This week I will be making my big move to Los Angeles so wanted to share my insights on moving logistics. When it comes to finding an auto transporter, reading reviews is very important. I put my phone number on a booking website and companies started reaching out, most of them pointing to a particular auto transporter review website. After checking out the website it seemed to be carefully monitored by all these companies and I doubted I would find honest reviews. Yahoo, Google and Yelp however gave a good balance of reviews for most auto transporters and the reviews for one company were usually consistent across the different websites. In addition to reading online reviews I talked to people who had moved their cars in the past and heard firsthand about their experiences. I ended up choosing my company based on the experiences of two of my close friends. I am yet to receive my car in LA but hoping it will be a smooth experience.
Moving furniture is pretty much the same deal, reading the reviews online and if possible talking to people about companies they have used in the past. One thing I did learn was that the companies base their shipping estimate on cubic feet. So when they quote you a certain price based on the inventory list, keep in mind that price might go up on moving day i.e. how much stuff you actually take with you. I underestimated the number of boxes I would need by almost half and that ended up increasing the total cost quite a bit. So always make sure you check the cost per cubic feet instead of just item list when comparing prices between companies.
On a general note, I have always gone with a slightly more expensive company if their reviews were better instead of finding the cheapest one. I felt I would be paying for damages and lost items by getting the cheapest option and in the end the total cost would go up anyway.
My next blog will be from California, can’t wait to begin the next chapter of my life and start my Anderson adventure.
Here is a picture of my farewell party from last weekend. See you soon LA!
