I made a reservation with them. They do not bring or supply boxes, tape, or moving blankets to protect your furniture. So how many boxes will I need? I really do not want to buy 100 boxes and they only use 80. This is not something that I would expect professional movers to do, and yet this is a local moving company.
SuperGrok thinks the full service movers can do it for about $15,000 (no appliances, 300 pound gun safe, not heavy but oddly shaped telescopes). I am getting estimates this next week. If it comes into that price range, it is only a few thousand more than UPack and whatever the local pack and load service would cost.
U-Haul sells pretty good boxes, and as long as they are in "as-new" condition will refund them no problem. Or they did the last time I moved. It is worth checking.
ReplyDeleteI know the big-box hardware stores also sell moving supplies, so they might have the same deal... You don't want to be a couple of boxes short on the day of...
Consider buying previously used moving boxes from a local moving company: After my last move I kept them, folded flat, and have found a use for most of them over the years.
ReplyDeleteI used wardrobe boxes for moving my firearms - padded with clothing, they went into a small trailer that I towed myself. The clothing helped protect them, and camouflaged them as well.
My mother was partner in a furniture moving business for about 35 years, so I learned some of the industry truths.
ReplyDeleteOne is that moving is a very high-stress experience, comparable to the death of a parent or spouse.
Another is that it is preferable to let the moving crew pack one's goods. That's because those doing their own packing are continually distracted by possessions they haven't looked at recently.
It costs more, but ISTM you have the money, and you don't need the stress.