“Can’t you just give me a price over the phone? I don’t have time for an in-home survey”
Well, no. Not if you want an accurate price that appropriately reflects what you need, without any unnecessary charges.
Can you find movers who will give you a price over the phone/email?
Sure.
Can you feel confident that the price is accurate and won’t change on move day?
I wouldn’t.
It’s difficult to appropriately stress the importance of getting an in-home survey before you book services with a mover. The in-home survey is the time for the move consultant to assess all the details associated with your move. But it’s also the time for you to ask questions and learn about Corrigan Moving. If your schedule simply does not allow for an in-home survey, ask about a Virtual Survey. This is where you will video chat with a move consultant, and you will show your home and belongings digitally. It’s not as good as being face-to-face, but it’s an alternative.
Get yourself prepared before your in-home survey. Check out our 10 do’s and don’ts before your moving in-home estimate. Basically, think through what items in your home you want to take, and which ones will be left behind. Spend some time making a list of questions you have, so you can get as much information from your move consultant as possible.
Your move consultant’s role is to assess everything that you have moving and answer all the questions you have. You’ll spend some time sitting at your table or couch talking about what you can expect on move day. You’ll have time to ask all your questions and address any concerns you have.
Your move consultant will need to walk through every room in your home, including your garage and storage areas. She will be creating an inventory on her iPad of all the items you have and calculating the approximate number of boxes that you will be transporting. You’ll receive a copy of this inventory after your in-home survey is complete. By completing this inventory, your move consultant is calculating the estimated weight and volume of your shipment. This is needed to determine what we will provide to service your move. What size truck do you need? How many men need to be part of your moving crew? How long will loading the truck take? These questions can all be answered once the inventory is complete and accurate.
The number of items to be moved isn’t the only thing your move consultant is assessing. She is also looking at what street and parking access looks like to get to your home. What size truck can fit on your street? Are there any truck restrictions on surrounding roads or low bridges that we need to consider? Where will we park the truck? Do we need to reserve parking permits? Also important, is the access that the crew will have to your home. How close can the truck park to the home? How many entry/exit points are reasonable for us to use? Are there stairs or an elevator? How many turns are on the stairs? There are many factors that an experienced move consultant takes into consideration when advising how best to service your move. These items are often overlooked by the companies offering phone/email quotes, but incredibly important for setting up for a successful move.
Another area that’s essential for the move consultant to assess during the in-home survey is the need to specialized services. Sometimes there are required services that are outside the scope of skill and safety of our crews. In these instances, we will coordinate a 3rd party company to complete the services in advance of move day. Items that may require special services include disconnecting appliances, crating high-end artwork, disassembly & crating of slate pool tables, taking apart large items such as wooden play sets, etc. Your move consultant will discuss each item with you.
After identifying all these items – belongings to be moved, access issues, and special services needed – your move consultant will put together a quote for your move. Click here for more information about pricing.
There is so much that goes into setting up the proper services to have a successful move. With all these many details to consider, it’s amazing any company would give an estimate over the phone. At Corrigan, we make sure we see every home before move day. We want to take away as many variables as possible so your move is as smooth as can be!
