Frequently Asked Questions
Phoenix Movers | AZ Moving Companies
- When Is the Best Time to Move and when should I call?
- Is your storage air conditioned?
- How long will my in home estimate take?
- How long does it take before I get my belongings?
- What type of insurance do you offer?
- Will my shipment be the only one on the Moving truck?
- Can I take plants? If not then what do I do with them?
- Can you take my car in the Moving truck with the house holdfurnishings?
- Can My Possessions Be Stored Temporarily?
- Do you go out to the home and give free estimates?
- Do you do local moving?
- Can I put anything in the dresser drawers?
- Who can I call if I have questions while my belongings are beingshipped?
- How long will it take to receive my shipment?
- Will my belongings ever be transferred from one Moving truck toanother?
- Should anything be done to my appliances to prepare them for moving?
- Do I need to be present when the movers come?
- What type of payment is acceptable?
- What should I do about my water bed?
- I have white carpet, what will be done to prevent soiling?
- How will Bannister protect my upholstered furniture?
- How long does it normally it take to pack up a home?
- Can I Move Jewelry And Other Valuables?
- Is there anything that can’t be transported?
- How do I know what my charges will be?
- How can I receive a moving quote?
- What is the difference between a binding and non-binding estimate?
- Where do "extra charges" come from?
- Will there be extra charges if I am moving into or out of a multilevel building?
- What if the truck can’t park up close to the house?
Answers
1. When Is the Best Time to Move and when should I call?
If there is a choice, we suggest you select a time other than summer, the end of the month or the end-of-year holidays. The heaviest demands are placed on vans, equipment and personnel during these periods.
If the move can be scheduled for a time when vans and trained personnel are more readily available, we'll be better able to meet your preferred delivery schedule.
The sooner you book the better. Although the actual van assignment may not be made until a few days before your move, it's wise to give your moving company from four to six weeks' notice, if possible. The more lead time you can give, the more likely we will be able to meet your delivery schedule.
2. Is your storage air conditioned?
It depends on the location of the warehouse. Our warehouse in Phoenix is cooled by evaporative cooler. The temperature range may vary from 50 degrees in the winter to 90 degrees in the summer, but we have had no problems with regard to damage because of the storage environment.
We also have air conditioned storage available at our Phoenix warehouse, which is a separate, secured area, which is kept at a constant temperature of 79 degrees.
3. How long will my in home survey take?
The in home survey can last anywhere from one half hour to two and one half hours. This will depend upon the size of your home, the parameters of your move, as well as the number of questions that you may have of us. We suggest that you allow an ample amount of time, as the more and better information that we have about your move, the better service we will be able to provide.
4. How long does it take before I get my belongings?
This depends on many factors, such as the time of year, weather conditions, size of your shipment, time required to load and unload, and the direction and distance your shipment is traveling.
Because the furnishings of the average household will not fill a moving truck, it is often necessary for two or more shipments to be loaded on the same truck. Each shipment is carefully sectioned off from the others.
With the help of Bannister Moving & Storage computer-assisted dispatching system, pickup and delivery dates are scheduled according to the origins and destinations of individual shipments on the van, as well as shipment weight.
When your move is first booked, it is difficult to estimate exactly when the driver will arrive at your home. We will give you a range of between 1 to 4 days during which the driver will arrive. You will receive notification one day in advance of the day that the driver will arrive at your home to load your belongings. Either the driver or your booking agent will call you with the time of arrival for pick up.
Before your belongings are loaded on the truck, you and your moving Agent should have agreed on a delivery spread of anywhere from 1 to 10 days (depending upon the distance of your move and the size of your shipment. You will receive notification of delivery one day prior to delivery. You, or someone you have designated on your Bannister Moving & Storage /National Van lines paperwork to take your place, must be present to accept delivery and pay all charges. In the event that no one is available, your shipment could be placed in storage at an additional charge. Be sure that you give your moving agent all telephone numbers where you can be reached throughout the move.
5. What type of insurance do you offer?
Occasionally, some minor damage occurs during shipping. We have several options to protect your belongings. Review the coverage plans with your moving agent to select the plan that best fits your needs. A valuation of 60 cents per pound is provided at no charge, but we recommend that a higher valuation be declared to adequately cover your belongings in the event of damage. As an example, suppose your new entertainment center purchased for $600, weighing 80 pounds, is damaged beyond repair. Minimum coverage of 60 cents per pound would entitle you to $48. Bannister Moving & Storage does offer additional protection plans that will more adequately fit your needs. Ask your moving agent about Declared Value Protection and full Coverage Protection.
Declared Value Protection (DVP) provides for reimbursement for any lost or destroyed item at its depreciated value, up to the dollar amount you declare as the total value of your possessions. Minimum valuation under this plan is $1.25 times the weight of the shipment. Here, if your belongings were damaged beyond repair, you would receive actual cash (depreciated) value for each item, up to the total amount declared as the value of your shipment.
Full Coverage Protection (FCP), provides for the full cost of repair, or the full cost of replacement of any household item that may be damaged or lost during your move, up to the amount that you declare to be the total value of your belongings. Minimum valuation under this plan is $4.00 times the weight of your shipment. Replacement, if necessary, is at today’s prices, not at depreciated cost. This full replacement protection includes many matched sets and pairs, for example, lamps and chairs.
6. Will my shipment be the only one on the Moving truck?
On local and intrastate moves, your belongings will almost always be the only goods on the moving truck. For interstate (state to state) moves, there will be between one and five families’ goods on the moving truck, depending upon the size of the moves.
7. Can I take plants? If not then what do I do with them?
We cannot accept responsibility for safely moving your plants, because, chances are, they will suffer from a lack of water and light as well as probable temperature changes while in the moving truck. They may also contain items that could contaminate the rest of your shipment.
You may want to transport your houseplants in the family car or ship them by plane. Some states prohibit the entry of all plants, while other states will admit plants under certain conditions; still others have no plant regulations. Be sure to check the regulations of the state to which you're moving.
8. Can you take my car in the moving truck with the House hold furnishings?
It is possible to transport your automobile with the rest of your belongings -- provided there's enough room. Please consult your moving agent for more information.
9. Can My Possessions Be Stored Temporarily?
If you are unable to take immediate possession of your new residence, your belongings can be stored in a local Storage facility of your choice or at your agent's warehouse. National van lines agents throughout the world provide safe storage facilities for holding your goods until you're ready for them. However, you are responsible for the storage charges, as well as warehouse handling and final delivery charges from the warehouse.
If your goods are placed in storage, there will also be an additional charge for the valuation or insurance coverage provided for your shipment. The type of coverage and cost will depend upon whether the shipment is held in storage-in-transit (temporary) or in permanent (long-term) storage.
10. Do you go out to the home and give free estimates?
Yes! As long as we have a Bannister moving & storage / National van lines office the same area as your home, we will be happy to provide you with a free written estimate. In most cases, we will give you a guaranteed price, or customer benefit estimate.
11. Do you do local moving?
Yes. We can move you locally, within the same state, interstate (between states) and internationally.
12. Can I put anything in the dresser drawers?
All loose items must be packed in boxes to prevent damage during transport. Non-fragile, light-weight items such as clothing and linens can be left in dresser drawers, all other items such as jewelry or breakables must be packed, and if valuable our suggestion would be to take it with you.
13. Who can I call if I have questions while my belongings are being shipped?
We suggest that you call your moving coordinator at any time throughout your move. They can answer any questions or at least get the answers to any questions that you may have. We at Bannister Moving & Storage, including National Van lines drivers are involved during the course of your move, so this single source communication is the best route to go.
14. How long will it take for me to receive my shipment?
A load spread is the predetermined span or choice of days that we need to load your belongings. Because there are normally multiple families’ belongings on the moving truck, we need a range of days to ensure that we can directly load and unload your goods. The same applies for delivery spreads.
15. Will my belongings ever be transferred from one moving truck to another?
Normally, your belongings will not be handled but twice, once to load and once to unload. There are occasionally times, however, that we are unable to service your date requirements by direct loading. Because we have made a commitment to service your particular dates, we will have our local agent pick up your belongings and hold them for the moving truck that will directly deliver your goods.
16. Should anything be done to my appliances to prepare them for moving?
Appliances such as washers, dryers and refrigerators must be disconnected, and the washer must have a stabilizer installed. Again, you’re moving Agent can refer you to an appropriate professional to perform these services.
17. Do I need to be present when the movers come?
You must be at your residence at the beginning of your move and also at the end to ensure that all services are performed and that the paperwork is properly filled out. We do not require you to be present throughout the whole move, but suggest that you are there as much as possible, as questions can arise at any time. If you cannot be present at either end of the move, you may appoint your agent to sign on your behalf. This must be done in writing.
18. What type of Payment is Acceptable?
Most moves require payment upon delivery by Cash, Certified check, or Money Order. Or any type of Credit card. Discuss these options with your moving Agent to select what works best for you. In the event that your employer is paying for the move, the employer may pre-arrange be billed via invoice. Whatever payment option best meets your needs, be sure that all the arrangements are made before your belongings are packed and loaded.
19. What should I do about my waterbed?
Waterbeds need to be drained completely. Fiber-filled waterbeds need to be professionally vacuum-drained in advance of your move date. You’re moving Agent can refer you to a professional to perform these services.
20. I have white carpet, what will be done to prevent soiling?
We will make arrangements to have the carpet covered with rug runners to prevent soiling. Be sure to mention this to your moving Agent, and also let the movers know prior to letting them in your home.
21. How will your moving company protect my upholstered furniture?
Bannister Moving & Storage / National Van lines use a special procedure called Padding and Shrink Wrapping that protects your furniture from being soiled, the Padding are heavy duty moving blankets that are put on your furniture first than the Shrink Wrapping is wrapped completely around your furniture item to also protect it from getting soiled or damaged. The Shrink Wrap is also a heavy duty Plastic, which is very sturdy also, helps prevent soil and damage.
22. How long does it normally take to pack up a home?
This depends upon the size of your move. Normally, allow one full day for packing. This is usually scheduled one day prior to the actual loading date, allow one full day for the loading of all your house hold items into the Moving truck.
23. Can I Move Jewelry And Other Valuables?
Items of extraordinary value such as Jewelry, Money, Antiques and Stamp Collections can be included in your shipment, provided you notify us prior to packing or the moving day. However, we strongly recommend that you carry irreplaceable and expensive articles with you, or make other arrangements for their transport. Antiques depending on what the item is should be created.
In the moving industry, items worth more than $100 per pound are considered to be articles of "extraordinary" value. To be assured that a claim involving these articles is not limited to minimal liability, complete and sign the High-Value Inventory form and sign the "Extraordinary (Unusual) Value Article Declaration" box on the Bill of Lading. If no articles of extraordinary value are included in your shipment, simply write "none" on the High-Value Inventory form and sign it.
24. Is there anything that can’t be transported?
Plants and pets can’t be loaded on the truck. There are several household items that are considered hazardous materials and cannot be moved with your other belongings. These include, Spray Aerosols, Gas cans, Spray Paints, Varnish, Corrosives, Batteries, Car Batteries, Matches, Nail polish and nail Polish Remover, Ammunition, Explosives, Cleaning fluids and Detergents, Basically anything Flammable. Please consult your moving Agent if you think you have anything else that may not be safe to transport on the Moving truck.
Be sure to carry enough Clothing, Medications, Toiletries, etc. to last from the load date until the last day of the delivery spread. We do suggest that you keep small valuables such as Jewelry and family photographs and videos with you during the move.
25. How do I know what my charge will be?
For an interstate move, your charges are based on the weight of your shipment, together with the mileage between origin and destination. At the time of your estimate, your Moving Agent will be happy to explain the itemized charges on your estimate, which would include any Packing, Crating, Uncrating and any Insurance Coverage.
On a local move, charges are based upon the time required to perform your move. Charges are normally quoted by the hour for “one truck and two men” or the appropriate number of trucks and men required. Packing of cartons is normally charged by the carton, depending on the size of the box.
26. How can I receive a moving quote?
To receive an estimate, fill out the on-line form and we will contact you to set up an appointment. Or call Bannister Moving & Storage to set an appointment of a free estimate, with no obligation.
27. What is the difference between a binding and non-binding estimate?
A non-binding estimate requires you to pay based on the actual weight of your shipment and the actual services performed. There is no limit. A binding estimate is a price that is guaranteed unless additional services are performed that are not specifically listed on your paperwork. You must complete additional paperwork for any items to be added to your shipment or to have additional services provided.
28. Where do "extra charges" come from?
Do you have an Attic, Crawl space or Storage shed? Often these storage areas are forgotten when working up an estimate and remembered only when it is time to load the truck. The cost of moving these additional items would have to be added to the estimate. To avoid this situation, be sure you have shown all of these areas to your moving agent at the time of the estimate.
There are other services that may come up that may not have been anticipated at the time of the estimate, such as excessive distance from the truck to your residence, flights of stairs or unpacking of boxes that weren’t initially anticipated.
29. Will there be extra charges if I am moving into or out of a multilevel building?
If you live on the second or third floor of a building, we may have to charge for "stair carries". This charge also applies to single-family homes with more than seven (7) stairs leading to the entrance of the home. Your moving agent will let you know if the situation at your current home will require these charges. Since your moving counselor does not visit your new home, you will have to let him/her know about the layout there.
30. What if the truck can’t park up close to the house?
If we are not able to park the truck close to an entrance to your home, you may be charged for a "long carry". Often tree branches grow low over roadways not allowing for the height of a truck. Narrow streets and driveways can restrict accessibility to your home, making it necessary for the driver and helpers to carry your belongings a longer-than-normal distance. If the distance from your home to the truck is too great for the driver and helpers to carry your belongings, we may need to load your belongings on a smaller "shuttle" truck before placing them on the actual moving truck. Use of a shuttle truck is also an additional charge.
