How to Prevent Extra Moving Fees on Your Bill

02 Dec How to Prevent Extra Moving Fees on Your Bill

Are you worried about extra fees on your next moving bill?

You’ve found your moving company, received estimates, and the movers are finally unpacking your belongings in your new home. What a relief! But when the driver hands you your final bill, you’re confused, as the price is completely different than what you discussed and were first quoted. All of the sudden, your feelings of relief are replaced with stress.

So, what’s the best way to prevent unnecessary moving fees? Let’s start by detailing the most common extra fees moving companies may charge.

Common extra moving fees

Look out for these common extra charges. Thankfully, diligent planning can help prevent these fees.

• Accessorial charges – These fees include unpacking, packing services, extra pick-ups, and disassembly of furniture. Make sure you’re prepared in advance with your belongings disassembled, packed, and ready to go, and don’t add extra unplanned stops.
• Appliance service charge – If your movers have to prepare major appliances, such as dishwashers or washing machines, they will charge an appliance service charge. This fee includes disconnecting the appliances at your original residence and reconnecting them at your new residence.
• Storage and transit fee – These extra fees are charged if goods have to first be stored before they are moved into your new home. For instance, if your new home is not yet ready, the moving company will levy a charge for storing your belongings. They will also need to charge more for the multiple trips loading and unloading your belongings.

The top 3 ways to prevent extra moving charges 

Use these three points to help plan and prepare for your upcoming move.

1. Discuss everything in your moving contract – Be sure to discuss everything in your moving contract with your moving company in advance of your big day. It’s important to go over what items may need special handling and determine the potential extra costs for each. You can also prepare your movers for elevators, stairs, and parking problems that they might run into on the day, in order to get a full estimate of your final costs. If you know about these fees ahead of time, you won’t be surprised later on when the bill comes.
2. Avoid changing destinations or adding extra pick-up locations – If you choose to change the route of the moving truck, this can result in a lot of additional charges, especially if there are more than two locations that require picking up. Along with this, try to avoid adding extra items to the moving truck at the last minute. Any changes to the original inventory can result in additional charges.
3. Remember that narrow streets can require shuttles or extra hands – Keep in mind that if you live on a narrow street, your moving truck may be too large to fit. If that is the case, your movers may be required to call in extra shuttles and move your items into a smaller truck first. They may also need to call in extra employees, which will increase your price.

Use these three simple ways to prevent extra charges on your moving bill. Now that you know these tricks, you can prevent unwelcome surprises on your next moving day.

Preparation prevents extra fees and save you money

Discussing potential extra fees in advance will really help you avoid nasty surprises and help you better plan and prepare. If you work with a reputable moving company, you can trust that extra fees are the result of poor planning or extra requests on your end. However, if something seems inaccurate, never hesitate to question the fees and ask for a detailed invoice.