Expert Offers Some Tips for Getting a Move On

‘Twas the night before school and all through the house, not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse. The boxes were stacked just a few with great care, so the movers could take them without words of prayer. There were household goods and a surprise inside: a cockroach that would go along for the ride.

Californians move, on an average, every four to six years, and the peak time to move is from the last two weeks in May to the beginning of September, with many moves even taking place after school begins. So it is still not too late for a few tips, even to people who relocate a lot.

This comes from Mike Koven, a Los Angeles certified moving consultant with Bekins Moving & Storage, who warned:

“Stay away from using grocery-store cartons for packing. Because they were used for food, they can have uninvited guests in them--bugs--and you don’t want to bring these into your home. Boxes from hardware or liquor stores are better.”

Some moving companies also provide boxes. These should be sold to the customer and not handed over as a so-called favor, he cautioned.

“It’s a violation of Interstate Commerce Commission regulations for movers to give away packing material,” he said. “So I’d be reluctant to deal with a company that does this.

“Anyway, cartons cost the (moving) carrier money, which must be recovered some way. So if there is no direct charge, there will be an extra hour or some other charge tacked on. A company can’t continue to operate by giving things away. This is a case of ‘buyer beware.’ ”

Talking about tacked-on charges reminded him of another tip: If moving long distance, request a guaranteed price in writing. “Otherwise,” he said, “you could be in for another surprise at the other end.”

Estimates, even in writing, are only estimates with no legal obligation. Interstate Commerce Commission statistics show that most major movers’ actual prices are higher than their estimates 50% of the time.

This little fact is contained in a helpful pamphlet distributed by Bekins as a public service. Called “Five Ways to Make Moving Easier,” it covers:

--”How to save money;

--”Protecting your time and money investment;

--Getting the timing down;

--”Relocation services, and

--”Whether to pack or not to pack.”

“A good mover can do everything from A to Z aside from electrical, plumbing and other work to the building structure itself,” Koven said. So a good mover should be able to pack and move just about anything. The questions are: Is it more feasible for customers to do their own packing? And what determines a “good mover”?

The first question depends on individual customers and their time, energy and economic restraints.

The second depends on experience, Koven said, noting that there are three types of movers: ones with full-time labor only (he put Bekins in this category); ones with a corps of full-time workers but also with some part-time or day laborers, and ones with part-timers or day laborers only.

“These are novices in many cases,” he said, “and can cost more in the long run, because students might try different ways to move a large piece that an experienced crew can move with ease.” This is especially true of local moves, which cost by the hour, he explained.

Charges for long-distance moves are based on cubic footage, he said, “so bulky items like an old bed can be costly.” Surprisingly, books and records can be more economical to move by van than by shipping, he added, “but if you have some overstuffed furniture, look at it hard if you’re thinking of moving it to the East Coast.”

Whether moving far or near, he suggested “getting your goods as streamlined as possible, so you needn’t pay for dismantling or repacking.”

Another tip: Be realistic in estimating how many boxes will be moved. “On an average, people should figure 20 cartons per room,” he said, “and don’t put all your eggs in one basket. Smaller boxes are easier and faster to handle than large ones.”

When packing these smaller boxes, pack “as snugly as possible, so things won’t move around,” he urged. “If they can’t move, they probably won’t be broken.”

His final tip: “Don’t look for a bargain with a company that has all your possessions in their possession.”