Understanding mover contracts and paperwork

Planning out and executing a move is rarely something one could call an "easy task". From hiring reliable moving companies or finding some good storage help, to picking the best possible moving date, there is a lot of things to think about. One should also bear in mind that in most cases there is always an emotional aspect of the move to think about also as it can be really hard at times to deal with that. With all that potential stress looming over, one should be on the lookout when it comes to crucial things such as mover contracts and paperwork. It is important to have a firm, clear grasp on these because your whole move fits in those couple of paper sheets. That is why we have prepared a guide on the basic documents that you will have to deal during a move.

Moving estimate is one of the key mover contracts and paperwork

Without a moving estimate, it is hard to have a move. Moving estimate is a document that basically sums up all the moving costs that you will have to pay. There are two types - binding and non-binding moving estimates. The moving company should provide you with it before the move takes places. The way a moving company treats your moving estimate can say a lot about them and their credibility. How so? Well, though things like deciding to rent moving bins NYC are important, hiring a good moving company is half of a good move. If you hire the wrong company you may end up regretting the entire move. Did they offer you to make your own estimate?

The way the movers treat moving estimates is really telling of their dependabilityIf they do not send their representatives to your place to do that or if they do not at least ask for video or photographic proof, that may be a real red flag. That may mean that they will have some new expenses that they will present you with after the move which can be really awkward. So, make sure that your movers are the ones doing the final moving estimate. Once that is done, you should ask any questions you may have before signing anything. Furthermore, it is important that you understand the difference between binding and non-binding.

Difference between binding and non-binding estimate

• binding estimate - this means that if your shipment weighs more than the weight the company estimated, you will still pay that same price, so you plan on renting plastic moving bins NYC without any worries
• non-binding estimate - they cannot charge you this, as this the estimated weight and in the majority of cases, they will give you a maximum price quote. They will note you that they will not charge you more than that unless you add more things that significantly change the overall weight. So, make sure that you ask the company's representative whether that is the final top-end quote.

Bill of Lading

Another important piece of mover contracts and paperwork is the Bill of Lading. They will provide you with it on a moving day and it will outline your entire moving deal. The moving company won't be able to move your belongings without it. They will thus ask you to read and sign this document as it will state the moving terms. These will include things such as the date of pickup and delivery, the insurance coverage, a detailed list of fees for service and total cost and an agreement statement. You have to read this document carefully. It should be same as the terms that you already agreed on earlier. Take special care when it comes to the fees and makes sure that you ask about anything that you are no sure about. Only after you are sure that you understood and agree with everything should you sign the paper.

The Bill of Lading is one of the most important documents when it comes to moving

Information to pay attention to the Bill of Lading

• The license of the mover and their contact information
• Your own contact information
• Services to be used, their cost and the payment method
• The insurance policy
• Pickup date and delivery date
• The starting address of the move and the target address

Inventory list

An inventory list is easily one of the most important mover contracts and paperwork you will deal with. It is really useful in more than way, however, people tend to disregard it as unimportant. Firstly, from the practical side, the inventory list can be really helpful when it comes to packing. What you should do is to list all of the belongings that you have on it. You can then first see what things you do not need at all and then plan on getting rid of them. You can donate them, sell them, give them or throw them away. This will make your move easier as you will have fewer things to move. The next thing that you can do with the inventory list is group things as you pack. As you pack, put a mark by each item to know in which box you put them.

An inventory list is useful in more than one wayDivide boxes according to rooms. This is the easiest way as you can then classify boxes (and items) by letters and numbers. An example of this is - K3 meaning "Kitchen box no. 3." Then just put K3 by the item on the list. This will enable you to prioritize when unpacking. This is another great thing that inventory list can help you with. You will unpack in a much more efficient way. There is however one more really important use of the inventory list. At least for your most prized possessions, you should write down their worth. After you do that, you should have the company's representative approve and sign the list. This way, if something happens to your belongings during the move you are ready for filing an insurance claim.