeleteWe are getting excited along with you in your big move to new adventures.
If anyone knows moving it's me. I have moved several times interstate. Also, I was a military brat so we moved at least four times.
I have always packed my stuff and then the selected movers would come and pick things up.
I believe you are out of the peak moving period which costs less to move. Just think of the school year. When school is out the moving prices go up. The peak tapers off when kids are back in school. Most families move right after school is out to ensure their kids are ready for school in their new location. I just moved my stuff out of storage within the last year and had to pay a fuel surcharge because the gas supply issues.
I would send a informative letter to the orange people-I know who they are-just to let them know why they lost your business. Nothing mean or nasty but an opportunity for improvement.
I can say all the folks that have done in-house estimates for my moves were always professionals. I never really had a bad moving experience except one. I told them exactly what my plans were. They were to pick-up my stuff and provide me a window of delivery. I told them that I would take about a week to travel to my new destination. No problem they said. Did you know those idiots called me en route and said they were ready for delivery. I said I was not and that was not the plan. I was pissed. They dropped off my household goods at their hub in my new location and I had to arrange delivery to my place.
The shortest move I did was when I hired local movers to move the big, heavy stuff two blocks down the street.
Take care--
Glad you put the Asshole Mover on Blast and were able to hire one you have a Peace about for such a big Move. Our last Two Moves were Self-Moves due to the astronomical expense of hiring a Company and with so much Cargo. We pulled it off but it was so stressful I never want to move again ever. I think any Move is stressful tho', but once you get to where you're going and start that new Chapter of Life, you'll be glad to have all the rest behind you.
ReplyDeleteI know someone like this is in my future & I'm not mentally ready.
ReplyDeleteWWLMD (What Would Liza Minelli Do) and then do the opposite thing.
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