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One of the aspects involved in planning to move is the decision to do it on your own, or hire a professional moving company. You have to weigh all the cost factors of each:
Self Move:
- The cost of travel such as gas, tolls, meals, lodging, etc.
- The expense of renting a truck large enough to handle your belongings.
- The cost and risk of insuring valuable possessions. There is a $25,000 limit to cargo insurance for self-movers, and it covers only damage caused by such disasters as crashes or fires.
- The planning and reliability of getting extra help and manpower on moving
day at both locations.
- The personal toll, stress and hassle.
Professional Movers:
- The size, or weight of your move. The more weight the more cost.
- The distance that you are moving in miles to your new home.
- The time of year you decide to move. Peak times (summer or holidays), usually mean more money.
- Full or self-service? Full-service moves mean that the movers not only transport everything, but also will pack and unpack for you-which of course costs more money. With self-service, you do the packing and unpacking.
- Possible additional costs which may be added for things such as disconnecting and re-connecting major appliances, the number of staircases to climb and moving pianos.
If you do decide to use a professional moving company:
- Ask your family and friends for recommendations.
- If you are deciding between moving companies, you may want to contact the Better Business Bureau and inquire about their on-time record and other complaints.
- Get a binding estimate from the moving company and make sure it is written in the contract.
- Be sure that all charges are listed on the contract, including expected gratuities, and how many hours the job will take.
- Document your own inventory of your belongings before you pack.
http://mortgage02.chase.com/noframes/movingdecision.jsp
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