Woman measuring dresser

Why is Getting an In-Home Moving Estimate so Important?

Your Stress-free Move Starts with Accurate Pricing

Clancy Sales Representatives are trained moving estimators and a key member of the team responsible for making your move go stress-free. An accurate household moving estimate may be calculated after a visual survey of your goods to be moved. A professional estimator is trained to ask the right questions. They will take note of items that need special care or packaging. The last thing anyone wants is unexpected delays or unexpected additional costs on moving day. Clancy provides your move estimate service at no cost or obligation to you.

Visual surveys help protect your move too…

While in some cases we may be able to provide you with a rough idea of how much your move might cost over the phone, one of our Clancy representatives may still insist on visiting your residence to meet with you before your move takes place. An in-home survey is important towards estimating the correct amount of manpower and equipment needed for your move as well as the amount of space your goods will occupy. The US Department of Transportation shares a warning on their website about “Rogue movers” which are moving companies that don’t provide this service. You should be wary of any movers that are willing to offer you pricing, “Without ever visiting your home or seeing the goods you want moved, they give a low estimate over the telephone or Internet. Once your goods are on their truck, they demand more money before they will deliver or unload them. They hold your goods hostage and force you to pay more — sometimes much more than you thought you had agreed to — if you want your possessions back.”

The US DOT and consumer advocate groups like Better Business will encourage you to get visual estimates before making a household move. This is especially true when moving a full residence out of state as you will be separated from your possessions by many days and miles.

If you have trouble finding the time to meet face-to-face, our team has recently started offering “Virtual Surveys” as an option. All you need is a smartphone or tablet to do a Virtual Survey. Learn more about Virtual Surveys here.

What to expect during your free in-home move survey:

  • Your assigned Clancy Residential Sales Representative is here to provide you with the necessary information and review the services that we can provide to you. They will also help explain to you, “Your Rights and Responsibilities as an Individual Shipper of Household Goods” (in accordance with US Department of Transportation guidelines, Click here to download your Rights-and-Responsibilities PDF) and will discuss how the moving process works. You will get all the details of what to expect from us as a licensed mover from start to finish.
  • Another important topic that your Clancy Sales Representative will discuss with you is valuation. This is something arranged to ensure you have the proper coverage for all your belongings being moved or put into storage.
  • Your Clancy Sales Representative will perform a walk-through of your home. From there they will get an idea of what is going and what is staying. They will also take note of items that need special care like paintings or sculptures. And they have a keen sense of where to look for things often forgotten but have to go with you on moving day (think of what’s in the corners of your attic, garages, basements, crawl spaces and sheds). They can also discuss with you warehouse storage or portable storage, packing and unpacking services, etc.

If you choose a Virtual Survey, the steps are similar to an in-home estimate. The difference is you’ll be meeting with your Clancy representative “virtually” using your smartphone or tablet. A Virtual Survey is like doing a video chat with your friends or family only, this time, you are video-chatting with Clancy’s estimator and showing him or her the belongings you need to be moved. And just like an in-home estimate, your Virtual Survey is free! If you are interested in a Virtual Survey, please contact us and we’ll be happy to assist you.

We aim to build the right move plan for you and exceed your expectations.

Other things our Clancy Sales Representative will be looking for include:

  • How many stairs are there?
  • How narrow are your stairwells?
  • How wide are the entryway doors?
  • Is there a service entrance and/or elevator?
  • How steep is the driveway?
  • What do the access routes look like?
  • Are there low hanging wires on the road leading to your residence?
    For example, Some driveways are not accessible for a tractor-trailer needed when moving long-distance or if you have a large home. If that is the case we may need to set up something called a shuttle. Which just means we would bring in a smaller truck to load the items directly at the house. From there we would park our tractor trailer down the road where we can safely transfer your items from the smaller truck. Safety of your personal belongings is very important to us every step of the way.

When the survey is complete our representative will be able to provide you with the most accurate price for your move.

Ready to get your move quoted by Clancy? Please contact us today to schedule your free appointment!

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