Moving Quotes - getting moving quotes for your move to Kansas City

You’ve made the decision to move. The apartment’s rented and you’re ready to go. Whether you’re moving within the greater Kansas City area or coming here from across the country, it’s a good idea to know how you intend to get your stuff from Point A to Point B. If moving yourself is out of the question, a moving company is in order. If that’s the case, you can save yourself a lot of heartache by getting moving quotes well in advance of the big day.

The first thing to do is to decide upon a few moving companies to check out. You’ll want to get some pretty good moving quotes in writing and then make the final choice. Do, however, also check out the different moving companies through word of mouth and the Better Business Bureau. There are some shady moving companies out there and if you don’t know what you’re buying, your stuff could pay the ultimate price.

Once you’ve found a few good moving companies to get moving quotes from and you’ve checked out there track record, you’re going to need to make arrangements to have the company come out and make the quotes. The moving companies will need to see your stuff to make a good quote. They need to know how much they’ll be moving, if there are special considerations such as valuable antiques and so on. They’ll also need to know the timeframe, i.e., is it a rush job, and how far they’ll have to travel, before they can make solid quotes.

The first thing to do after you decide to move is to start rounding up people to help. Talk to friends, family and even co-workers. It’s amazing how many people are willing to help for a pizza and something cold to drink. Promise to feed them well and ask nicely and you might be surprised at the results.

If you’re moving across town, there are a few things you should know:

• Most moving companies will give you a flat-fee bid for moving short distances. This will include everything or should.
• Shop around and get several moving quotes and be sure to be up front about everything you expect the company to move.

If you’re moving across country or long distance:

• The moving company will likely bid by the pound.
• The final cost will involve everything they had to move and how far. Solid prices may not be available until the move’s over. The quote is just that in this case, it’s not hard and firm, but it should be a good rule of thumb with a slight margin for error

Before you make a final decision about a moving company, even after you’ve gotten moving quotes, consider a few things. Just because the price is the best, it doesn’t mean the company is, so look for these things:

• Quote guarantees. Good companies will stand behind their estimates or only allow a slight amount of room for error. The contract should state that much. You should not be given a moving quote for $500 and then receive a bill for $1,000
• Make sure the moving company will move things out and then in and will abide by special requests, such as carrying the bedroom furniture up the stairs in the new place.
• Read the fine print in contracts. Make sure you known everything that will happen from the time the truck is loaded until it’s unloaded. And, also make sure you understand your rights and responsibilities under the contract when you get moving quotes.
• Expect to pay the final bill based from the moving quotes before the truck is unloaded at your new home. Do be sure to know if a personal check is accepted or if you need a credit card or cashier’s check.

After you’ve done your homework on the different moving companies available and have their moving quotes, make sure your belongings are well protected during the move. The best bet for this is to take out insurance for moving. Some rental policies will cover your items during a move in the case of theft, loss or breakage, so check your policy. If you are unsure, ask your agent.

If your policy doesn’t include moving insurance, see if the companies that gave you moving quotes offer insurance. Sometimes they will to cover the duration of the move, from the time your items leave until the arrive safely at your new apartment.

While no one likes added expenses, in the case of moving insurance, it’s a good idea. No matter how careful a moving company is accidents can happen.