Contact One Stop Moving & Storage!
Call Now! (858) 633-8600
7 Questions to Start the Moving Conversation
1. How many bedrooms are we moving from your current location?
2. Will you need any help with packing?
3. What would you say is your heaviest or largest item that needs moving?
4. What zip code do you currently live in?
5. What zip code are you moving to?
6. Will you need any storage services?
7. What is your estimated moving date?
Locations
| San Diego, 92121 | Carlsbad, 92008 | Chula Vista, 91910 | Orange County, Irvine | Riverside county, Temecula | Austin, TX |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6260 Marindustry Dr #B | 2244 Faraday Ave #U171 |
1415 Ridgeback Rd Ste 211 |
18012 Cowan STE 200 | 41593 Winchester rd #200 | 2415 Wilson St Austin, TX |
Common Questions
Our full service storage solutions are not designed to have customers access their items on a regular basis, as our insurance policy limits access to untrained employees into the storage space for safety reasons. However, in the rare instance that a customer does need something in their storage unit we can either A) Have the customer describe the item to us and we can have an employee gather the item(s) and the employee can pick it up at our office. Or B) The customer can set up an appointment with us and pay a $75 storage access fee, which goes towards having a trained and licensed employee accompany you throughout the storage space the entire time, which is mandated by our insurance policy.
Storage unit, One stop moving and storage
You should remove and separately pack any items in your dresser that are breakable or able to spill. If there are soft clothes in the dresser then you can leave them in the drawers. The movers will wrap the thick padded moving blankets around the dresser and secure them with packing tape. They will tilt the dresser on it’s side to load it onto a dolly, and then wheel it to the truck for loading. The items in your dresser drawers are expected to move around while in transit so make sure there is nothing breakable in there. There is no need to remove the shelves or drawers from your furniture.
No, there are specialty companies for moving cars. Ask your moving company for recommendations.
almost all pianos are moved by tilting it – grand and baby grand pianos will always go on its si. … Although you can move a piano on its side or back when moving, it’s not suggested to keep it that way for any longer than you need to. So keep your pianos upright if you can, especially when transporting it
There are several reasons to hire experts that specialize in moving pianos:
- 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
If you only need to move a piano, it may be best to contact a company that only moves pianos and nothing more. As they may have preferable rates for moving only that 1 item. If you are moving your entire household that contains a piano, make sure you hire a moving company that is also trained and experienced in moving pianos. This is a specialty that takes specific training and knowledge to be able to do correctly. If you hire a moving company that doesn’t have that specific skill set, then you will end up having to hire a specialty piano moving company as well, which will increase the cost of your move.
The most efficient and cost effective way to move a household with a piano is to hire a moving company that can move both your household items as well as your piano. We have made it a mission to always employ many full time, experienced and trained movers that specialize in piano relocation. Make sure to let us know when you call the office if you have a piano so that we can be sure to send the proper equipment and experienced moving crew to fit your needs.
Grand Piano
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
This is the most common question.
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
$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
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
Yes, all pianos should be tuned after the instrument changes environments. This is due to the intricate wooden parts of the piano that will contract or expand when exposed to new temperature and humidity levels. Many people believe that a piano will only need to be tuned after a move if the piano is bumped or damaged during the moving process, but this is not the case. It is true that if a piano is moved incorrectly then it is likely that it will be damaged, but the damages alone are not the only reason for a piano to go out of tune after a move.
A very skilled and experienced mover will be able to give a close approximation as to what storage size will be needed by viewing the items in person. However, this is only an estimate and it is made clear to the customer that the actual size of storage that will be needed will not be known until all of the items are loaded onto the truck.
After all of the items are on the truck, then the foreman will measure how much room is taken up on the truck (or how much room is empty on the truck). At that time the foreman can confirm the actual storage size.
You can keep all of your clothing hanging up in your closet for your moving day. Your moving crew will bring 6 wardrobe boxes with them on your moving day for you to borrow. The movers will bring the boxes to your closet and move your hanging clothes from your closet into the wardrobe boxes, where they will hang on a metal bar inside of a 3 foot tall box. The movers will then load these wardrobe boxes onto the truck and deliver them to your new home. Once there, they will remove your clothing that is hanging in the wardrobe boxes into the closets that you specify. They will then take the empty wardrobe boxes back with them when they leave.
Please note: You also have the option of packing and unpacking your clothing into the wardrobe boxes as well. The movers will deliver the boxes to the closest(s) that you would like and remove them for you when you are done so you don’t need to do any of the lifting.
All moving companies in California are required to charge customers based on the Public Utility Commission’s equation, which is: (Loading+Unloading+(Drive time x 2)).
- 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).
Here are some common charges and rules that most moving companies apply themselves:
- 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.
We charge $109 per hour for 2 movers and $40 an hour more for each additional mover on the crew and we have a 4 hour minimum payment for each move. Our company focuses on whole household moving solutions instead of one item specialty moves. Therefore, it is more economical to hire us to move multiple items up to a full household rather than one item like a piano, which typically only takes 1-2 hours depending on how far the piano is moving, if there are stairs or elevators, 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
- 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!
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- 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
- 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.
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).
These items should be transported in your own car and should be in your possession during the entirety of the moving process:
- 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
Here are the items that we recommend customers prepare for themselves and their family for the day of the move and the day after. Having these items at the ready will help your moving experience go smoothly and allow you the proper time to unpack the rest of your items.
If you don’t have room in your car, you can pack all of this in a few boxes and give to your moving crew to put on the truck last. They will give this box to you first when you get to your new home so you can get (somewhat) settled.
- 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)
Here are the basic items that are needed to pack household items properly:
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- 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)
- 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
- Change your address and notify people
- Make a list of what to show the movers when they arrive
- Plan meals and snacks for the day of the move
- Label and organize your cables and chords from your electronics
- Take any wall mountings down and take apart furniture (or the moving company can do this for you)
- Pack your moving day kit and personal items
- Keep clothing hanging in the closet, they will be moved in wardrobe boxes
- Remove breakable or spill-able items from drawers in furniture (soft items can stay)
- Disconnect and thaw appliances if you are moving them
Movers, boxes and trucks for hire
There are two main types of storage services: self service and full service. The main difference is who is liable or responsible for the storage unit and everything in it, and therefore, the price to the customer.
Self storage is a great option for people who are looking for permanent storage solutions that they can access on a regular basis to retrieve seasonal items. The customer typically finds a self storage place that is conveniently located for them and they will tell the storage company what size unit they would like. It is important that you have the accurate size of storage unit that you will need, otherwise you will end up paying for space that you are not using, or will not have enough room for all of your items. Then the customer is responsible for holding onto the key to the storage unit and for loading their items into the unit. There are heavy fines and security risks with lost keys so it is important that this is kept in a safe place. It is the customer’s responsibility to make sure they load the storage unit properly, making sure that the sliding door is clear of any objects, that the items are stacked appropriately so that the items on the bottom do not get ruined and/or nothing falls over.
Moving companies often move people into or out of their own self storage units. In this case, the customer needs to rent the storage unit ahead of time, and then meet the moving crew at the storage unit to unlock it, monitor the moving process, and then lock it back up again after the unit has been loaded. The customer owns all the liability in this instance, as the storage contract is between the customer and the self storage company.
Full service storage options are typically utilized when people have items that they need to store in-between a move and usually do not need to access these items until they are ready for the items to be moved into their new location. An example of this is when someone is moving from a large house to an apartment for a few months, and then back into a larger house again. As the name suggests, the customer does not need to do anything to access the storage, nor do they need to monitor the loading and unloading of the storage unit. The customer signs the storage contract before the moving company loads all of their items into the moving truck. When all the items are loaded onto the truck, the customer will pay the moving company for the work performed that day and the transaction is done for the day. The movers will take the loaded truck to a storage warehouse or facility that is owned by the moving company and they will unload it into the assigned spot.
This storage solution is not made for the customer to access their items on a regular basis, as insurance dictates that only trained employees of the moving company are allowed in the storage space for safety reasons. If access is needed, there is typically an access fee to the customer and an appointment needs to be set up so an employee can be with the customer while they are accessing their storage space.
When the customer would like all of their items delivered to their new location they call the moving company and set a date for the move. On that date the moving company meets the customer at their house and delivers their items. The moving company owns all the liability and risk of the storage space and the items within it. For this reason, the full service storage options tend to have a higher monthly storage rate than self storage units.
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
Here is a good list to get you started:
- 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
- DMV: https://www.dmv.ca.gov/portal/dmv/detail/online/coa/welcome
- 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,
Get a free moving quote
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
Yes, moving companies will move your refrigerated and frozen food as long as the move will be completed on the same day. If you’re packing yourself, pack the cold food at the very end of the loading process. The movers will put the cold food box on the truck last, then will unpack that box first at your destination for you to unpack right away. If the movers are packing your belongings for you, then they know how to do this process without any direction from you.
Long distance moves and shipping is hard on all living things (including plants) because of restricted airflow, water and sunlight. Most companies do not prefer to ship plants; however, it is possible to move plants safely during a local, one day move.
Experienced and licensed moving companies, like One Stop Moving & Storage, do everything you need for your move, including packing and disassembling and reassembling furniture. A full service move includes professional packing and is the right choice for those who are too busy to pack or are not experienced in packing and don’t want anything to break. You can either chose to buy your own packing materials for the professionals to use, or you can chose for the movers to bring and use their own materials.
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