Some frequently used terms in the moving industry

When you are moving, there are a lot of terms that may be unfamiliar to you, especially if you are a first time mover. What are some of these frequently used terms?

- A bill of lading is the contract that we use for the move of your goods. It will state the amount of men we have sent as well as the rate we charge for those men per hour. The number of trucks we have sent is also listed in addition to the travel charge. It will include the address your goods originated at as well as the address at which your goods will arrive. The date of service will also be on the bill of lading. In essence, it is a fancy, detailed receipt.

-An addendum is a new estimate of charges prepared based upon any changes that are made to the move prior to loading. For example, should you request an extra man to help out at your move, if you want to add packing services, or if you add storage, we will create an addendum.

-An intrastate move is one that occurs within the state.

-An interstate move is a move that goes out of state (also called a short haul or long distance move, based on how far the move is).

-A binding estimate is an estimate given as an agreement for specific services decided upon by both the mover and the consumer prior to the shipment being loaded. This is for interstate service only.

-You can receive a written estimate. There are two ways you will receive one of these: the first way to get one is to have an estimator come to your home. This is a good option if you are a first time mover or if you have a large home. The second way, and less scientific, is a phone estimate. The moving coordinator will do an over-the-phone survey and base the estimate upon your description of what is to be moved. It will be mailed to you or emailed. This is only recommended for very small moves or last minute moves.

-You will receive a consumer brochure when you move. For an intrastate move, it is called a "Household Moves in Illinois A Consumers Guide." For an interstate move, you will receive the "Your Rights and Responsibilities When You Move" brochure.

-A travel fee is the equivalent price of one hour of labor for a local move. It covers all pre and post-move drive time. There is no charge for fuel or mileage added.

-Materials are the boxes and pads that we use to get your materials onto the truck and safely transported to your destination. Pads come in two types: paper and quilt. We use quilt pads on every move unless you request paper pads. Boxes are based upon consumption when you request packing. There is a per unit charge when a box is packed.

Getting to know your moving needs

When you call All My Sons Moving and Storage of Chicago, you will be greeted by one of our friendly customer service representatives. We know that you will have a lot of questions regarding your move, especially if you are a first time mover. Interestingly, we will have a lot of questions for you too! To be able to effectively quote you and answer all your questions, we will need to know all about what you are moving. Some of the most common questions we ask are:
-What type of residence are you moving? (a house, an apartment, a townhouse)
-How many rooms are you moving?
-Are your rooms well furnished or lightly furnished?
-Are there any elevators we will be using or a long walk to where we would park the truck?
-Do you have any items such as a fish tank, grandfather clock, big screen television, a piano, or a pool table that will need special attention?
-What is the heaviest item you are moving?
-Do you need any assistance packing your goods?
-What are your concerns that I can address?
These questions will lead us to make a recommendation on how many men to send to you. Moving a one bedroom apartment has different variables than moving a five bedroom mansion. There can even be variables that are different when we move in the city and in the suburbs (such as parking restrictions). The more we know you and the type of move you are doing, the better we can accommodate you!
If you have a large home that is 3 bedrooms or more, we recommend having one of our estimators coming out to you at no charge to give you a written estimate. We recommend this because it is easier to pinpoint an estimate for you and we can get a better idea of how many men to send. A picture can be worth a thousand words in this situation, and it is at no cost to you, so there is no risk involved. We can even provide an on-site estimate if you are moving a little amount of goods. Often times if a budget is tight or you have never moved before, it can be a reassurance to have an estimate in writing based on what our professional estimators see that you are moving.

More Chicago local move customer reviews

We are keeping the positive reviews coming for Chicago's best local movers, All My Sons Moving and Storage of Chicago! The following reviews come from customers we moved locally and long distance in March and April - thank you to all our clients who took the time to write us a review!

"Excellent customer service...Fabulous! On Time. Wonderful" - Sue, local move, Chicago

"Excellent all the way around!" - Craig, local move, Chicago

"Very friendly and helpful...the movers were great and they made a very stressful process much easier" - Erin from Chicago, local move

"Very polite" - Catherine moving locally in Countryside

"Reasonable, well prepared, friendly and efficient" - Dave, moving long distance from Chicago

So there you have it - for local moves in Chicago, long distance moves from Chicago, and local moves in the Chicago area, call the experts at All My Sons Moving and Storage in Chicago for "excellent, helpful, friendly, great service and reasonable price!"