When Moving to the Bay Area – Get Advice from the Experts:

Before you decide to conduct a residential move on your own, think about the difficulties that you will come across. People often assume that hiring a moving company is a waste of money. Little do they know, that it can cost you more to conduct a move on your own than it will hiring a company. Unless you already have a large trailer, all of the packaging supplies, and free help, moving is expensive to manage alone. Collect quotes by using the free quote calculators on the movers’ websites or by calling each one individually so you can get other details at the same time. Ask their customer service representatives any questions that you might have before deciding on whether or not to hire them for the job.

Save Money after Buying Moving Services

After hiring a mover in the Bay Area, start thinking of ways to save on the rest of the relocation. Pay attention to the following and try to utilize any of the advice pertinent to your move.

• Save newspapers, purchase Styrofoam plates, and save old blankets and clothes for packaging purposes.
• Try to find free help. For instance, ask a family member to babysit the kids, and find others willing to help you pack.
• Opt out of full packaging services and pack away your own belongings.
• Ask local businesses if they have any extra boxes to spare.
• Have a garage sale to earn money off of items you do not wish to relocate.
• Purchase insurance offered through the movers so that if something ends up damaged or lost, you do not have to repair or replace it with out of pocket cash.
• Purchase refreshments and snacks for the movers instead of tipping them

THIS IS HOW TO TAKE YOUR STARTUP TO SUCCESS IN ONE YEAR FLAT:

When he first became a franchise partner with You Move Me, Mike Dahlman set a larger-than-life revenue goal. He knew it crazy for his first year in business, but he was buzzing with the excitement of joining a new, emerging brand. By the end of the year, Mike’s franchise was so busy that they added five trucks to their fleet just to keep up with demand. And his team didn’t just hit their target — they beat it. This is Mike’s story.

O2E: How did you take a startup and turn it into a revenue-smashing business?

MD: I first got involved with You Move Me when the business was only six months old. I loved the brand and the concept; plus it was young and new and I’d basically get to help build it from scratch.

At the time, James Alisch was running the local franchise. We met years before while working at College Pro, and we had been looking for a way to work together again. James believed I was equipped to take the business to the next level — and I agreed that You Move Me was the perfect opportunity. James is now my business partner, along with founder Brian Scudamore.

So I came on board and then the previous general manager left at the busiest time of year. We were slammed. While it was tough to be thrown into that so early on, it also allowed us to smash our goals.

O2E: What surprised you most about owning your own business?

MD: How fast we were able to grow it! The really confident, positive part of me had set an over-the-top goal. But part of me also knew it was a pretty aggressive target. To have gone above and beyond the goal was both shocking and impressive.

O2E: What are the benefits of going into business within a franchise system?

MD: When you join an established franchise system, you get instant credibility. Two weeks after startup, I could walk into someone’s house and they knew who we were because of our connection to O2E Brands. There’s a story and a history here that people understand and respect, so it makes it easy for them to connect to us. People love the name and look of the You Move Me brand, and that’s what makes us memorable.

O2E: What advice would you give someone who is looking into buying a franchise?

MD: Be willing to be hands-on. Get on the trucks and learn the business from the frontlines. It’s a challenging business but the people make it rewarding. If you’re not connected to who and why you’re doing it, it will be frustrating.

O2E: What has been the best part of owning a franchise?

MD: I work with people that I like and trust on a different level than I ever have before. With other jobs, you inherit a team and there’s always some people who are there for the wrong reasons. What I love most about owning a You Move Me franchise is that I get to create my own team. Building our team, from where we were to where we are at this point, has been really rewarding. Two of the first people I hired are still with me, and a guy I worked with at College Pro is now one of my crew leaders 16 years later.I really believe that with the right people, the right energy, and the right message — big things can happen.

Need Help Moving? Try HireAHelper to Find Labor Professionals in Your Area:

A DIY move doesn’t mean a do-it-by-yourself move. In fact, anyone who intends to move without the help of a professional moving company should absolutely plan to either enlist friends or hire moving day labor to assist with the job. From lifting heavy boxes and bulky furniture to loading and unloading the moving truck, moving is a big job. For this reason, I don’t recommend moving alone (hello: potential injuries, stress and serious back pain).

Those relocating to a new city or moving during the workweek will, undoubtedly, have a harder time finding available friends and family to help out. Even if you’re moving to a town with familiar faces, the kind of people who are willing and able to spend the majority of their day assisting with your move are few and far between.

Enter HireAHelper. This online marketplace allows those moving to locate and book moving labor professionals in their area. To find moving labor, check out Moving.com’s search engine, powered by HireAHelper. For a more in-depth look at this helpful moving tool, take a look below.

What is HireAHelper?

As mentioned above, HireAHelper is an online marketplace helping people locate and book moving labor professionals in their area. According to the company’s website, the professional movers on HireAHelper are either labor-only moving companies that specialize in load and unload services, or they’re full-service moving companies that send workers out on labor-only moving jobs. Users can view up-front pricing and reviews on the website to help with evaluating the options.

How does it work?

On HireAHelper’s home page, simply type in the date of your move and your zip code. Then press “compare labor prices” to see various labor-only professionals in your area. Tip: If you’re moving to a different city, you may need to book two separate labor companies to help with your move. On the comparison page, customers will be able to see a helper’s: hourly rates, availability, customer reviews, business details (such as what equipment they provide) and credentials. Once you’ve selected the helper you want and your preferred arrival time window, all you have to do is reserve the mover via credit card. According to HireAHelper, your payment will be held in escrow. Once the job is complete, HireAHelper will send the payment to the movers.

Why should I choose HireAHelper when moving?

For starters, HireAHelper is a one-stop shop for finding and booking quality labor-only movers in your area. The website allows customers to see up-front pricing for labor professionals and with 3,400 companies in the HireAHelper network, you shouldn’t have any trouble finding helpers. All you have to do is rent your own truck and the HireAHelper movers will do the rest for you. Hiring moving labor also ensures a smooth, more efficient move overall. HireAHelper movers can take care of all of the furniture disassembly and reassembly (think: beds, tables and sectionals), as well as loading and unloading of your belongings. Given that these HireAHelper movers are professionals, you can take comfort in knowing that your household’s worth of items will be in good hands.

Are they licensed and insured?

According to HireAHelper, “a special license isn’t required for lifting things in and out of a truck or storage container.” However, before hiring moving labor, it’s important to find out whether the individual moving company is otherwise licensed and insured. Most moving companies will list their insurance credentials and business licenses on their HireAHelper profiles, as well as on their business website. If anything breaks during the move, HireAHelper states that the individual moving company should resolve the damage claims on their own.

However, if they don’t, you have a backup option. HireAHelper provides complimentary mover’s insurance when you place your order for the mover through HireAHelper. This insurance covers $.60 cents per pound, up to $10K. Those that hire a moving day helper with an average review of 4.5 stars or higher are eligible to purchase Full Value coverage from MovingInsurance.com. According to HireAHelper, the rates begin at $12 per $1,000 in coverage.

Does HireAHelper bring a moving truck or moving supplies?

Labor professionals booked on HireAHelper will not bring a moving truck. You are responsible for providing a moving truck. Each individual HireAHelper mover lists what equipment they provide (and whether or not they charge extra for it) in their profile.

Will they help me disassemble and reassemble furniture?

Yes. However, you’ll need to include whether or not you need furniture disassembly and reassembly in your order form. Since helpers charge by the hour, you should take this extra time into account when figuring out your moving budget.

How long will the move take?

HireAHelper recommends looking at their labor guide to get a good idea of the time required for the move. I recommend also speaking to the helper directly to see how much time they think the job will require.

Should I tip a HireAHelper mover?

While tipping your helper certainly isn’t required, it is a nice thing to do – assuming the mover does an excellent job. HireAHelper states that the typical tip amount is $10 to $20 a worker.

What are other moving labor options?

A few other labor alternatives to HireAHelper include:

College Hunks Hauling Junk and Moving – College Hunks is a licensed and insured moving and junk removal service. For those who need help moving, the company can help pack and load/unload your moving truck. College Hunks charges by the hour.

Moving Help – Moving Help provides customers with an online marketplace for local moving labor services in their area. The website ranks all Moving Helpers based on the company’s star rating. It also allows customers to read reviews and assess ratings for each moving company.

Enlisting friends and family – Of course, you can always ask friends and family to help with your move. If lifting heavy furniture, I recommend recruiting at least four additional people to help with the move.

Need full-service moving?

If you decide that your complicated relocation needs the help of full-service movers, you’re in luck! Moving.com’s extensive network of reputable and reliable movers makes it easy to find and book the best moving company for the job. All relocation companies in our network are licensed and insured, so you can rest assured that your move will be in good hands. Best of luck and happy moving!