Want to have all of your boxes loaded onto a truck and driven to your destination, without the expenses of a full-service move? Then consider using a pickup and delivery service from your moving company. With this option, you simply pack everything yourself, and the movers will come to your house, place the goods in the truck, drive to your destination, and then unload everything.
If you use a pickup and delivery service, you won't have to worry about the loading process. It can be difficult to efficiently load up a truck, trying to evenly distribute the weight and packing boxes on top of each other by order of weight. Additionally, you won't have to go through the trouble of reserving a rental truck and then driving a large,
unfamiliar vehicle a long distance.
Your main responsibility when using a pickup and delivery service is to make sure everything is packed appropriately. In most cases, the moving company won't be responsible for damaged items, since they won't be packing the boxes themselves.
Therefore, always use high-quality boxes and enough packing materials to minimize the chances of your goods getting damaged. If you don't wish to pack yourself, you can always hire professional packers to do the job for you. Though this would add to the costs, the total may still be less than a full-service move.
TIP: You can start the packing process well in advance of your move. Start by packing your off-season clothes and any other items you don't use on a daily basis.
After packing away all of your belongings, you'll be instructed to leave the boxes in a location easily accessible by your movers. This will be either right inside your home, right outside the front door, or on the curb. Make sure you know exactly where your movers would like you to place your belongings beforehand.
Individual moving companies that offer pickup and delivery service may have differing policies regarding the actual services they provide. Before selecting a mover, ask the following questions so you know what to expect:
- Will you carry my furniture from the house to the truck?
- Will you move furniture from upstairs?
- Do you offer crating service for TVs, chandeliers, artwork, and other large items?
- How do charge for your service – by the weight of the items or the time spent loading?
Overall, pickup and delivery service is a great option. If you don't mind packing yourself, you can save a lot of money, compared with hiring full-service movers. Though it may cost more than renting a truck and doing a self-service move, you would probably feel comfortable having professionals load up your goods and drive them to your new home.