What Professional Movers Actually Do That Makes Them Worth It
For most people, hiring movers means paying someone to carry boxes from Point A to Point B. Technically, that’s true. However, it’s true for only about 10% of what’s going on. Moving companies are chock-full of equipment and know-how that most people never realize they need until it’s too late (or broken).
The Prep Before Anything Gets Touched
Here’s the part that most people never realize: good movers prepare for the move at least a few days (if not a week or two) before the truck even pulls up. They’re assessing blueprints, measuring door frames and hallways, and anticipating which pieces of furniture need to be taken apart in order to be taken out. That huge sectional sofa that barely made it through the doorway upon delivery five years ago? The professional movers can anticipate it not fitting coming back out and have a plan for it.
They also consider the logistics that people in the home never think about. What goes on the truck first? What needs special padding? In what order will things come together to make it easier to unload at the destination? When you work with trusted movers, you’re working with someone who’s done this before hundreds of times over, so the day of moving is much smoother than anyone anticipates.
Even the route on the move matters. A professional driver knows what’s appropriate for a 26-foot moving truck and what’s not. They know where tight turns might be and what time of day brings the most backup. They probably have driven to the destination neighborhood before and know if there are any parking regulations or access challenges.
The Equipment That Makes A Difference
The average person thinks they’ll have a dolly and some worn-out blankets to move furniture. Professional movers show up with tools that average consumers have never even heard of. Appliance dollies that can bear 800-pound refrigerators. Furniture pads that actually protect wood surfaces instead of just looking like they help. Straps and harnesses that properly distribute weight so nothing falls.
But wait, there’s more! They bring items that help avoid damaging the house, too. Door jamb protectors, floor runners, corner protectors, banisters wrapped. These aren’t just fantastic features to add along the way; they’re what save you from getting stuck repairing walls, scratched hardwood floors or damaged trim once it’s all said and done.
Even the truck is more important than most people realize. Professional moving trucks have tie-down systems, air-ride suspension for fragile items, even climate control for temperature-sensitive items. When you rent a U-Haul, you miss out on all that protection.
The Physical Skills Acquired Along The Way
Anyone can carry a heavy box. Not everyone can navigate a king-sized box spring down a spiral staircase without bending it, damaging drywall or dropping it. Movers have spent years learning how to pivot furniture around corners, how to evenly distribute the weight when carrying awkwardly shaped goods, and how to communicate amongst one another so everyone works in sync.
Unfortunately, furniture does not come with handles that situate themselves in the perfect spot. Most furniture is top-heavy, awkwardly shaped, and deceptively heavier than it looks. Movers know how to grip things correctly, how to use their legs instead of their backs and how to maneuver as a concerted group effort. If two movers are bringing a dresser upstairs? They’re not just lifting it at the same time, they’re constantly adjusting their positioning, grip and pace based on what the other is doing.
This is where it gets expensive for DIY movers. Dropped furniture. Friends who throw out their backs from helping out. Damaged doorways and walls. Professional movers carry insurance because they know how to mitigate those possibilities but when accidents happen, albeit rarely, they want to make sure coverage is there.
The Problem Solving Along The Way
Every move has at least one surprise. The dresser that doesn’t fit out of the bedroom door. The washing machine that’s somehow glued to the ground. The space at which you’ve reserved to park your truck is occupied by someone’s other vehicle that they chose not to move. Professional movers encounter these problems day in and day out, so they’ve seen their fair share, and then some.
They can take apart furniture as needed for transporting and put it back together when it’s safe with all the right screws in the right places. They know how to disconnect appliances without causing water or gas leaks into homes. They know how to adjust at a moment’s notice when access issues arise unexpectedly.
What most people don’t realize is that moving day isn’t as straightforward as they’d hoped! Having someone there who can adapt when things go wrong makes it a manageable frustration instead of an unnecessarily scary project.
What You’re Actually Paying For
When hiring professional movers, you’re paying for labor but you’re also paying for experience, liability insurance, reputable equipment and peace of mind knowing your valuable possessions are in experienced hands. It’s worth spending a weekend overexerting yourself or wasting your friends’ time, not getting a job done as well as anticipated.
Professional movers are trained to add structure to what would otherwise be chaos. What should be an overwhelming experience for people ends up being manageable; just hopefully without destroying your furniture, home or sanity along the way.
