A Complete Moving Terms Glossary

Knowledge is power. When moving it is a great thing to know what are the terms that you will most likely need. Moving encompasses a lot of different processes, like hiring a moving company, packing, unpacking, relocation of all of your belongings. In order for you not to miss out on anything important, we have created this useful moving terms glossary. You can print it out and put it on your fridge, or simply bookmark it to read it whenever you have some spare time. So, let us begin.

A

Additional charges

When you decide to hire a moving company and use their service for packing and relocation, for example, you might come across some additional charges. The most common ones occur when the building does not have an elevator, so the crew must carry your belongings via stairs. Always ask your movers what additional chargers do they have and to include them in the contract.

Appliance servicing

If you want your moving company to prepare your large appliances for the move, it is called appliance servicing.

B

Bill of lading

This is a legal document that acts as a receipt. The entire agreement between the mover and the moving company is laid out here, every single detail, so it is important that you agree with everything that is in it.

C

C.O.D or Cash on delivery

This is the amount of money that you should pay upon the delivery of your goods. Before the delivery ask your moving company whether they accept cash, cards or checks.

Claim

If your belongings go missing or are damaged you can file a claim with the moving company and be compensated.

Cancellation fee

When you have to cancel the move, you might be required to pay a cancellation fee depending on how much time in advance you notified the moving company.

D

Delivery window

The moving company will tell you a time frame in which they should deliver your household goods. It can range from 2 to 5 days usually, depending on the final destination.

Deposit

You give a deposit to your moving company in order to book their services for a specific period. The deposit is usually 10-15% of the entire move. They may decide not to give you the deposit back if you cancel the move. Ask your movers what are their cancellation and deposit policies.

Door-to-door services

This means that your goods will be on a direct route from your old home to your new home. They will not be stored in a storage, for example, or moved to any other vehicles.

E

Essentials box

This is a box that you really want to have during and immediately after the relocation. The essential box should contain all important documents, medicines, chargers, keys, clean spare clothes, first aid kit. Anything that is vital to you should be in this box.

Estimate

An estimate is an evaluation on how much the relocation will cost, based on several factors, such as the weight of the shipment, the distance, the additional services, etc. There are several types of estimates.

Estimate, non-binding

This type of estimate does not guarantee the final cost, which can be a lot higher or lower than the original.

Estimate, binding

With the binding estimate, you will know what is the final price of your move. However, if your items weigh less than originally stated, you would still pay for the price that you agreed on.

Estimate, binding not-to-exceed

This is maybe the best type of them all. You will know the final price here as well, but if your items tend to weigh more or less, you will pay accordingly. Fine art movers NYC will gladly deliver your art faster than you would expect.

Expedited service

This is a service that enables you to receive your goods faster at a certain rate.

F

FMCSA or Federal Motor Carrier Safety Association

It is an association with multiple functions, but it regulates every requirement with the moving vehicles, drivers, equipment, licensing, insurance, etc. They are the supreme agency in their field of expertise.

Full-service move

When you choose to have a full-service move, you can simply relax and watch everything get done without you lifting a finger. This includes that the movers will bring their own packing material, pack, load, relocate, unload your items, and unpack them at your new home. Commercial movers NYC are the best at this, having years of experience and a skilled team.

I

International move

This includes crossing an international border, regardless of the distance.

Interstate move

The interstate move includes crossing of a state border, regardless of the distance.

Intrastate move

A move that does not include a crossing of any border, and is typically 50 miles long.

L

Local move

A local move is typically not longer than 100 miles, and for a local move you are charged by an hourly rate.

N

Non-allowables

These are items that are prohibited to move by your movers. These include any flammable material, such as fireworks, weapons, but also deodorants, hair sprays, etc. Always check with your movers what is on their list of non-allowables.

P

PBO or packed by owner

When you do not use the packing services of your move, but pack the items on your own. Usually, in case of damage the moving company does not accept liability for the items that are PBO.

Q

Quote, moving

A moving quote is when a moving company does an estimate of the final moving cost for free. It is always a good idea to compare the moving quotes of at least three moving companies before hiring them.

T

Third-party services

When your moving company hires a third-party to do a job. For example, house cleaning, or crating.

U

Unpacking

Your movers will unpack all of the items from the moving boxes and most importantly they will dispose of the packing material in a safe manner.

W

Warehouse Handling

This is the type of additional service when your units must be stored before delivery.

During your move, you may feel overwhelmed by all the terms you don’t know and things that need to be done. Don’t let moving push you over the edge – simply refer to our moving terms glossary above and our experienced movers will be more than happy to answer all of the questions you might have.