Had another great #movechat on Twitter today after last week’s #movechat was canceled. Today’s topic: this rather curiously titled articled called “8 Things Your Movers Don’t Want You To Know” as found on The Street. Right away, we’ll just say that we think the article has a few good points, a few points that are infuriating in how wrong they are, and a very catchy, search engine baiting title.

After you’ve spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on a new home, hiring a mover can almost seem like an afterthought. But if you’re not careful about which mover you choose and which questions you ask before you hire them, you can wind up paying unforeseen charges and moving in with damaged property. A number of federal and state regulations govern how moving companies must operate when contracting a move, and interstate movers are actually required to furnish clients with a copy of Your Rights and Responsibilities When You Move, a publication of the U.S. Department of Transportation. We thumbed through the guide to find out what rights consumers might not realize they have, and spoke to moving industry veterans to get some tips that movers (particularly unscrupulous ones) might prefer that consumers didn’t know.

We agree with so much of this article that the points where we don’t disagree we really take issue with. Moving companies should try to save clients money and time, as this is a service based industry. If a mover is stalling to rack up hours, then customers should call the moving company office to report it! Good Stuff Moving recommends many moving tips and ways for our clients to save money on their move, and the suggestion of dissembling furniture before the movers arrive is a good one. But statements like this one are just plain wrong:

“Any mover who gives a price quote without seeing what needs to be moved is likely up to no good.”

That is simply not true. As any moving company will tell you, while it is always ideal to do an on-site inspection and estimate before a move, sometimes it’s just not practical or even necessary. For example, after you have moved one college student out of a dorm and into an apartment, you’ve pretty much moved all college students out of dorms and into apartments. Another, more sensitive, example is when helping an elderly person or couple into assisted living. Sometimes, you just have to give your estimate and then show up on the moving date to help them move on into the next stage of life. Saying any mover who gives a price quote without physically seeing what needs to be moved is just false. Overall, we recommend the article. It’s good to have knowledgable, empowered clients. Search out Good Stuff Moving on Twitter, Facebook, Yelp, and other watchdog and review sites. See how we stand up to the competition. Give us a call if you have any questions about any aspect of the move. We will address any and all questions or problems you may have pertaining to your move.