If you’re preparing to move, your movers need five key pieces of information to ensure your move goes as smoothly as possible. If you follow these tips, you’ll ensure you don’t pay too much for your move and reduce the chances of unwanted surprises on moving day. It comes down to clear communication.
1. Don’t pay too much for your move
The best way to ensure you pay the right amount for your move is to give your moving company a detailed picture of what you need them to move. This begins with a list of furniture, appliances and boxes. You also need to tell them about any special requirements. These include very large or heavy items that need special handling, difficult access to the property, or if they cannot park the truck close to the house.
Your moving company should ask you about special moving requirements. If they don’t, they may charge you extra. We have changed our methods for doing assessments to avoid this, but the more information you give us, the better. The best way to ensure you don’t pay too much is to request an on-site assessment, where your moving company will eyeball everything. It’s the best way to get an accurate quote.
2. Parking the truck on moving day
On moving day, the truck will need to be parked outside your property for many hours, depending on the size of your move. If you have clear access and your own driveway, this makes parking a breeze. If that’s not the case, parking can present challenges and even potentially alter the cost of your move, the further the truck is from your house. This is commonly a problem in gated communities, apartment buildings, properties with shared driveways, and properties with restricted access for large vehicles.
Talk your movers through any potential problems, or better yet, let them assess your access so they can organise the best vehicle for the job. If you have to block access for neighbours, organise this with them well in advance to avoid issues.
3. Are you packing yourself?
If you’re doing the packing, you’ll need to ensure you’ve finished before moving day. Your quote assumes everything will be packed and ready for loading onto the truck. If you’re still packing and make your movers wait, many companies will charge you extra.
Also, place the boxes as close as you can to the best collection point for easy handling. Make sure you read our packing tips so boxes aren’t overloaded and your items are well protected.
4. Make yourself available on moving day
When your movers arrive, you should have no other jobs to do. If you do, delegate them to someone else so you’re available to answer questions, note potential problems and provide any special instructions. If you need any items unloaded first at your new home, let your movers know so they’re the last load on the truck.
5. Let your movers do all the work
While we want you available to answer questions, keep clear while we do our work. You’re welcome to direct traffic, but there’s no need to get involved. We need as much space and as few obstacles as possible to load the truck efficiently. Keeping clear is also important for avoiding accidents and injuries.
6. Moves don’t always go according to plan
While it’s common for plans to change, even at the last minute, this doesn’t need to be a problem. If you let us know about any changes, we’ll accommodate them into our planning. Contact your service representative as often as you need them. We’re here to help.