7 Questions to Start the Moving Conversation
- How many bedrooms are we moving from your current location?
- Will you need any help with packing?
- What would you say is your heaviest or largest item that needs moving?
- What zip code do you currently live in?
- What zip code are you moving to?
- Will you need any storage services?
- What is your estimated moving date?
Our Locations
Common Questions
Dresser
if your dresser is made out of solid wood, then NO, you can leave clothes and light items in it. if your dresser is made out of Prestwood, then YES, please remove all items.File Cabinet
Yes! please remove all items from file cabinet- Medications for you, your family or pets
- Pets and children
- Sensitive or important paperwork
- Chemicals and cleaning supplies (wrap each item separately in sealed plastic so if they leak they do not cause damage or interact with other chemicals).
- Phones, laptops, jewelry, heirlooms and invaluable items
- Review the visual estimate or hourly rate and fees with the foreman on your moving crew
- Let the movers know where pets are kept in the house
- Inform the movers of any specific time frames or budget constraints that you have
- Do a walk-through of the property and let the movers know if any hardware on the walls needs to be taken down, if anything is staying at the old house, if there is food in the fridge or freezer you want
- Point out any extra fragile or broken items
- When the movers are done packing up your old house, do a walk-through with the foreman to check every closet, room, garage, backyard (are you bringing the hose?), side yard, attic, fridge, dishwasher, washer and dryer to make sure everything is gone
- Leave a box of cleaning materials and supplies in the old house if you’re going to be coming back the next day to clean.
For the consumer’s protection, it is against the law for moving companies to provide an estimated time or cost for your move without seeing the items that are being moved. Moving companies can only give hourly rates and fees over the phone.
For this reason, we offer visual moving estimates. This is when a professional estimator comes to your house for about 15 minutes and views the items and/or space that you are moving. The estimator will discuss the moving process and what you can expect and ask you questions about your moving timeline and constraints. You will receive a written estimate at that time, which is a very helpful tool when shopping around for moving companies. This written estimate is not a contract for the exact time frame and cost of the move, but rather an estimate based on years of experience in the industry.
When the movers arrive on the day of the move, they will review the written estimate with the customer and based on what they see that day they will let the customer know if they can expect the move to take significantly longer or shorter than previously estimated. The majority of the time there is very little difference between the written estimate and the actual time and cost. When there are significant variances it is typically due to one of the following:
- Customers end up moving or discarding items after the visual estimate
- The customer has asked for a larger or smaller moving crew than what the visual estimate recommends
- Hidden or forgotten rooms/spaces were not included or discussed during the visual estimate, such as attics, extra storage units, sheds in the backyard, etc.
$3-$6 per mover per hour
Tipping is not necessary, but it is a commonly accepted practice in the industry for a job well done. The widely accepted tipping rate for movers is around 5% or $4/hour per mover. Unlike restaurants where customers tip one waiter and then the waiter tips out the help staff, movers keep their own tips. Tipping each mover separable will show your appreciation and recognition for that individual’s work.
Hire movers to move you
The majority of our moving trucks are 26 feet long and 8 feet wide and 8 feet tall. This is the largest size moving truck in its class and can hold just over 1,600 cubic feet or around 10,000 lbs. This size of a truck can usually fit the contents of a 3-5 bedroom house, depending on how many items and appliances there are. Some 5 bedroom houses that are fully furnished and that are moving all the appliances will need a second truck to complete their move. There is an additional fee for utilizing a second truck on your moving day, which covers the cost of the driver, fuel and wear and tear on the truck. Even with the additional fee for the second moving truck, using 2 trucks on your moving day will be cheaper and will reduce the number of hours it takes to move drastically (rather than having 1 truck do 2 trips).
Dresser
if your dresser is made out of solid wood, then NO, you can leave clothes and light items in it. if your dresser is made out of Prestwood, then YES, please remove all items. if your dresser is made out of Prestwood, then YES, please remove all items.File Cabinet
Yes! please remove all items from file cabinet- Customers end up moving or discarding items after the visual estimate
- The customer has asked for a larger or smaller moving crew than what the visual estimate recommends
- Hidden or forgotten rooms/spaces were not included or discussed during the visual estimate, such as attics, extra storage units, sheds in the backyard, etc
Unlike a local, intercity move, a long distance or out of state move is not billed by the hour. Instead, the cost is based on the weight of the items being moved. One way to figure out the price of y our move is by weight. The moving company will weigh the truck when it is empty, then load all the items onto the truck and weigh it again to determine the weight of the items being moved. Then this number is multiplied by the agreed upon rate per pound (this varies based on where you are starting from and where you are moving to). The great part about this method is that it is very accurate and you know that you are only paying for the exact number of pounds that you are moving. The downside of this method is that your items are already loaded onto the moving company’s truck before you know how much your move is going to cost. This makes it very difficult to plan and budget for your move.
To help you better plan and prepare for your move, we can perform a visual estimate (complete with an inventory list) prior to your move and provide you with a flat rate for your move. The visual estimator will need to see all of your items that will be moved and will need to know all the details of your move, such as what date you want the items picked up and what date and where you need the items delivered. Based on the visual estimator’s years of experience and access to some of the moving industry’s best data to date, they will be able to provide you with a flat rate for the move.
Long distance moving to Las Vegas, NV
If you are moving within 600 miles or less of your starting point, then we can have your items delivered to you the next day. Usually we load the truck and drive to the new location in one day and then begin the unloading process the next morning.
If you are moving more than 600 miles from your starting point then the time of delivery will vary based on distance, weather and of course, your own schedule. It is often the case that people are in temporary housing at their new location for a few days, weeks or even months. In that case, we offer storage solutions and can work with your timeline for delivery.
Long distance moving to New Mexico, NM
Dresser
if your dresser is made out of solid wood, then NO, you can leave clothes and light items in it. if your dresser is made out of Prestwood, then YES, please remove all items.File Cabinet
Yes! please remove all items from file cabinet- Medications for you, your family or pets
- Pets and children
- Sensitive or important paperwork
- Chemicals and cleaning supplies (wrap each item separately in sealed plastic so if they leak they do not cause damage or interact with other chemicals).
- Phones, laptops, jewelry, heirlooms and invaluable items
- Family and friends
- Current Employer
- Landlord
- Postal service: https://moversguide.usps.com/mgo/disclaimer
- Electric and Gas Company
- Water
- Telephone
- Cable
- Internet
- Domestic waste collection
- Your voting registration should be updated when you change your address with the DMV but always double check so that you receive the correct voting information and ballets!
- Accountant, Tax Consultants, lawyers
- Banks, creditors, loan agencies, 401k holding company (if you’re employer doesn’t already do this for you).
- Any ongoing subscription services, like meal delivery, magazines, produce boxes, clothing shopping services, etc
- Insurance company
- Doctors, dentists, eye doctors, vets
- Schools, clubs, organizations, sports teams
- Shopping apps: target, amazon, your phone profile, apple pay, grub hub, letgo, facebook ‘buy nothing’ or ‘being neighborly’ groups, nextdoor neighbor app, the ‘home’ default on your navigation apps,
- Solar company
- Gardener, babysitters, cleaning companies,
Here is a good list to get you started:
- Call at least 3 moving companies to get price ranges and visual estimates
- Select a moving company and reserve your moving date
- Decide if you’re going to have professional packers or do it yourself
- Start collecting packing materials and boxes
- Start packing and labeling
- Plan what to do with pets and children the day of the move
- Plan to be at the house when the movers are there to answer any questions, but once they get started you will have some time on your hands. We recommend keeping wifi and electricity and water on during moving day.
- Hire cleaning service or plan a day to clean yourself
- Plan to pack on one day (if you have a professional), move on another day, and clean on a third. Unless you have a studio apartment this is all too much to do in one day.
Our moving trucks for hire
- Review the visual estimate or hourly rate and fees with the foreman on your moving crew
- Let the movers know where pets are kept in the house
- Inform the movers of any specific time frames or budget constraints that you have
- Do a walk-through of the property and let the movers know if any hardware on the walls needs to be taken down, if anything is staying at the old house, if there is food in the fridge or freezer you want
- Point out any extra fragile or broken items
- When the movers are done packing up your old house, do a walk-through with the foreman to check every closet, room, garage, backyard (are you bringing the hose?), side yard, attic, fridge, dishwasher, washer and dryer to make sure everything is gone
- Leave a box of cleaning materials and supplies in the old house if you’re going to be coming back the next day to clean.
Dresser
if your dresser is made out of solid wood, then NO, you can leave clothes and light items in it. if your dresser is made out of Prestwood, then YES, please remove all items.File Cabinet
Yes! please remove all items from file cabinet- Toiletries
- Pillows, fitted sheets and blankets for the first night in the home
- Washcloth and bath towels for everyone
- Change of clothes
- Plastic bags to keep dirty clothes in
- Garbage bags
- Toilet paper
- Hand soap
- Paper towel
- Paper plates and a few utensils
- Basic tool kit for assembling furniture (if you don’t want the movers to do this for you)
- Snacks and easy to prepare food items for the next 2 days
- Dog/animal food, leash and toys
- Chargers for your laptop and phones
- Garage openers and keys for the new house and/or personal storage units
- Kids backpacks, school work, etc (if the children will need them the next day for school)
There are many apps or websites that have people offering free, used boxes and packing materials. Check out: Facebook’s ‘Buy Nothing’ groups, the Nextdoor Neighbor App, LetGo App, etc.
Check daily or weekly for these items, as they are posted often. Just make sure when using used boxes to reinforce all sides and openings of the boxes with packing tape. This will give them structure and strength so they can be stacked on top of each other without collapsing.
The big box stores, like Home Depot and Lowe’s are expensive so buy there sparingly. The most expensive place to buy your packing materials though is through your own moving company! Your moving crew will have extra boxes and packing materials on the truck just in case the customer needs to buy a few last minute items, but this should be used as a back up only, as the convince cost of having the movers bring the materials with them will make the cost of these products that much more expensive.
And don’t forget your mattress bags! Many people forget to procure a large plastic bag to cover their mattress during the moving process. This will help ensure that your mattress will stay clean and dry throughout the move.
Packing and packers in San Diego County
- Boxes of all sizes, including TV boxes and boxes for art
- More tape than you think you’ll need and if different colors if you want to do a color coding system
- Permanent markers of different colors
- Paper towels
- Garbage bags
- Bubble wrap, packing paper or newspaper
- Plastic Mattress covers
- Box cutter
- Band aids (those box cutters are sharp man)
- Start packing early and often. People greatly underestimate how much time it will take them to pack.
- Leave your clothes hanging in the closet (they will be moved with wardrobe boxes)
- Light items in large boxes (like towels and linens)
- Heavy items in small boxes. Over-packed or heavy boxes increase the likelihood of damages
- Don’t leave empty spaces in boxes. Fill in the gaps with towels or packing paper. If it is unbalanced or half packed it is likely to fall over or get crushed, causing damages.
- Do not mix items from different rooms in the same box. It will make unpacking very time consuming.
- Label (or color code) boxes with the 1) room 2) content descriptions 3) if it’s fragile
- If you’d like to keep inventory, number each box and keep a list of each box and how it is labeled.
- Tape the top and bottom seams of a box very well, then wrap the seams of the box on top and bottom to give structure and strength to the boxes. This will help them stack well and prevent damages.
- Glass: create a large X with tape over the glass to support it and keep the glass together if it does break. Then wrap in bubble wrap and put into a box. If you’re putting multiple picture frames in one box then put a piece of cardboard or a few layers of paper between each frame
- Dishes:
- Pack vertically, never horizontally or laying down.
- Use plenty of paper between each dish and on the top and bottom of the box.
- You can wrap bowls and cups individually and then stack them.
- Plasma TVs need their original box or a special create, they can never be laid down on their side.
Here are some items that need special attention or professionals when packing. Please discuss these items with your moving coordination in advance of the move!
- Oil paintings (will stick or melt)
- Heavy statues
- Grand pianos
- Pool tables
- Safes that were specially installed
- Grandfather clocks
- Jacuzzi or above ground spas
- Chemicals and cleaning products
Hire movers to move you
- They are expensive to repair and replace
- They are very heavy (300-500lbs on average)
- They are made of very intricate and delicate parts
- The wood finish is easy to scratch and damage
- The best practices for moving a piano properly are not common sense (like removing the legs, wrapping the sound board and the lid separately)
- Not many people have the correct materials and equipment to move a piano properly
- Watch ‘piano moving fails’ on YouTube to see what I’m talking about
Grand Piano- Movers start charging when they arrive at your house.
- Double drive time: If it takes the movers 15 minutes to drive from your old house to your new house, they will charge 30 minutes of drive time.
- Standard rates apply as the movers unload the truck and will stop charging when all items are off of the truck (unless the customer would like the movers to continue to work on arranging and assembling furniture).
- Fuel rates apply.
- Packing materials are not included and are sold separately.
- A 4 hour minimum for each job (it is uncommon for moving companies to move ‘one off’ items like refrigerators or bed room sets.
- After the minimum hours have been met, most moving companies charge in 15 minute increments.
For the consumer’s protection, it is against the law for moving companies to provide an estimated time or cost for your move without seeing the items that are being moved. Moving companies can only give hourly rates and fees over the phone.
For this reason, we offer visual estimates. This is when a professional estimator comes to your house for about 15 minutes and views the items and/or space that you are moving. The estimator will discuss the moving process and what you can expect and ask you questions about your moving timeline and constraints. You will receive a written estimate at that time, which is a very helpful tool when shopping around for moving companies. This written estimate is not a contract for the exact time frame and cost of the move, but rather an estimate based on years of experience in the industry.
When the movers arrive on the day of the move, they will review the written estimate with the customer and based on what they see that day they will let the customer know if they can expect the move to take significantly longer or shorter than previously estimated. The majority of the time there is very little difference between the written estimate and the actual time and cost. When there are significant variances it is typically due to one of the following:
- Customers end up moving or discarding items after the visual estimate
- The customer has asked for a larger or smaller moving crew than what the visual estimate recommends
- Hidden or forgotten rooms/spaces were not included or discussed during the visual estimate, such as attics, extra storage units, sheds in the backyard, etc
You should never be asked to pay in-full for moving services prior to the move. Most moving companies will hold a credit card number to reserve your moving date, and it is common to have a small deposit if it is a larger, long distance or same day move.
Our company will hold a credit card to hold your moving date and will charge a $100 cancellation fee if the move is cancelled within 7 days of the move. There is no date to change the date or time of the move though (we know how seamless and predictable escrow and other moving factors can be). Once the movers arrive at your house or business, the foreman will review the hourly rates or written visual estimate (if there is one) with the customer. When the move is almost complete, the foreman will review the hours worked and fees with the customer again and then ask for payment.
Professional Movers
Hire movers to move you- Nicole H. Nicole@osmoving.com
- Sarah B. sarah@osmoving.com
- Gale B. gale@osmoving.com
- Garrett C. Garrett@osmoving.com
- Keith D. keith@osmoving.com
- Reservations. sales@osmoving.com
- Customer Service. support@osmoving.com
- Elad B. elad@osmoving.com
CONTACT THE #1 MOVERS IN SAN DIEGO CA
Contact our moving professionals for a free quote on your next move. We are excited about the opportunity to help you enjoy a successful move that is carried out at top efficiency. Reach out to us today so that we can put together a plan to get you moved to your new location.
