What goes into an Estimate for Moving?

When you get an online estimate or an in-person estimate for moving from one place to another, it's nice to know what goes into it. There are several factors used to determine the total cost for your move. Here's a look at some of the major factors used in a moving estimate.

Your New and Old Addresses

The address you will have your belongings picked up at and the address where they will be dropped off is where the moving estimate starts. Good moving companies will ask for this information before they move forward with anything else. The more details you provider, the more accurate your quote will be, as well.

For example, if you're just moving from one apartment to another, the addresses are great, but knowing what floor the apartments are on is even more helpful. You may also need to inform the moving company if you have things at a second address needing picked up along the way.

The Amount/Size of the Things Needing Moved

Along with the location your stuff is going from and to, the amount of things and the size of the things you have will also be factored into the moving estimate. If you have a grand piano and a large pool table needing moved, along with regular household belongings, your moving estimate will likely be higher due to those large items. Again, the more details you can give a moving company about the things you want moved, the more accurate your quote will be.

The Time of Year You Want to Move

In Chicago, moving in the winter may have a different cost compared to moving in the summer. Just like any industry, moving has peak times and off-peak times. If you move during a peak time of year, it will likely cost you more because many others are also moving during this time of year.

Often, in Chicago, the peak moving times are in the spring and fall when school is starting and ending. However, you may run into other peak times, depending on what is going on and when you plan to move.

Factors Making Your Move Less or More Expensive

While the main three things going into your estimate are the locations, your things and the time of year you move, there are other factors that will affect the price. Here are a few things you should understand when it comes to a moving estimate.

Labor

The number of actual movers required to get your belongings from point A to point B is a huge factor in how much it will cost for your overall move. For example, if you have a heavy piano needing moved, it may require a third mover for safety reasons. Without a heavy item, the moving may be able to be done by two movers, which won't cost as much.

Time

The number of hours spent on the actual job also factors into the overall cost. If the move is estimated to take only 3 hours, it won't cost as much as a move estimated to take 6 hours.

Distance

Long distance moves cost more than in-town moves. If you're just moving a few miles across town, it won't cost as much as moving the same belongings outside of the city.

Understanding what goes into a moving estimate is necessary. Not only will the estimate make more sense to you, but it will also help you compare one company to another.

Long Distance Moving

How Much Does it Cost to Move Fine Art?

Moving fine art isn't the same as moving a couch or another large item. It's fragile, may be very valuable and needs to be moved properly. Since this type of item is rather unique, it cannot be lumped into the moving estimate with all the other items. Fine art, such as paintings, sculptures, collector's items, chandeliers, statues and pictures requires a professional moving company capable of moving the type of item you own. The cost may vary widely, depending on the item or items you need moved. Here are some of the considerations a professional moving company will make when quoting a price for moving fine art.

The Value of the Art

If you plan to insure the fine art during the move, the value will make a big difference in the price. You may need to pay for an appraisal before the item is moved to ensure its value is correct. More valuable pieces are more expensive to move simply because they will cost more to replace if damaged or lost.

The Size of the Art

Size is another huge factor. It's not going to be the same price to move a simple 24" x 36" painting compared to a 300-pound statue. The larger the item is, the more you can expect to pay to have it moved, especially if the larger size means more weight.

With heavier items, moving companies may need to bring out special equipment or staff an additional mover to ensure the move is handled properly. This will cost more and just one extra mover can up the hourly rate by $75 or more per hour.

Moving Fine Art

How Fragile is the Art

Fragile art requires special packing materials and a specific strategy for moving. For example, if you have a highly valuable chandelier you need moved made of crystal, it will probably cost more than moving a painting. The chandelier may be large, oddly shaped and incredibly fragile, while the painting can simply be crated and moved.

If you own very fragile fine art, you should expect the cost of moving it to be much higher compared to moving a handful of valuable paintings. While all fine art must be handled with care, fragile items require an even higher level of care.

Benefit of Hiring a Professional to Move Fine Art

While it's very hard to narrow down even a simple price range for moving fine art, there are several benefits to hiring a professional moving company to handle your fine art. The benefits include:

• Safety - Professional movers know what they are doing and you will no longer be risking yourself when moving.

• Less chance of Damage - With a professional moving company, your fine art will be packed properly leaving the chances of damage at slim to none.

• Saves you Time - You no longer have to spend the time tracking down the right materials and packing the art yourself.

• Affordable - Usually, the cost of moving fine art is far more affordable than trying to handle it yourself.

The cost of moving fine art will vary widely, depending on what needs to be moved. Just as art can be very subjective, so can the estimate for moving it. If you need to move fine art, it's best to get an estimate from a professional moving company specializing in fine art moving.

What Should you Do with your Used Moving Boxes in Chicago?

If you didn't use Chicago GreenBoxes (we HIGHLY recommend them if it's not too late!), you might have a huge stack of cardboard boxes left over. If they are properly broken down, you may have some options to recycle, donate or even sell your used boxes. Here are some of the options for your moving boxes in Chicago.

Use BoxCycle or Freecycle

BoxCycle allows you to list your boxes for sale. They will sell them for you and you just collect a profit. This is a great way to get a little bit of your cash back and allow someone else to get moving boxes at a discount.

Freecycle, on the other hand, allows you to list items you would like to give away free of charge. Every now and then, you can find moving boxes on the site and many look for moving boxes here. There are several groups found in the Chicago area where you can list your boxes and give them away.

Craigslist

Another place to give your boxes away free of charge is Craigslist. There are always free ads on the Chicago Craigslist site for boxes. This is a popular place for people to look, so why not give it a try to get rid of your boxes?

Recycle Them

If your neighborhood or building has a recycling program, you may be able to recycle your used boxes. Sometimes, you have to look up a place in the area that will take a large amount of cardboard for recycling, however. While this isn't the best or easiest option, it's still better than tossing the boxes in the trash.

Local Charities and Libraries

The library may need some of your boxes for moving or storing books. If you have any heavy duty books, you can ask your nearby library if they can use the boxes. Often, they will take some of the boxes off your hands.

Other charities may also need boxes, such as Goodwill, Salvation Army, Churches, Schools and anywhere else that might have a need for boxes. Community enters often need boxes for different reasons and with a few phone calls to local organizations; you can probably unload all of your boxes.

Use a Box Broker

There are actually box brokers in Chicago that will sell your used moving boxes for you. You can easily do a Google search and find a few brokers to choose from.

Check with your Moving Company

Some moving companies will recycle the used boxes for you by giving them to others moving or simply recycling them. Always check with your moving company if you're not sure what to do with your boxes. If they are local to Chicago, they may be able to connect you with someone needing boxes, as well.

While it's not a good idea to trust used boxes for moving your belongings, they can still have a purpose, if broken down correctly. There are many ways to reuse your moving boxes. You can sell them, give them away, donate them to charity or use a local recycling program. No matter what you choose, all of these options are better than just tossing them in the dumpster. Again, hopefully you are using Chicago GreenBoxes, which are made from 100% recyclable material, and much sturdier.

Used Moving Boxes

How to Avoid Losing Your Things During a Move

Moving is a big deal and may be one of the most stressful life events, if you don't do it right. However, with the help of a moving company, along with the right strategy, you can avoid losing things during your move and eliminate some of the stress. It seems like something always gets lost or broken during a move. It doesn't have to be this way. Here are a few tips to help ensure you don't lose anything during your next move.

Pack One Room at a Time

It may take you a bit longer and it may seem like a pain, but packing one room at a time is a great way to ensure you don't lose anything. When you're not floating back and forth between rooms, you're less likely to misplace an item or put it in the wrong box. It's much easier to label things properly when dealing with one room at a time.

Create a Proper List

The right list will also make a huge difference. You should create a master list of all of the things you are pacing. As you go room by room with your packing, just make an inventory list of the things you are packing. Make sure everything is on the list and you also inventory where it was packed.

Use Small, Ziploc Bags

There's nothing worse than getting to your new home and realizing you lost an important piece to your furniture or something else. Even the smallest piece can be lost and if it is, it could make a big difference.

When you use Ziploc bags for small items, you won't have to worry about losing them. These helps with computer and electronic cables, screws, nuts and bolts and anything else small.

You want to take the bag to the electronic device or piece of furniture the items in the bag belong to. This can make the entire move go much smoother and unpacking much easier.

Don't Send the Personal Items on the Moving Truck

Even if you hire the most trusted moving company you can find, there are some items you just don't want to send on the moving truck. You never know what will happen and having personal items, such as photo albums and important documents travel with you is very smart.

There are lasso other items you cannot pack on a moving truck, in some cases, such as your collection of alcohol, fertilizers, gardening chemicals, unsealed foods, perishable foods and gasoline.

If you're not sure if you can pack an item and send it on the moving truck, check with the company you hired first. Make sure all your small valuables, extra cash and important documents go with you, however.

Use these tips when you move and you will have a better moving experience. Of course, you can always eliminate the moving headaches by hiring a moving company to pack your items, move them and unpack them. Remember, they are professionals and know the best strategies to ensure everything gets to the new location without getting lost or broken.

The Profesionals Trusted Moving Company

How Much Does it Cost to Move a Pool Table?

Moving is a huge hassle, especially if you have heavy items, such as a real, slate or marble pool table. Large, heavy pool tables are not easy to move and often, trying to do it yourself can lead to damage to the table or someone helping you move it. When an item weighs as much as a pool table does, it's best to pay a professional moving company to handle it. With a professional moving company, you don't have to worry about getting injured or hurting your table. They've moved many pool tables and they know how to do it efficiently. In addition, they will have special equipment to make moving your heavy pool table much easier.

Answering the question, "how much does it cost to move a pool table," isn't as easy as just providing a number. There are some specific factors that must be considered.

First, what type of pool table are you moving? Is it a drop pocket table? Does it have plastic pockets, leather pockets or a ball return system?

Second, how heavy is the pool table? The weight of the table may determine how many movers need to be on the job, which will factor into the cost.

Third, is the pool table going up or down any stairs? Moving a large item up or down stairs makes it a more risky and difficult job, therefore, it may cost a bit more compared to moving a pool table out of the first floor and into the first floor.

Finally, how far will the pool table be traveling from its' current destination to its' final destination? The price difference from a local move to an out of city/state move can be quite different.

Should you Move a Pool Table Yourself?

After answering the questions above and getting a quote from a professional moving company, you may consider moving the pool table yourself. However, this could be a huge mistake as damage and injuries can occur.

Videos on YouTube and information found online might show you how to take the table apart and move it piece by piece. However, if you've never assembled a pool table, you might be very disappointed with the results once you get it together. Plus, disassembling and reassembling a pool table for the first time may lead to damaging it in ways you haven't even thought of yet.

Trying to move a pool table in one piece is ridiculous to even attempt. Most slate tables would require 5 to 7 guys and there's a very good chance at least a few end up with a serious injury. This should not be attempted.

So, How Much Does it Cost to Move a Pool Table?

Getting back to the original question, it costs between $750 and $1000 to move a typical pool table, in most cases. Reassembly will usually require a specialist to level and custom fit the billiard cloth that covers a pool table. The price may be on the lower side if your table is only 7 feet and it may be on the higher side if it's a 9-foot table with stairs to negotiate.

Contact us if you need help with moving your pool table today!