Additional Costs at Delivery

Truer words were never spoken, but there are things that can increase the cost of your move at the time of delivery.

The good news is they don’t need to come as big surprises.

In fact, with a little planning you’ll know exactly what to expect if additional services are required.

Remember, we’re here to help.

So take a deep breath (or two) and read on.

Moving Delivery Services

Your moving estimate will include the delivery as it is agreed upon. As long as you hire a reputable mover, you shouldn’t have unexpected delivery charges.

That being said, these services are going to cost you extra. Get a moving cost estimate with these services included in order to get a true idea of what the move will cost.

Be sure to hire one of the best interstate moving companies to have the best moving experience possible.

Extra Stops

Most moves include one old home and one new one.

Nice and easy.

But sometimes extra stops are required, and they can be at origin, destination, or somewhere in between.
Extra stops often include picking items up (or dropping them off) at a relative’s house, an office, or a self-storage facility.

If you’re moving across town and are paying by the hour, extra stops may be relatively inexpensive and save you the hassle of moving things yourself.

In this scenario, you’ll just pay for the travel time between locations, and the labor for the crew to load or deliver your items.

If you’re moving out of state however, the charges are usually based on the extra miles, additional labor, and sometimes even weight.

Translation: Pricy.

On interstate moves, extra stops generally need to be in the vicinity of the route the driver will take to get from your old home to your new one.

If possible, tell your mover about extra stops when you’re meeting with the consultant.

Expedited and Guaranteed Delivery

During the peak summer months the delivery times on long-distance moves can be maddeningly long.

For busy professionals and families who need to get their kids enrolled in new schools, this can cause lots of problems.

Movers generally give customers a delivery window, or ‘spread.’

Here’s a fictitious example—

Your household goods weigh 9,600 pounds and you’re moving 716 miles at the end of June.

The mover may give you a delivery window of 4 to 8 days from the day the shipment is loaded.

This means that at their discretion, they can deliver any day within that window and still fulfill the terms of the contract—and they’re only required to give 24 hours of notice.

If you’re moving from coast to coast and your shipment is small, delivery windows of 2 weeks or more are common.
But movers may offer expedited or even guaranteed delivery… for a hefty price.

In other words, if you request a shorter delivery window or a guaranteed delivery date and it doesn’t interfere with their other commitments, they may be able to oblige.

Generally the smaller your shipment, the less likely it is that they’ll commit to either of these requests.

On the other hand, if you’re the new CEO for one of their corporate customers and your shipment filled an entire van, you’ll probably be able to call all the shots.

If an expedited or guaranteed delivery is important to you, consider postponing your move until fall or winter when you’ll be more likely to take advantage of them.

Storage-in-Transit (SIT)

Storage-in-transit refers to short-term storage of less than 90 days.

Some customers know they’ll need SIT before booking their move, but for others it can be a necessary evil triggered by a mid-move crisis like a home closing gone array.

Either way, you’ll want to get an idea of the cost before it becomes an issue.

In most instances, the movers will unload your items from their truck, pack them into storage vaults at their warehouse, and then reload them onto another truck before making final delivery.

Sounds like a lot of work, right?

That’s because it is, and it also means more chances for your beloved furniture to get dented, dinged, and scraped in the process.

Many customers assume that short-term storage is inexpensive, but all that additional labor and handling can add up to big bucks quickly.

And the more you have the more it costs, because SIT is largely based on the weight of your shipment.

The final cost is also determined by the amount of time your items were stored.

Most interstate movers charge for SIT on a per-day basis.

If yours charges by the month, it could be a sign that they’re less than reputable.

Before signing a contract, ask prospective movers to provide an estimate of storage costs based on the weight of your shipment.

It may save you a serious headache down the road.