Learning the Lingo: 3 Moving Terms You Should Know

Even though you already have a lot on your plate, what with packing and making other arrangements for your move, you should take a moment or two to learn some of the lingo used in the moving industry. Doing so can help you better communicate your needs and understand the various charges on your bill. Here are three moving terms you should be familiar with.

Overflow

Overflow—also known as leaveover—is a term that describes a situation where you have too much stuff to fit on the truck and the excess belonging must be placed on another truck, shipped separately, or left behind. This kind of thing can happen when either you or the moving agent miscalculates the amount of stuff you have and the wrong size truck is ordered as a result. Having too much to fit in any one truck is another common reason for this problem, as is adding stuff at the last minute.

The movers will work with you to resolve the situation. For instance, the agent will either order another truck or arrange to have your belonging shipped by FedEx, UPS, or USPS. Be aware, though, there may be additional charges assessed, depending on what caused the problem and how it's eventually resolved.

Waiting Time

When the movers arrive at the destination with your belongings, they will typically wait around period of time for you to show up and accept delivery if you're not already there. The amount of time the movers will wait varies from company to company (one to two hours is pretty normal). If it will take you longer than the allotted amount of time for you to get to your new home, you will have to request additional waiting time.

This should be done as soon as you know you won't be there to meet the movers within the time frame, because whether or not the company can grant waiting time is wholly dependent on its schedule. If you wait until the last minute, the movers may not be able to stay and your belongings will typically be taken to storage as a result.

It's important to note that companies do charge for waiting time, typically on a per hour basis. However, it may be much cheaper to go this route than to have the company put your belongings in storage for one or two days.

Shuttle Service

Movers like to get their trucks as close to your home as possible to reduce the amount of time and effort it takes to get your stuff to and from the truck. However, sometimes this is impossible to do. A common reason is because the road to your home will not accommodate the size of the truck. Another issue that comes up frequently for people who live in the city is there isn't any available parking nearby. In this situation, the company will do what's called shuttle service. It will send a smaller van that will be used to shuttle your belongings between your home and the truck.

As you can imagine, this will increase the amount of time and how much it will cost to complete your move. Sometimes you can get around this issue by performing the shuttle service yourself, i.e. putting stuff in your personal vehicle and driving it to the moving truck's location. However, there may be some liability concerns with this option, so be sure to discuss it with the customer service agent beforehand.

There are many other moving terms you should make yourself familiar with before you hire a moving company to relocate your belongings. For more information about these issues or to make an appointment for the move, contact a local company like Kaster Moving.


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