The answer to the above question can vary greatly since the amount that needs to be moved and how far the movers need to carry belongings all factor into a loading timeline. Generally, two professional movers can load: A 10-foot truck in less than an hour, a 24-foot truck in 4 hours, and A 26-foot in 4.5 hours. However, loading a moving truck by yourself and with friends will take longer.
Note that the entire moving process cuts across three steps. Pre-move planning, moving day, and post-move unpacking! Estimate roughly five to six weeks for all the phases of moving, but with the right preparation, you can manage all three stages stress-free and without any problems. If you have the time, a couple of months before you move is usually a good starting point to decide whether or not you will hire a professional mover or that your move will be DIY.
If you will be using movers, it is best to start your selection process right away. Get in-house moving estimates and compare costs and companies. If you are transporting a car for an interstate move, find professional auto transporters and select one just as you would a professional mover. Confirming that agreement is one less thing to worry about!
However, if you are moving yourself, get your truck rental agreement four weeks prior to moving day so that you know the vehicle will be available. It is also a good time to see what friends might be of help on moving day. One week before the move, you should contact your utility companies to confirm dates when service ends at your old residence and starts at your new residence. Make changes of address with the post office so your mail gets forwarded.
Remember to get all your moving supplies including moving boxes a month before moving day. Packing is a gradual process that should begin four weeks before the move and end a couple of days before moving day. It is ideal to make a packing timeline so you know what needs to be packed when. Basically, the things you use least get packed first.
It is also a good time to get rid of unwanted items, fewer things to pack means less time packing. It is too early to pack your pots and pans and everyday dishes and clothes, but you can begin labeling the empty moving boxes for when that time comes.
Certain things will make your packing process more time-consuming. Fragile items will require extra attention. Let professional packers do it for you if possible. They will spend less time doing it and they know what they are doing.
9 Factors That Will Influence the Time It Takes Movers to Load a Moving Truck
If you want to move, there are a lot of hoops to jump through. You will need moving quotes; you will need packing supplies, potential storage space, and so on. And with all these, on the moving day, it might take more time for your movers to load the truck, and there are a lot of reasons for these loading delays.
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Bad Weather
Something that might be the greatest delayer of all times is, of course, bad weather. When you are moving, you really have to pay attention to the weather forecast. Even if you do, there is no absolute guarantee that the exact day you choose for your moving day will be as the forecasts predict. Mother Nature is so unpredictable and can change her mind in an instant.
Therefore, instead of a sunny day, you may get thunderstorms, which will make the moving process impossible or severely delay it.
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Layout of the House
A two-bedroom condo might involve a large walk-in closet, an upstairs office, and a sprawling crawl space off the downstairs den. The destination might come with a long walk from the truck to the front door and an even longer walk around to the back of the house to the basement sliding doors you’ll have to use for that large sectional sofa.
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Inexperienced Movers
Another one of the reasons for delays is inexperience, especially if your movers are inexperienced. Note that most of the issues here are in the estimating department. Without experience, you simply cannot estimate how long things will take. And then there are potential accidents in packaging and transport and the whole thing compounds even more.
Indeed you may think you are saving some money if you go with a mover who is inexperienced but that is actually not the case, most of the time. There is a reason why there is an industry standard when prices are concerned. And that reason is that it simply costs that much for a good service.
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The Overall Size Of The Move
When you look for moving company estimates, you will be asked about the size of the move. This is one of the significant factors that affect the cost because it affects the truck the company needs to use and how long the move will take. Generally, the more items you are moving, the more it will cost.
However, if you are moving long distance, you will also need to consider the weight of your move. Heavy items will increase the cost of the move, and you need to factor this in. However, with these types of moves, the moving company will generally do an in-home estimate where you can ask for details about the effect of weight on the costs.
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Failure to Arrange Everything on Time
Have it in mind there are so many things you need to arrange in order to move into another place. Failing to get everything in order will inevitably cause loading delays. Most of the time, it is something really simple, such as transferring your gas and electricity to a new place. But we tend to forget.
Create a list of tasks for yourself. Then cross the items off the list as you complete them. That is the best way to make sure that everything is arranged properly.
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Flights of Stairs
For Movers, a good rule of thumb is to add 30-60 minutes (depending on the overall amount of furniture and boxes) for each set of stairs you’ll be meeting. Consider slipping in a quick question about the staircases inside the customer’s home (and outside, particularly in the case of an apartment building).
Are they wide and fairly accessible? If not, no need to wallow in the details, the customer will not only understand that you are a considerate moving pro, but will now have the notion in his or her head that tight corners and narrow passageways can slow the crew down if there are any large and/or heavy pieces to maneuver.
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Lack of Necessary Paperwork
It is strange how many times this has caused a loading and moving delay. This is indeed one of the worst reasons for delays. Note that you might do everything on time but you simply cannot get those papers in order by the time of the relocation. There may be situations where you are missing a single piece of paper, and everything just stops because of that.
A lot of people do not even know what sort of paperwork they might need and find themselves flabbergasted when someone tells them that they need to have a paper for their parking spot. And if there is no paper for the parking spot, your truck cannot park there and the move gets delayed. Not to mention that you will not be able to move into your new home at all if all of the papers that say that you are the new owner are not in order. Certainly, one of the worst headaches to have.
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Items that Require Tools for Assembly, Dismantling or Removal
Similar to questions about stairs, most movers prefer to ask about items that require tools. Things like the bar that won’t fit through the door unless the top is taken off; the wall unit that is screwed into the wall studs; the credenza that is mounted on a massive cleat behind the massive desk in the office. By mentioning these things you not only prepare your crew, but you also plant the seed in their head that certain things will add to the total move time.
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Heavy Items
Add 30 minutes for pianos, pool tables, and gun safes. Items like these can take the entire crew a while to move from room to truck or vice versa. Grandfather clocks also take up time as they need to be serviced (i.e. the weights need to be removed and packed) while the clock itself will demand a fair bit of TLC. Baby grand pianos require special equipment as well as extra time.
Conclusion
When you are planning a move, the last thing you want is to have surprise expenses at the end. Having an accurate idea of the total cost and time of moving is vital because it helps you plan and find ways to save money. Knowing what to expect when you move will make your relocation endeavor more stress-free. That is why it is important to know what factors affect how long a move will take.