Moving From Headache to Hassle-Free
On the cover of his book, Henry Costantino depicts a moving van as a shark on 18 wheels, ready to take a bite out of the next family’s time and checkbook.
But in “Moving? Don’t Be Taken for an Expensive Ride,” Costantino, a Mission Viejo moving consultant and real estate agent, offers an arsenal of survival tips for the thousands of Orange County residents who will pick up stakes and move this year.
Costantino says moving doesn’t have to be a nightmare of loading delays, added charges, lost boxes, broken furniture and last-minute panic. On the contrary, he says, it can be a dream.
He has compiled an exhaustive, step-by-step guide that deals with matters such as how to shop for the best deal, what time of year is cheapest for moving, how to find boxes, what to take with you and how to pack it.
About one in five households moves each year, Costantino said, but “most consumers are totally unaware of what’s going on in the moving industry. They are dependent on the sales rep for the moving company, and they don’t even know what questions to ask.”
“People feel that a truck is a truck, that all companies are the same and charge the same. Just not the case.”
Not only do companies differ widely in rates, Costantino said, they offer a wide range of services and guarantees that consumers may not be aware of. And, as in any business, some companies bend over backward to satisfy customers, and some don’t.
Costantino, 42, moved to Orange County in 1983 from Buffalo, N.Y., where he had worked as an estimator and sales representative for a moving company for two years. After he relocated, he continued in that line of work for five more years. He said in his seven years with Mayflower and North American Van Lines he moved more than 1,000 families and was struck by their lack of understanding of what’s involved in a move.
“All this time I’d been going into people’s homes, estimating costs, arranging moves, and I would try to sell them on what my company had to offer. It was never in my best interest to explain better service offered by another company.”
Costantino holds a master’s degree in English from the University of Buffalo and taught public school for eight years.
“I combined all that experience with my spirit of entrepreneurship and two years ago decided to write a book that would objectively guide people on how to get the best deal.”
His self-published book is now in a second edition with a special section added on moving within California.
No matter what the destination, Costantino said, the most important part of the move is the selection of the company. And, like shopping for the best fares in the confusing air travel market, you have to know how to look for the best deal in moving.
At least two months before a move, ask friends, neighbors and co-workers about their moving company experiences, good and bad.
“Start the weeding out right there before you ever open the Yellow Pages,” he said.
Aim for a list of four or five companies that are repeatedly recommended. “You need that many to get a thorough overview of what’s offered and at what price.”
The price difference alone on an out-of-state move can be $1,000 or more, Costantino said, so spending the time to get a good selection of movers from which to choose is worthwhile.
Schedule appointments in your home with all the reps on the same day if possible.
“Let them know you are getting bids from other companies and that you are a serious shopper,” Costantino said.
Get written, not verbal, estimates from each company on your list. If a moving company sales rep is reluctant to give a written estimate, insist on it, Costantino said, and regard that reluctance as a warning sign about the company.
Throw out the high and the low bids.
“No reason to use the highest,” he said, “and the lowest may be an unscrupulous or inexperienced estimator who is low-balling the hours it will take to move or the weight.”
That could lead to a nasty surprise on moving day. “Until then, you are not legally obligated to use the company, nor are they legally obligated to show up. So you could have the low-ball company call the day before and say, ‘Gee, we made a mistake, and it will be a lot more expensive,’ and you’re in the position of having to call off the whole move or pay the higher price.”
The safest course, Costantino said, is to deal with the three companies in the middle price range and make the decision based on the recommendations you collected and your own feelings about the professionalism of the sales representative.
“Do you have confidence in this person? He or she will be making all the arrangements until your possessions leave town, and you have to feel good about that.”
Two weeks before the move, make your decision.
“Don’t be pressured to sign a moving order earlier than that. Any reputable company can handle a move with two weeks notice, and the sales rep should be glad to come back a second time to do the paper work.”
After selecting a mover, the second most important part of the move is keeping track of what gets loaded on the truck and what condition it’s in before the move.
“The burden of proof in a move is always on the customer,” Costantino said.
Accompany the mover when he takes inventory of your things. Make sure every box or piece of furniture going on the truck gets a numbered sticker. Make sure that number corresponds to the correct item on the inventory sheet and that the mover accurately describes the condition it’s in.
“A mover may say, ‘This table is scratched.’ Well, next to his comment you write exactly how many scratches and where. The inventory sheet is your only proof of what was to be moved and what condition it’s in. If an item is ruined but didn’t have a number on the sheet, you have no claim against the company.”
On delivery day, Costantino recommends having two people meet the moving van--one to direct the movers on where to place items in the new home, the other to stay at the van and check off each item from the inventory sheet as it is unloaded.
“If something is damaged, make sure you note it on your copy of the sheet and the mover’s copy. If you see a box that is damaged or crushed, open it on the spot and note the damage on your sheet and his.”
Costantino said you should file claims for reimbursement as soon as possible and supply as much documentation as possible--photographs or sales receipts--for valuable items.
How well you are reimbursed depends on what kind of insurance protection you buy for the move.
“Many people assume that moving companies are professional, so there won’t be any damage. They try to save on the cost of the move by not buying insurance.”
The insurance offered free by interstate movers limits recovery to a value of 60 cents per pound, based on the weight of the damaged article.
“You could have a vase worth $500, but if it only weighs 10 pounds, you can only claim $6.”
Costantino recommends buying the best insurance the moving company offers, preferably coverage that pays the full replacement value of damaged goods. This can cost several hundred dollars, but some companies offer deductible options that greatly lower the cost.
The decision on whether to pay the moving company to pack your goods also can make a difference of hundreds of dollars in the price of the move.
“To be packed is a luxury. It’s nice to be able to sit back and have somebody do all the work. But you can save a lot of money by doing it yourself.”
Moving companies charge both for boxes and the labor of filling them.
“You could pay $400 for cardboard and packing paper and $600 for labor,” Costantino said. “But if you learn how to pack and use the proper materials, there is no reason you can’t pack as well as the pros at a fraction of the cost.”
Costantino said that most people could benefit from a combination of do-it-yourself and professional packing.
“Books, clothes, Tupperware, stuffed animals, tools--how are you going to break these? Pack them yourself in boxes you get yourself from a liquor or stationery store.
“Then have the movers pack maybe six boxes of delicate, breakable things.”
MOVING TIPS
Mission Viejo moving consultant and author Henry Costantino offers these tips on making a successful move:
Shop around. Get at least four written estimates before making a decision. Throw out the high and low bids.
Buy adequate insurance. Improve your chances of being reimbursed for replacement value in case something is lost or broken: On interstate moves, buy full-value coverage. On local moves, buy insurance that pays at least $2.50 per pound.
Arrange with the moving company for you to witness the weighing of the moving van before and after it is loaded. This is not necessary if you buy a guaranteed-price interstate move.
Stay with the mover as he or she takes inventory of everything that will go on the truck and places stickers on the items. Make sure all items are logged and that the condition of the items is accurately recorded on the inventory sheet. Use your copy to check items at the destination.
