In the attempt to get into their home affordably as possible, people often end up ripping themselves off without even knowing it!! The most common advice people give their friends is "You Only Get What You Pay For". Strangely, people often forget that advice when it comes to their own money.

When there is often thousands of dollars of hard earned assets and personal effects that are at stake, why is it people just search for the cheapest price? There are many questions that need to be asked of a provider before you can make an informed decision and one that immediately comes to mind is…. why is their quote so much lower than the rest? Think about other "budget" items such as a cheap meal at McDonalds, it's affordable and quick, but is it doing more damage than you are aware (trust me – it's not because it tastes good!)

Ask yourself these questions:

a) How will their price reflect how they are going to treat me as a customer if I have a problem?

b) What am I losing in order for them to give me this price, is it insurance? trained staff? the protection of my furniture?

c) Are they going to be reliable and show up on time, or show up at all if so little is at stake for them personally?

d) What happens to me if they pick up a more profitable job?

The two most important things to value is insurance and efficiency. It has cost thousands of dollars for people to replace damaged goods after an uninsured accident, don’t regret not checking it out first, make sure you are covered for their mistakes (especially when they are not industry professionals!)

The second important point is efficiency. When getting information about a company’s "per hour" rate, you must be aware that you will still be charged by the hour and often from the moment they leave the depot until they return. If your removalist shows up understaffed and it takes twice as long as what they estimated over the phone – you still have to pay! You really do get what you pay for.

It's OK to try to get the best price for your move, but just don't sacrifice quality and reliability for money – it's just not worth it in the long run! If you ask the right questions (see Let The Buyer Beware) you will be able to link why a company is charging a what they do for the job. They might include insurance, wrap your goods for protection, they might have three men loading taking half the usual time, or a full replacement warranty, they might charge you more per hour, but only door to door (rather than depot to depot).  

Take the time to find out more and bring yourself peace of mind!