Movers vs. Brokers

Know who you’re dealing with: Movers vs. Brokers

It’s important that when you choose your mover, you understand who you’re dealing with.  Is the company that you’re working with the actual mover?  Are they the people who are going to load your goods and move them, or are they front men for a series of companies that do that? There are a lot of middle men involved in the business, and when you have middle men involved, there’s often an additional charge.  There’s also another layer of distance between you and the ultimate service provider, so that can get a little bit tricky. I would recommend that you go direct to the mover. Make sure that you know who you’re doing business with.

What is a moving broker?

A moving broker is definitely not a mover. Brokers do not have the operational and logistic capabilities moving companies have. They do not have moving trucks, professional movers, proper moving equipment, and in a lot of cases not much moving experience. Moving brokers are sales teams that book your move and sell it to an actual moving company.

Sometimes the broker is not able to sell the job for various reasons - low estimates, availability, resources and the list goes on - in this case you can get stuck without a mover on the day of your move. Many moving brokers operate from call centers located anywhere in the country.

When you book your move make sure to ask the company to conduct the move whether they are an actual moving company or broker. For example, ABC Moving is a local moving company with an office (and supervisors) close to you that can assist with any problems or concerns that may arise during t

To ensure this, confirm that the company uses their own crews and trucks to pick up your shipment.

What could go wrong with using a Broker?

There are several things that could go wrong with using a Broker:

• They may book a mover for you who is not licensed.
• They may give you a low estimate only to have the actual moving company charge you something higher.
• They may not have much actual moving experience and may not be able to answer your moving related questions.
• They may not be able to find a mover for you and won’t tell you this, letting you think you have a mover booked for your move.

If you opt for moving broker follow this checklist 

https://www.protectyourmove.gov/consumer/awareness/protect/broker-vs-mover.aspx

What You Need To Know When Renting a Storage Unit

At some point in our lives or another, many of us need the use of a self-storage unit.  Whether it is for general storage, moving, downsizing, or even college, using a self-storage unit remains a viable alternative for those of us with basically too many things.

Though, if you have never used a self-storage unit before, the process of finding one may become overwhelming.  For example: What is Climate Control, and why would you need it?  What should you bring with you on the day that you plan to store your belongings?  Will your storage unit end up on the TV show Storage Wars? If these types of questions have crossed your mind when you thought about renting a storage unit – here are a few tips that will guide you through the processes of renting that self-storage unit.

Where to Start?
If you do not already have a Self-Storage Company in mind, you can start by using websites such as Google, SpareFoot, or even the Yellow Pages.  Many of your local Self-Storage Companies offer promotions, deals, as well as many discounts on their storage units.  So do some research on the various storage companies in your area, in the long run it will save you money.

What is Climate Control?
There are many Self-Storage Companies that now offer Climate Control Units; it is becoming very important to understand exactly what Climate Control is and just how it may help you.  The most basic form of climate control guarantees that the unit that you rent will stay with a certain temperature range.  The temperature range is often between 50 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit.   There are many self-storage companies that offer humidity control as well as climate control, make sure to ask if you are still unsure if they offer either of these benefits.

If you are planning on storing things such as wood, wine, leather furniture, art work which are temperature sensitive items. Extreme highs or lows in temperature changes can affect the quality of these possessions.

Security
Before you commit to a self-storage company, walk around the premises and ask about their electronic security measures.  Check to see if there are security cameras and gate access.

Locks
In most cases, Self-Storage Companies require you to purchase and use your own lock.  So ensure that you have one when you are ready to move your belongings in.  Keep in mind that standard or combination locks can be easily picked and broken into, stick with the closed shackled padlock, cylinder lock or disc lock.