Moving long distances is an exciting time, whether you’re moving to another city, escaping the rat race for a more relaxed lifestyle, or heading on an adventure overseas. It’s also one of the more challenging moves and difficult to manage yourself.

Every long distance move is much easier if you hire a moving company to coordinate the move for you. But you’ll need a moving company that has the capability to manage this type of service. Here are the essential questions you should ask about long distance moving services.

1. Can you give me a quote?

You should always ask for a quote for any move, but it’s essential to obtain a quote when moving long distances so you can compare services and costs from each moving company. While it’s easy to believe moving companies offer the same service, additional services vary significantly. Make sure your company itemises each service and never accept an estimate.

For a long distance move, these services could include:

• Packing and unpacking
• Short or long-term storage
• Pet transport
• Money transfer for overseas moves
• Shipping for overseas moves

2. Are there any additional charges over and above the quoted price?

Read your quote thoroughly and ask questions if anything is unclear. You’ll want specific information about what each service includes and if there are any additional charges. For example, some movers will charge you more if there are more items to move than originally specified or if there are large, specialised items to handle. This could add up.

3. Who is my point of contact through the moving process?

Get contact information for the customer service representative who is handling your move. Also, get the contact number for your driver and an after hours contact if your move takes more than a day or happens over the weekend. It’s important to keep in contact with your representative if there are any changes to your move so they can make any adjustments. Always get in touch immediately if you have any problems.

4. When will you deliver my possessions?

For moves within New Zealand, your moving company should give you a delivery date and an approximate time for delivery. There are rarely delays that will severely affect your delivery time, and even then, your company should keep you informed if they happen.

Moving overseas can be more complex with delivery times. If you use a full shipping container, you can get an accurate delivery time. If you use economy shipping, you’ll get an estimated delivery time based on historical trends.

5. What items can’t you carry for me?

Movers can handle most of your household items and furniture, however there are certain items we can’t carry for safety reasons. Your mover should provide you with a list of prohibited items so you can arrange to deal with them appropriately before moving day.

We’ve posted a comprehensive list of the items in our blog article: The items we can’t carry for you.

For overseas moves, it becomes more complex as border restrictions are different in each country. Your moving company should tell you about those restrictions or show you where to obtain the information.

6. Any other questions? Please ask us.

Any long distance move is hard work. You need to feel confident and assured that every detail will be handled smoothly and efficiently. If you have any other questions, your moving company should be happy to talk you through your concerns. So, if you need any further information about this topic, give us a call.