Moving can be a pain. This is no surprise to anyone. That being said, there are ways to avoid headache and additional stress and make the process far less difficult. Take these two stories as evidence of the right way and the wrong way to move!
Jamie’s Moving Story (reader beware – this story may contain content of extreme frustration and stress!)
Last March, Jamie and her partner Trevor bought a house in Richmond Hill. As first-time homebuyers, this couple was really excited but perhaps not as well prepared for the tasks ahead of them. They were moving from a large rental apartment in Mississauga, so the move wasn’t exactly a small one, and upon the advice of friends and family decided to hire a moving company (after having moved into the apartment on their own – that’s a whole different horror story).
Instead of doing her research (didn’t she learn to do her homework in high school?), Jamie called the number of a moving company she found tacked to a local bulletin board. “Professional Movers” was enough to convince her that this company would do a good job – but we all know what happens when you assume…
Not knowing where or what to purchase in preparation for the move, Jamie began packing boxes and bins from around the house. She taped wardrobe doors shut and didn’t quite pack boxes as full as they could be. Uh-oh…
Moving day arrives. After having agreed upon a fixed fee, the movers arrived (late) and began filling the truck. Upon arrival, the movers informed Jaime that stairs cost extra, and when she argued, she found that the only way to stop her stuff from being held hostage was to pay the now astronomical bill. The movers quickly left, and as they started unpacking, Jamie and Trevor realized that a great number of their belongings had been damaged during transport. When they called for some compensation, the movers replied that they did not have insurance and therefore they would not be held liable. Jamie was on the hook for repairs, had an unexpected bill, and a very unhappy partner.
Max’s Moving Story
Max purchased his new condo in June. As a veteran mover, Max knew the value of working with a moving company, and so did his due diligence and made a bunch of calls, deciding on a family-run, reputable business to take care of his move. Knowing the value of his possessions, Max purchased additional insurance offered by the company. Looking to save time, Max purchased all of his moving supplies and rented eco-friendly plastic bins from the same company – and was given advice on how to pack properly (although he’ll never admit that he used it) – bonus!
Knowing that delays were often inevitable, Max made arrangements for overnight storage just in case, rather than paying the hourly rate to have the movers wait, again through the same company.
On moving day, Max was stress free and put his faith in a moving company he could trust to do a great job. He paid only what he was quoted – having been provided with a detailed estimate and the guarantee of no hidden fees. Furthermore, since he had down-sized, the vintage car he had spent years rebuilding was placed in a climate controlled unit also rented from the same company! In the end, Max was a very happy camper.
So, which experience would you rather have? We all know which would be easier to deal with – it is pretty much a no-brainer. Don’t get sucked in by promises from an unknown company or ‘fixed-rates’ that a company won’t actually explain. Get everything you need for your move in one place.
For more about the perfect move please contact Bradford Moving and Storage by calling 1 (800) 263-3281 or visit www.bradfordmoving.com.
