Tips & Facts for Moving

Avi moving and Trucking suggests that any personal assets and fragile items that are precious to you and your family should be packed and moved by the customer themselves. Going through your items gives you the chance to make a complete inventory of your items. You should always prepare an inventory list of the items that you own, to keep your valuables organized.

• Money, jewelry, important papers, perishable items and flammable materials should not be packed. These items should either be moved by the client or pertaining to the flammable items, they can be disposed of or moved by the customer.

• Moving is a great opportunity to go through your items and get rid of unwanted items such as old clothes, magazines, unused toys, dishes, etc. Leaving these items behind or dispersing of them save you time and money, as well as providing you with a new beginning in your new home. You know what they say, “out with the old, in with the new”.

• Making lists and notes of everything that will be moved and assigning values for insurance purposes is beneficial to the customer. Items that are hard to replace should be moved by the customer or shipped to the customer’s new home by certified or insured mail.

• Keeping a list of items that may be required once you move into your new home is a good idea. This way you can pack these thing’s in a suitcase or an “assets” box.

• Making a list for the movers is an essential part of the move. Prior to your moving date you can provide the moving with this list of services that may be required such as: the items you want the moving company to move, packing materials needed, items that should be packed or unpacked, items that need to dismantled and reassembled and any handling of pianos, antiques, crating services, etc.

There are two types of estimates for office relocations or commercial relocations that you can obtain:

1. Non-Binding Estimate- This is the final cost for the move, which is based on the amount of hours and any materials used for the moving job.

2. Binding Estimate- This is a flat, capped or written guarantee price that the move will not exceed the amount given.

A non-binding estimate is usually helpful for many reasons:

• When you are unsure of how much you will be moving and if you will be in need of any additional packing.

• You may even have unusual requests for the move, have more than one delivery location, need handling of fragile equipment, fine art and more. Moving companies are more appreciated when they perform appropriately & accurately and do not speed through the move.

• Also, you might not have the elevator in your building available for when you need it or they may be an obstruction in the building that will slow down the moving process.

• And if your building doesn’t have an elevator and is a walk up and walk down, it takes longer to move the items.

A binding estimate is preferred for this reason:

• If you have a certain budget for your move and looking for something more affordable, then you might try and ask the moving company if they can give you a flat price. This helps when people whom are moving for the first time and are unfamiliar with the moving process.

All of Avi Moving & Trucking binding estimates come from our professional moving estimators. Once they generate a price, they will settle with you on a cost that will not exceed the hourly amount quoted originally. Once you are given a binding estimate (flat price) this is what you will pay, no matter what occurs.

If you do receive a binding estimate, you have been able to give our representatives the following information:

1. Detailed inventory list with requirements and moving preferences.

2. If moving from an elevator building, the elevator and any requirements necessary for that building must be available.

3. Packing, tagging, assembly, disassembly and any other services required by the moving company must be confirmed and included in writing, on the estimate.

• All loose items should be placed in either boxes or bags (depending on the item).

• Heavy items, such as, books, should be put into small boxes. Lighter items, such as linens, may be put into bigger boxes.

• Fragile items such as dishes and glassware should be placed into a box that is cushioned on the bottom. Wrap each item individually using packing paper, bubble wrap or newspaper. Make sure that the items are not touching each other and mark the box as “fragile”.

• Any side tables, small cabinets, small dressers or other small storage cabinets can remain full only if they are packed with light items such as clothing or bedding.

• Any larger tables, cabinets, dressers, desks or antique cabinets must be emptied before moving.

• If you have computers and electronics, you should unplug and mark them to ensure easy reconnection of the items. These items should be packed in a heavy duty box with materials to cushion it such as, bubble wrap or paper pads. Any open spaces on the box should be sealed so that nothing can get inside. All appliances must be unplugged before the movers arrive. They will not unplug any appliances for the customer; this is not the moving companies responsibility to unplug these items.

• Statues and artwork should be placed into a box marked as “fragile”. Any smaller artwork or paintings should be put into picture boxes or crated.

• Lamps and light fixtures should have the shades, bulbs and bases for these items removed before packing. Once these items are placed into a box mark the box as “fragile”.

• Most importantly, all boxes should be marked and/or labeled with the correct room that it will be placed in. If there are fragile items in the box, you must mark and/or label the boxes “fragile”.
  

Once you have completed and inventory list of items that will be moving and you are not going to be packing yourself, you should provide the list to Avi Moving and Trucking. This will be the items that you would like the moving company to pack and/or wrap for your move. If you have decided to pack your own belongings, then you have to provide the moving company with the list for inventory purposes only. Otherwise, this list will be used for your packing and wrapping purposes.

Here are a few tips and facts on what the moving company might pack for your move:

• If you have packed your items already, than the moving company are not responsible for the boxes contents. They cannot verify the contents of what is inside the boxes. They will only move them; they are not going to be responsible for the list of what you have put inside them.

• Electronics, televisions, audio/visual/stereo equipment and computers are suggested to be wrapped by the moving company. If you have already packed these items, make sure they are packed correctly and labeled. If the moving company packs these items, they provide the materials required to pack and wrap these items. You can purchase any and all materials from the foreman on the move.

• Framed pictures, paintings, statues, mirrors, etc. of the larger nature, should be packed by our moving professionals. Crating and any special services required for these items will be completed upon request. Smaller pictures framed or personal can be easier to pack if done by the client. Smaller fragile items should be wrapped in white paper or bubble wrap and packed in a china box, placing bubble or crumbled paper in the open spaces inside the box. This is good for padding and the items from touching each other and becoming damaged.

• Dressers, cabinets, closets, desks and any heavy or large storage furniture should be emptied out prior to the move. Wardrobe boxes are available for purchase through the foreman on the move to put any clothing inside. As well as linen boxes to pack any bedding to be moved.

• Books, c.d.’s, records and personal files will be packed into smaller boxes. We suggest that the client packs these items, but the moving company can take care of these items as well.

Once the move is complete, make sure to sign on the moving contract that all items specified on your inventory list has been packed and moved accordingly. Signing on the contract helps if there are damages to items and you need to make a claim file for your records. It is your responsibility as the customer, to check the items once delivered for any damage. If damage is discovered, you must record this on the inventory sheet and the contract with the foreman of the move. Once you have signed on the contract that your items have been delivered, the foreman will give you a copy of the contract as a receipt for your valuables.

When preparing to move, the most minor of details go unnoticed. These minor details can turn out to be a major disruption in the moving process. We can offer you a little advice to remembering the small thing’s of your moving process.

Always remember to:

• Cancel the delivery of your daily newspaper.

• Disconnect your cable and phone line and have them transferred to your new residence.

• Collect all important papers and documentation such as, medical records, passports, social security cards, etc.

• Forward all of your mail to your new residence.

• Return library books, videotapes and borrowed sugar bowls to your neighbor.

• Defrost your refrigerator and unplug all appliances for the moving day.

• Pack your suitcases and personal items.

• Transfer banks and schools if necessary.

• Say goodbye to the old and hello to the new.

• Contact your building management weeks in advance, if necessary, and schedule a moving day.

• Contact the moving company to schedule your move, weeks in advance.

• Call your airline, if moving long distance, to confirm you and your families travel arrangements.

• And much, much more.