There are few things more frustrating than expecting to pay a certain amount for a service, but being charged more than you anticipate. For some, it just means running up the charge card a little more. However, for those planning a move on a strict budget, even an increase of $50 on a bill can put a huge dent in their moving allowance. It is not uncommon for movers to quote a low price but add on fees that may be legitimate, but certainly were not expected. When you book your move through Unpakt.com this is never a concern because you lock in your guaranteed price. If you prefer to still call around to find the best deal, then below are just a few of the many hidden costs you need to be aware of.
Oversized or Heavy Items
You may not intentionally forget to tell your movers that you have a California king bed, pool table, or swing set to move, but there is a good chance they will add an additional fee for these items. This is completely understandable. These items place increased wear-and-tear on the body and slow them down, which could affect their schedule for the entire day. One of the great things about Unpakt is that you create your inventory. This allows the moving company to provide the most accurate quote possible.
Packing Supplies
Movers will often insist on wrapping your television, wood coffee table, and other items that can be scratched or broken. In most cases, they do this because they sincerely do not want your items to be damaged. Unfortunately, they rarely tell you that their generosity comes with a price. When you plan your move through Unpakt, you choose the services you need. These include storage, scheduled multiple stops, dismantling items, providing box delivery, packing, and unpacking, and offering additional insurance you can essentially tailor every bit of your move to your precise needs. For example, if you have a crib or bunk beds that you are just not comfortable disassembling or putting back together because there are safety concerns. You can specify that you need someone to handle this. This charge will already be worked into your guaranteed price.
Long Carry
Many people are quite surprised to see a long carry fee on their invoice that they were not expecting. If your movers have to park down an alley or in a street to unload items going up to your new loft they will charge you for the extra energy exerted. This applies to stairs too. They generally include one flight of stairs, so in most cases, a two-story home or an apartment on the second floor will not have a charge, but this is not a rule. Since you can get an in-home consultation for free through Unpakt, the mover can get a better idea of exactly what the setup is like and have the opportunity to ask detailed questions regarding the destination.
Create a Move Plan
Although you can call around and compare prices and hope for no surprises, it just makes sense to use a service that guarantees your price. With Unpakt you make a move plan online. It is easy to create an inventory list, compare movers, and add on services. You set up a user account that you can access 24/7, so you can plan your move when it is convenient for you, which might not necessarily be normal business hours.
Unpakt checks the insurance, license, registration, and Better Business Bureau ratings of all movers on the site. Plus, since you can build extra services into your quotes, such as storage, additional insurance, and multiple drop locations, you do not have to contact multiple companies on your own to plan various aspects of your move.
