The
woman who earned a coveted job transfer from New York to San
Francisco and engaged a reputable moving company wasn’t exactly
charmed to find that the diligent movers had even boxed her garbage
for transfer to her new location. But her experience was far
preferable to that of the couple who engaged a discount mover via
the Internet and found that the moving truck had broken down en
route from Minneapolis to Dallas and that the couple would have to
be responsible for the repairs if they expected to get their
furniture delivered.
According to Willma Willis Gore, author of Just Pencil Me In:
Your Guide to Moving & Getting Settled After 60 ($12.95, Quill
Driver Books) there are a few things you should keep in mind as you
plan your move.
1.)
Do not hire a mover based solely on an Internet contact or phone
conversation. The price quoted may sound good, "Three bedroom house?
We can do that for about fifteen hundred…" but no legitimate mover
can give an accurate estimate without personally looking at the
items to be moved. The mover must come to your home and inspect the
items to be moved.
2.)
Many dot.com or phone moving representatives are not actually
movers. They exist simply to get you to contract with them.
According to Gore, these reps put your contract out for bid to any
outfit that calls itself a moving company. Naturally the cheapest
bidder gets the job and you’re stuck with their choice.
3.)
In some kinds of business transactions a very low bid may be a
viable one but that is not likely true in moving. "Moving rates in
effect today are marginally profitable assuming everything works as
planned," says Larry Meredith, moving consultant for North American
Van Lines. "The highest bid may be nearest to the actual cost you
will be responsible for. Even a skilled estimator can promise final
costs only within 15% of estimate." Gore recommends that you get at
least three bids from nationally reputable companies before making a
decision.
4.)
Get everything in writing. Agreements need to specify the basic
costs, including insurance, and spell out any contingencies. You
should have a signed, legible copy in your possession. Store
it with other important documents such as medical records, mortgage
contracts, or birth certificates.
5.)
If an automobile is to be moved, Gore recommends you compare the
cost of moving it with selling it at the old location and then
purchasing another at your new location. If you drive it to
the new location, you will likely pack it to the dome light, but it
will simply take up space in the moving van or on the auto conveyor
if the moving company transports it.
6.)
Seniors who have lived in their own homes most of their lives are
frequently the most vulnerable, according to Meredith. They are
often overwhelmed with the task of sorting what they want to keep,
give away, or sell, and all the other incidentals inherent with a
move. "These seniors need both physical and emotional help and
should ask for it--whether from relatives or paid assistance," says
Meredith. Gore, who has moved six times since she turned 70, was
driven to write her book to assist other seniors faced with moving.
Additional counsel is available on the Internet. Gore suggests you
check the American Moving & Storage Association’s Web site (
