Well, in just a few weeks, I should be moving from Las Cruces, NM to Albany, NY (well, the general area anyway.) The nice thing is that the company is paying the relocation costs. $4500 total for moving of household goods and car, and lots of other things (including the trip out there) that don’t count towards that cap. So I’m going through a second company that handles relocation, and I’m not having a problem with them either. The problem is with the one (supposed to have been two, I’m getting on that) moving company that has actually contacted me and done a site estimate. I have no confidence in them. I got a faxed copy of the estimate that’s difficult to read, but as far as I can tell the big numbers are:
Full Packing (I assume that means if I don’t want to pack a thing): $1890.80 But they don’t break these numbers down, so I have no idea what they’re basing the estimate on.
Transportation Charges: Either $2260.20 or $2760.20 not sure (again, badly printed and faxed.) Based on 4000 pounds worth of goods. I suppose I might have two tons of stuff in my house; I really doubt it.
Auto: $2195.00 ($1795.00 base, $400.00 oversize vehicle charge.) The first number seems high but still somewhat in line with estimates I had seen earlier in the year (honestly, I was expecting something closer to $1300.) But as for the oversize vehicle charge: I drive a 1995 Subaru Impreza L wagon. I told them I drive a 1995 Subaru Impreza L wagon. This thing is 14.5 feet long, 5.6 feet high, 4.6 feet wide (374 cubic feet) and weighs about 2800 pounds. They claim this thing is 643 cubic feet and weighs 4000 pounds.
Total (including other fees): $6492.
So, I don’t trust these people. I don’t see how it could possibly cost $1900 to pack my stuff, especially since I was planning to pack a lot of the stuff that can’t break myself (clothes, CDs, DVDs, books, putting electronics back in their boxes, etc.) Basically, I just want them to pack, at most, the dishes in the kitchen and the furniture and not even most of the furniture. Basically a love seat/armchair/end table/ottoman combination, one dining room table, a couple folding chairs, and maybe a treadmill. Depending on cubic and weight, maybe some of the bookcases, which are all prefab anyway. I was planning on abandoning a lot of stuff that can be bought fairly cheaply, like my ironing board and the aforementioned bookcases.
Honestly, I’d be happy with a “you pack we drive” arrangement or filling a POD or something like that. I can pack my house in a weekend; less if I start doing parts of it now at night. (Heck, most of the clothes that aren’t going in a suitcase are already in vacuum bags ready to go into a box or two.)
So, considering that I don’t like their estimate and don’t believe the numbers they’ve come up with, what can I do? I really don’t want to have to pay anything out of pocket for this move that won’t get reimbursed. It’d be easier (especially with the car) if I was by myself, but it’s both me and my fiancée (and the cat, can’t forget the cat) each with a car, neither of which it really makes sense to sell.