FAQ

LOCAL MOVING

How do I select the best mover for me?

Ensure your mover is licensed and insured and registered with the state’s Public Utility Commission – DEBO PUC # A-00106548

  • Background-checked
  • Drug-tested
  • Trained
  • Uniformed
Schedule a free, no-obligation estimate, before making your final decision

Request an ON-SITE estimate

  • Basic phone estimates are helpful when “shopping” around for a mover, but an on-site estimate, in-person with the company’s representative is much more accurate.
  • An on-site estimate provides the mover with an advance look in to YOUR move, in particular
  • Estimators are trained to focus-in on potential obstacles that could affect overall pricing and alert you prior to your move
Select a reputable mover
  • Professional mover pricing is regulated, thus making pricing very competitive – so, select a mover whose name you know
  • Listen for recommendations
  • Review testimonials
  • Visit the mover’s warehouse and office facility
  • Confirm experience, or years in business
Choose a customer service-based mover
  • Pay close attention to the customer service that you receive, from the initial call to the office to the in-home estimate
  • Choose a mover who is friendly, yet informative and structured with the information they are providing you
  • Communication and a smooth move go together
  • Your final decision may be mostly based on the bottom-line price, but why not include quality as a requirement? Base your final decision on a moving company that focuses on your needs and what you deserve!

LONG DISTANCE MOVING

When should I call a moving company?

The earlier, 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 week’s notice, if possible. The more lead time you can give, the more likely we will be able to meet your preferred delivery schedule. All moving companies, for their standard type of service, require alternate pickup and delivery dates. We’ll do our best, of course, to comply with the dates you prefer or the nearest possible alternatives. You will be notified in advance of the loading date for your goods and of the estimated date of arrival.

If your pickup and delivery dates are critical due to such factors as a lease expiration or a real estate closing, you may choose an extra-cost service which will enable us to accommodate a more precise, reasonable schedule. You should discuss your specific pickup and delivery requirements with the sales agent with Debo-Mayflower, who can advise you regarding the types and costs of services available.

Do I need an estimate?

The sales rep will make a pre-move survey of your household goods to be transported. A pre-move survey is needed to determine the approximate cost of a move and the amount of van space your goods will occupy. Your salesperson will compute the approximate cost and give you a written Estimate/Order for Service. An accurate estimate cannot be calculated without a visual survey of the goods to be moved. There is no charge for the estimate.

Keep in mind that estimates (household goods surveys) are only guidelines. On interstate shipments, you must pay the total charges as determined by the actual weight of your shipment, the distance it travels, and the services that you authorize or which become necessary to handle your shipment.

What is a binding estimate?

A binding estimate or binding cost of service specifies in advance the precise cost of the move based on the services requested or deemed necessary at the time of the estimate. If additional services are requested or required at either origin or destination (such as a “shuttle” to or from a location to which a full-size van cannot operate directly), the total cost will increase. Binding estimates are valid for the time period specified, up to 60 days.

If you add items to be moved or require additional services, such as packing, between the time of the estimate and the time of your move, there will be additional charges. An addendum specifying these additional charges will be prepared for your signature.

If you are interested in obtaining a binding estimate, please discuss it with our sales representative here at Debo Moving & Storage.

When is the best time to move?

If there is a choice, most moving companies 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.

However, Mayflower Van Lines believes you should move when it is most convenient for you. Factors involved in the decision may include:

  • Whether the move must be made immediately
  • Moving children during the school term
  • Separation of the family while the move is under way

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.

How long does it take to move?

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 van, it is often necessary for two or more shipments to be loaded on the same van. Each shipment is carefully sectioned off from the others.

With the help of Mayflower’s 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.

Is a moving company “licensed?”

It would be more accurate to say that a moving company is “registered.” For example, Mayflower has been issued a certificate of authority by the federal government to move household goods among any of the 50 states. As a motor carrier, Mayflower has maintained a certificate of authority with the US Department of Transportation (DOT) since September 27, 1988.

Debo Moving & Storage is a Mayflower agent in the Pittsburgh market, affiliated with Mayflower, a national van lines.

How do you determine what my move will cost?

Unless you have been given a binding estimate, the exact cost of your move cannot be determined until after your shipment has been loaded on the van and weighed. If additional services are requested or become necessary after loading and weighing, additional charges will be incurred. Basic transportation charges depend on the actual weight of your goods and the distance they will travel. The total cost will include these transportation costs, any charges for Full-Value Coverage or Depreciated Coverage (see “Am I Protected Against Loss Or Damage While My Goods Are In Transit?”), plus charges for any “accessorial” services (such as packing and unpacking) performed by the Mayflower agent at your request. These charges are based on “tariff” rate schedules.

What is a tariff?

This is the list of rules, regulations, available services and resulting charges used by all motor carriers which provide interstate transportation of household goods. The tariffs are published by each household goods motor carrier and include its various services. The tariffs are available for your inspection upon request.