House Movers - Help With Moving Quotes

Professional house movers can be quite costly, and in today's economy, many people need to cut on their spending. To save a few bucks when moving, many people opt to hire amateurs or "two men and truck" type of outfits - people who are fit and have trucks to help you haul your stuff. So, if you're thinking of hiring a couple of college kids for your move, here are the pros and cons you should consider.

Pros:
  • Cost. Hiring a couple of guys for a few hours will definitely save you money. Many college students on break are looking to fill a few hours and make a few bucks. Heck, they may even do it for a pizza and some beer. If you're willing to supervise and watch over them, then hiring amateur home movers can save you a lot of money.

  • Availability. Many local movers are busy during the peak seasons (usually spring and summer) so they might not have time to do your move. Amateur home movers, temps, college kids and other part-timers will often have more time on their hands and don't have a set schedule to follow. You can hire them to work at almost anytime of the day, week or even hour.

  • Negotiability. Since they don't have set prices, you can always negotiate with amateur home movers. If the times are slow, you may be able to ask for discount, if no one else is hiring them. Alternately, you may be able to barter with them as well. If you have any skills, like cooking, cleaning, baking, gardening, maybe you can ask them to knock off a few dollars in exchange for a couple of home cooked meals, fresh bread or fresh produce.

Cons:
  • Save time. Many house movers offer the "full package" - that means they come into your home, pack up your stuff, move your things and unpack them. You don't even have to lift a finger! You'll save so much time doing this and you can devote it to other things, like working or spending time with your kids. If you're a busy individual or you time is worth more than a few hours of packing and unpacking, you may want to consider this option.

  • No review system. If you go online and type your mover's names, you'll likely find some sort of review on websites or even the Better Business Bureau. However, since you're hiring amateurs, you won't have a way to check up on them. You'll be putting your trust in strangers, unless maybe you hire friends or friends of friends.

  • No insurance. When you hire professional long distance movers, they'll most likely don't have moving insurance. If they lose or break any of your items, you can file a claim and get back the cost of your item. With amateur movers, you won't have such things, as they don't have any insurance. If they are nice, they may offer to pay for anything they break, but they can just as easily run away. Also, professional house movers will also have worker's comp or other injury insurance for their workers. That means, if a mover gets injured on the job, the workers will have some medical benefits and even a pension if the injury is debilitating. If you hire day laborers or college kids, you not only endanger them, but they might be able to sue you, and end up costing your move a lot more than you thought.

  • No recourse. If you have any trouble with your movers, like if they scam you or try to hold your things hostage, you can call the police on them or take them to court. If you hire amateurs, they can just run away with your things and disappear. If you can trust your hired hands or you're willing to supervise and keep an eye out, hiring amateurs can help save you money. However, if you really want to be sure, don't take any chances and hire only professional movers and not house movers.