How much will moving set us back? (Tacoma: hoa, job)

[janb]

Both Diggity and 99203 have good points and options. I think UPS and Fed-Ex now both offer a 'drop' trailer, tho the freight companies are much cheaper. There are also places that can drop a container and come pick up and ship via rail or sea. U-Haul is very expensive. BTDT, Personally I plan to buy a semi ($10,000) - and move, then sell - as I have Lots of stuff, (several trips). tho an "auction" sounds tempting.

It is good to 'lighten' your load. We did 3 international and 2 in-state moves in 5 years, that wore us pretty thin, but we had retained a farm, so the barn still had the bulky stuff. That is a real pain to move. Have had to do that twice due to high tax and zoning issues.

My shop stuff weighs over 20,000#, and add a couple bulldozers / tractors and it adds up fast, household is minimal, but antiques are worth keeping, and we have already hauled them to the PNW from the prairie homestead. This next move is gonna hurt.

[Fat Freddy]

Originally Posted by 99203

the only extra costs were the tips on both ends of the move..

What's this about "tips"?
Why would you tip someone who you are already paying a substantial wage?

[jwb123]

We paid under $3k for Allied movers to move our 1600sq ft house from the Seattle area, to Austin, TX.

We interviewed 4 or 5 companies and the binding estimates varied greatly. We chose the least expensive - but we were also really happy with the company and representatives, in general.

We found Uhaul to be similar in price, and we didn't have to operate those big, bulky trucks ourselves, and didn't have to load or unload.

We tipped $20 for a job well done.

Interview a few movers, check the specific office of the company you choose using the Better Business Bureau...

[virgojmk]

Thanks for the tips! Am waiting for a quote from ABF Upack, but since we don't have a place yet will need to wait for the estimate from movers. I did do a quote thru Pods and was very surprised that it came out about the same as U Haul. You are right the rates do change, it was 200 higher last friday at UHaul then today.

[magrack]

Originally Posted by LMB

How does $0.75 per pound sound to move from Orlando to Poulsbo? That's the lower of the two estimates we got from major movers. We will do the packing ourselves. Does that seem like a reasonable rate, or should we go for a 3rd estimate? It is a binding estimate--thanks for the "just-in-time" helpful advice.

Lynn

Actually, if that includes packing materials and packing, that's not too bad.

If you're around 8000 lbs (3br house avg, IIRC), 6k from corner to corner is pretty good, but see if you can get a binding estimate based on the estimated weight, and compare that to $.75/lb actual.

[LMB]

Originally Posted by magrack

Actually, if that includes packing materials and packing, that's not too bad.

If you're around 8000 lbs (3br house avg, IIRC), 6k from corner to corner is pretty good, but see if you can get a binding estimate based on the estimated weight, and compare that to $.75/lb actual.

Thanks Magrack. We're a 2400sf 4br + home office, est at 11,700 lb or $8775, and that does include packing materials, but we pack. They load/unload and drive. We're hoping to edit our stuff down to 10,000 lbs which would reduce our cost by more than $1000. Do you mean try to get a binding estimate based on the weight we tell them without having the moving company rep come over and visually gauge our contents? That would be interesting. Would they do that?

Also, anyone have an opinion on the additional insurance? Basic free coverage is $.60/lb, and there are two additional insurance levels you can purchase--I think the midrange is $5.00/lb and there's full replacement value which is pricier. Wonder if they're less careful if you don't buy the insurance?

I was interested in the ABF U-Pack (and it was half the cost), but I don't think we're up to loading and unloading the truck, plus our uptight HOA wouldn't let us keep a semi trailer out in front of our house for three days. Our most recent "1st warning" letter from the association was because we had weeds in our flower bed. I'm SO glad our new place in Poulsbo has no HOA! Thank goodness for an old fashioned real neighborhood.

Lynn

[diggitydot]

Originally Posted by LMB

I was interested in the ABF U-Pack (and it was half the cost), but I don't think we're up to loading and unloading the truck, plus our uptight HOA wouldn't let us keep a semi trailer out in front of our house for three days. Our most recent "1st warning" letter from the association was because we had weeds in our flower bed.

Lynn

If you're moving out of there, really...what can they do to you? (You'll have to forgive me for sounding flippant, I'm not trying to be. I've never had to deal with an HOA and am completely ignorant of their "powers".)

[virgojmk]

Got the quote from ABF, quite a bit less. Our only issue is the trailer in front of the house. Not sure how the city would feel about that? What if you finish before the 3 days, can they move it out sooner? We plan on downsizing some furniture (you know the hand me downs from the relatives, oh we need to get rid of such and such and it ends up here. Our personal joke is our house is where furniture goes to die, well now it's time to bury elsewhere. Sorry Dad, Grandma's couch from the early 80's will not be going with us. We appreciate it, but want to upgrade!).

[magrack]

Originally Posted by LMB

Thanks Magrack. We're a 2400sf 4br + home office, est at 11,700 lb or $8775, and that does include packing materials, but we pack. They load/unload and drive. We're hoping to edit our stuff down to 10,000 lbs which would reduce our cost by more than $1000. Do you mean try to get a binding estimate based on the weight we tell them without having the moving company rep come over and visually gauge our contents? That would be interesting. Would they do that?

.....

No, the estimator would come over, eyeball the house, estimate the weight, and write you an estimate. He would give you the option of making it a binding estimate of x dollars based on how soon you are leaving, what truck(s) are scheduled to leave, and trying to make sure the truck is not hauling air, and some other factors.

FI, the estimator determines you have about 10.000 lbs and you're leaving in a month. The estimator knows (because the dispatcher told him) there is a truck scheduled to pick up two loads in three weeks within 100 miles of your place headed to the west coast.

The two houses only comprise half a trailer...if they don't fill that trailer, they're going to to be burning fuel to "haul air".

Your house would fill the trailor, so the estimator might write you a deal for less than the other bid just to insure a full load. Some income is better than no income

Never, ever get only one estimate for a move. Minimum of three and five is better.

PITA, but can result in substantial savings, and you may not even have a clue why.

A binding estimate is the price you'll pay.

If the estimator mis-judges your goods weight, too bad for him. They'll not often over-estimate your stuff; it's a competitive business and they want yours.

If you have 11,000 lbs, the estimator might eyeball it as 11,000 lbs and write the price at 10,000 lbs, just because they want that business.

[AZ_singlemother]

You can look at costs; however, they could end up ruining your things and holding them hostage. I had a move from WA state to AZ. The company was timely with picking up my things, but was 2 weeks late delivering because they were waiting for a bundle move from CA to Phoenix. Also my things were ruined. The cost was approx 3000 dollars, which is low for a moving service from state to state. Location of move co was San Jose, CA.