How to Avoid Surprise Moving Charges

You’ve found the perfect home in the perfect city of Toronto, along with a perfect moving company. Everything goes well on a moving day. Except for one thing. The bill. It is not the amount you thought you’d end up paying. That means you are way over your budget. To steer clear of these situations, our experts at Professional Movers Canada are here to provide you with everything you need to know to avoid surprise moving charges.

What are some common surprise charges and how to avoid them

Moving can be expensive, and knowing the cost upfront is important so you can avoid surprise relocation charges later on. Surprise charges come in many forms. Commercial movers Toronto use many different factors to calculate your move’s cost. However, some unforeseen situations occur, or some things are not known upfront. So what are those situations that may end up costing you more? Some of the most frequent surprise charges you should avoid include:

1. Changes in schedule – if you suddenly change dates for your move, your moving company may charge you some extra fees for that
2. Packing fees and materials – this depends on what kind of moving service you need, but they are usually considered additional services
3. Assembly and disassembly fees – to avoid these kinds of relocation charges, make sure you disassemble and pack all your furniture before the movers come to your home
4. Storage facility fee – this is different from renting a storage facility, and it’s when a moving company has to hold your belongings for a period of time before delivery, usually during long-distance moves
5. Special handling of oversize, delicate, or high-value items – not all items are billed equally, and some items require special handling, which may cost you extra
6. Charges for extra distances, elevators, and stairs 
7. Disposal fees – this is usually always the most surprising of all surprise moving charges, but a lot of trash accumulates during moving. If you want movers to get rid of any garbage from packing materials, it will cost you more

How to avoid surprise moving charges

Now that you know what kind of surprise moving charges there are, you are one step closer to avoiding them.  If you want to save on money, getting your own moving supplies Toronto will help you in that. Even if you are willing to pay for packing and unpacking moving services, you will pay for packing materials separately. Not only that, but you will be paying more than if you bought your own packing materials. Depending on the size of your home, packing materials will usually cost you from around $150 to $740.

Special handling of oversize, delicate, or high-value items

If you need to move any specialty items, be sure to inform your movers in time. If you don’t, you will end up paying extra. Usually, movers charge more for specialty items because they require more expertise and knowledge. Moreover, these items require more space in the moving truck. Oversized items typically cost more to move are pianos, pool tables, and large furniture. Some delicate items require special care also. This includes delicates like glass shelves and even paintings or sculptures.  Sometimes you can pack and move these items on your own. However, leaving that part to the best movers in Toronto is the way to go if they are valuable to you. Not only are they best suited to take care of your valuable items, but they are capable of handling them with a reduced risk of injuries.

Binding vs. Non-binding quotes

To understand how to avoid surprise moving charges during your move to Toronto, you need to understand what binding and non-binding quotes are and which one to use. As the name says, the binding quotes are those given during an estimate that cannot be changed during your moving day. Non-binding quotes, however, moving companies can vary and may lead to you paying more than you thought.

While binding quotes may help you avoid unforeseen extra costs, they may not always be the solution to your problem. That’s because sometimes, you can’t foresee every single detail when moving. Even if you get a binding quote for the moving services Toronto you want to ask for, that doesn’t mean you won’t get any surprises. The first surprise you might encounter is that something that you thought was included in the service, in fact, wasn’t. Ensure you get a binding quote to avoid any unpleasant surprises that may cost you extra. Not only that, but you should know precisely what is covered and what isn’t by that binding quote.

The high cost of not having insurance

Moving companies aren’t the only ones who may cost you more during your move. Things get lost or broken all the time when driving. And it will cost you to replace any broken or lost items. Insurance plays a significant role in reducing the likelihood of unexpected expenses. Moving companies are not required to have moving insurance, but some offer it to their clients. If you are thinking of hiring movers for your move to the city of Toronto , you should ask about insurance. Not only that, but find out precisely what that insurance covers.

Summary

If everything were perfect, there would be no surprise charges. However, we do not live in a perfect and predictable world. The first step if you want to successfully avoid surprise moving charges is to arm yourself with lots of knowledge. Read everything you can find carefully and thoroughly. Second, you should be patient during moving, however difficult that may seem.  Third, you should remember that communication is key. And lastly, be sure to entrust your move only to the best and most reliable movers you can find.