Shelly Moving and Storage, Inc. // General Moving Tips

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FAQs
How do you determine the charges for our move?
What is included with the cost of the move?
Do you offer guaranteed prices?
Do you offer discounts?
What can make the price change?
Are you insured? Licensed? Bonded?
What happens if my shipment is damaged during the move?
Do you move pianos?
Do we have to empty all of our drawers?
Can you ship our car?
Can we pack our own boxes?
Do you supply boxes?
Are there any items you can't move?
Do we need a deposit?
Is my move tax deductible?

How do you determine the charges for our move?
Answer: The charges for your move will be determined by the type of move you are planning to make.
LOCAL // INTRA-STATE // INTERSTATE // INTERNATIONAL // OFFICE

For Local moving, defined by the PA Public Utility Commission as any residential move 40 miles and under within the state of Pennsylvania, labor charges are based on an hourly rate, per man and per vehicle needed. Additional charges include items such as the fuel surcharge, which is based on mileage, packing, which is determined by number of boxes needed, and storage, if needed, would be determined by the length of time in storage.

For Intra-state moving, defined by the PA Public Utility Commission as any residential move 41 miles and over within the state of Pennsylvania, moving rates are based on weight and distance. Additional charges would apply for long carries, stairs, elevators, pianos and other bulky items, fuel, packing, mini storage pick up or delivery, extra pick ups or deliveries, and storage if needed.

For out of state moving (Interstate), the charges are mainly based on weight and distance. Additional charges would apply for the current fuel surcharge, packing and unpacking, bulky items such as a car or a piano, extra pick ups or deliveries, mini storage pick up or delivery, additional labor, shuttle charges, diversion miles and storage if needed.

For International Moving, charges are based on weight, container size, origin and destination service fees, and storage if needed. All international moves include full packing and unpacking.

What is included with the cost of the move?
Answer: All moves include the moving truck(s), professional work crews, pads, walkboards, hand trucks and moving equipment. We can disassemble basic furniture, such as desks, beds and dining room tables, and will put back together anything we take apart.

All moves include loading and unloading, with placement going to the desired room and location in that room. If at first a piece doesn't quite fit the way you thought it would, we can move it to another location or another room.

Do you offer guaranteed prices?
Answer: For Local moving and Intra-state moves, we cannot. The PA PUC, our governing body, does not allow us to give a binding quote, a guaranteed not to exceed price, or a flat rate.

For Interstate moves and office moves, it is preferred to give a binding quote, so you know up front how much the move will cost and can plan accordingly.

Do you offer discounts?
Answer: Discounts are only offered on Interstate moves. A discount percentage is actually required for us to give you a non-binding quote. Some organizations offer a guaranteed discount for a move, such as 62%. In order to receive this discount you must call the number listed and contact the appropriate Allied Agent that is partnered with the organization. They will then contact us, if we are the nearest agent, and we will help to service the move from there.

For Local moving and Intra-state moves, we cannot. The PA PUC, our governing body, does not allow us to give discounts of any kind.

What can make the price change?
For Local moving, the main charges are moving labor and packing. The number one reason why a price changes for a local move is that a customer did not have time to pack, move, or get rid what they were expecting to have accomplished by the time the moving team shows up. Since the charges are based on an hourly rate, the longer it takes, the more the move costs. If there is more to move than expected than the job will take longer than estimated.

Another issue that has come up a lot in the recent months is problems at settlement. If settlement takes place while we are doing your move we still have to charge for the time it takes to complete the purchase of your new house. If settlement falls through altogether then we will have to store your items for a length of time or find a mini storage to place them in at the last minute. We are flexible enough to accommodate these situations, however, additional hours of work and storage charges may apply.

For Intra-state moving the final cost of the move is determined by the weight and distance, packing, and accessorial such as long carries, elevator, and stair carries. Any variance in weight will change the price, up or down. Differences in packing can change the price. Unless we know about access at destination, stairs, elevators, etc, they would be additional to the original estimate. If storage were needed that would be additional as well.

For Interstate moves we have to break it down between guaranteed and non-binding prices.

For guaranteed pricing the cost is determined by the weight and distance of the move. The weight is determined at the time of the estimate by the list of the items to be move, the cube sheet. If you add items to or remove items from your move, prior to the moving day, we can revise the quote. If the movers show up and there is a brand new bedroom set that is NOT listed on the cube sheet, we would need to add it to the move via a change order.

The other ways that a binding price can change are for unforeseen circumstances at destination, including mini storage delivery, additional deliveries, unexpected storage, waiting time, and changing delivery cities (diversions).

There is no longer a charge for a shuttle at destination with a guaranteed price. If one is needed at origin it will be included in the price.

With a non-binding interstate move the final charges will be based on the actual weight of the move and the packing required to complete the job. If needed storage, shuttle, bulky charges, mini storage fees, additional pickup and delivery fees, and diversion miles would be additional.

For International Moving the final cost is determined by the actual weight of the shipment. Packing and unpacking are a factor of the weight.

Are you insured? Licensed? Bonded?
Answer: Yes we are insured, Yes we are licensed, Yes we are bonded.

For our insurance you can look at our certificate here (pops), or take my word for it that we are covered for automotive, workmen's compensation, as well as personal property damage and liability. PPD & L covers any damage that would occur to a dwelling or structure.

For our licensing we operate under PA PUC authority #A102480 for moves within the state. We are limited to our area of operation, . For interstate moves we are under the authority of Allied Van Lines MC015735, USDOT 76235.

If the real question you were asking was what happens if my stuff is damaged during the move, please see below about valuation.

What happens if my shipment is damaged during the move?
The basic rate of valuation, protection against damage or loss during your move, is 60 cents per pound per article on all local, intra-state and interstate moves. The information for local and intra-state valuation can be found Printable: PA Valuation. The information for interstate valuation can be found Printable: AVL Valuation.

Do you move pianos?
Answer: Yes. On local moves they are included in the hourly rate, no additional charge. We will need at least 3 men to move them, if stairs are involved, we will need at least 4.

On intra-state and interstate moves they are considered a bulky, which is an additional charge, and their weight is included in the final weight of the move.

Do we have to empty all of our drawers?
Answer: No. You may leave soft, non breakable items in dresser drawers. Books, bricks, and breakables should be emptied out, as well as anything small little and loose.

Anything with doors, like an armoire, need to emptied. As do desks, china cabinets and cabinets.

Small filing cabinets can remain full. 4 or more drawer vertical and all lateral filing cabinets must be emptied. It is also advised that fireproof filing cabinets be emptied.

Can you ship our car?
Answer: Yes. On local moving you would probably be better off driving it. Same thing with intra-state moves, however, it is possible.

For interstate moves we offer a couple of ways to ship a vehicle. There is a premier service where the vehicle will be shipped in the same truck as the rest of the household goods. We also offer a budget service where we could either ship your car in the van or place it on a car carrier. Either way the car would arrive within your designated delivery spread.

Can we pack our own boxes?
Answer: Yes. Many customers pack their own boxes. Even a little bit of packing can save a significant amount of money. We will even have a packing tips page someday soon for you to refer to. For now we have a partial list here.

Do you supply boxes?
Answer: Yes, we have a multitude of new packing materials available for you. We can have them delivered or you can stop by and pick them up. We also have a fluctuating supply of recycled boxes from previous moves at bargain prices. Ask about our soon to be famous box bundle.

Are there any items you can't move?
Answer: There is a long list of items we cannot ship. There is also a list of items you shouldn't ship.
Printable: Items not to pack

Strictly prohibited:
Gasoline, flammables, explosives, ammunition, aerosol cans, propane tanks, lighter fluid, perishable food, anything pressurized and anything living. We did move elephants once, but that was a very special occasion and they had trainers on board, and a lot of waivers.

Not a good idea to ship:
Plants, because they tend die or spill and make a mess. Liquids aren't a good idea because they spill out onto your furniture and belongings. These include things like laundry detergent, cleaners, and hand soaps. If you pack a box of liquids and it spills we are not liable for damage caused by the spill. Firewood because it is dirty, carries bugs and snakes, and costs more to ship than to buy new. Building materials, mainly because you can buy it new for less. Bricks, again, cost more to ship usually than to buy new.

Do we need a deposit?
Answer: Only in certain cases. If your move is loading on a Saturday, loading the last week of June, July or August (peak season) , or was booked for a date 48 hours or less of you contacting us, yes, we do require a small deposit, usually $200. The deposit is refundable if you cancel outside of 48 hours. If you need to reschedule your move, again, 48 hours notice to receive credit for the rescheduled move. We are not in business to rip anyone off, but if a job cancels or changes last minute we still need to help recoup the cost of the lost business that the cancelled job was pushing away. If any job cancels while we are in route, a 4 hour minimum charge will apply.

Is my move tax deductible?
Answer: From the American Moving and Storage Association's Website:
"... in many cases, your moving expenses are deductible from your federal income taxes. If you moved because of a change in your job location or because you started a new job, you may be able to claim this deduction, even if you don't itemize deductions."

"You can deduct your moving expenses if your move is closely related to the start of work; your new main job location is at least 50 miles farther from your former residence than your old main job location was; and if you move within a year of reporting to your new job. For more information, visit: "
IRS Publication 521 - Moving Expenses (.PDF in new window).


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