The Water Bridge

 

I came across this fascinating photograph taken in Germany. The Magdeburg Water Bridge as it is famously called plays a major role for the Transportation & Logistics Industry in Germany. The water bridge connects two Shipping canals one located in former West Germany and one in the east.

Because of the continuous cold war between East and West Germany the construction of this wonderful architectural wonder was stranded for almost a century. Though delayed, construction finally began in 1997 and was completed in 2003.

It is a whooping architectural feat achieved by the construction team, which is now stormed by visitors from all over the world. Also, this bridge is now used for shipping freight and cargo efficiently. If you’re wondering why it is such a big deal, just think about how much water that huge ship in the photo would displace? The bridge is designed to easily contain huge amounts of water. Some such canals or aqueducts-as they call them - had been built in history. There are aqueducts in France, Greece, among other places. That in no way demeans the ingenuity of this 21st century version, though.  

Well, I have no words for this. Hats off to the Germans!

Swayam
Movers.com Team

Launch of Movers.com Blog

The Complete Moving Blog
After about a decade of working in the relocation industry movers.com team has launched its first blog. The blog located at http://blog.movers.com is the first of its kind in the moving industry.

About The Movers.com Team
Movers.com was created with the simple idea of providing a platform, where users can simply enter some data and quickly get moving quotes, as they say, “at the click of a mouse,” from movers across the United States of America and also worldwide.

After years of customer feedback and interaction with movers, though, the team finds itself very involved with the moving industry. The team has found out the hard way that moving a household or for that matter even a small piece of furniture is not as easy as it sounds. Problems creep up at turns when you expect them the least; and more often than not—it is neither the mover’s fault nor the customer’s. Unique that these problems are, they have been never been addressed in a public way; whereas, it is apparent that the moving industry needs some kind of a revamp. The movers.com team has now started putting their thought in to words, trying to analyze problems that can arise at every step of a move.

About the Movers.com
Blog Movers.com is a commercial website , which works to provide movers with potential customers—while at the same time trying to provide its users quality moving quotes. The blog is maintained and updated by the same movers.com team. However, the decision to publish such a blog was very personal. The thoughts and opinions expressed by the team members do not represent movers dot com's view about the moving industry in any way.

Vidya Garapati (GV)
Movers.com Team

The Weight of Weight Estimation

Cubic Sheet or Weight Estimation is a prerequisite of any move. We’ve all heard the horrifying tales of friends and relatives who have been duped by dishonest movers and forced to pay more than the actual cost of the move. I’m sure you don’t want to go through the same thing yourself. So, make sure you get all your belongings weighed and have an estimate before moving.

You do not always have to get your belongings weighed. In case your mover is transporting your goods on a non-binding contract, the goods must be weighed in order to determine the legal tariff charge. In case of binding contracts, the weight of the goods will not affect the charge of the shipments. However, if you need to weigh your goods, do take care that your goods are weighed on a certified scale. Using a non certified scale might result in wrong weighing.

Do you know how the rogue moving companies scam people? They usually provide you with estimates without making an on site check of your belongings. Their estimates include a clause which states that additional cubic feet will have extra charges. Once the packing is done, they load your belongings onto the truck and tell you that there are several cubic feet more of goods than originally estimated. Usually the company charges double rates for these extra goods. If you can’t pay, your belongings are hijacked by the movers. Don’t fall for such scams. Have your mover come to your house and weigh your stuff once they are packed, before providing an estimate.

Weight estimation removes chances of being duped. Also, if you compare the quotes offered by 2 or 3 different moving companies, it gives you the opportunity to choose a mover at an economical price.

The weighing of the goods is very crucial to the move. A certain company once presented their customers with an estimate that was double the cost of the actual belongings. Don’t put yourself in the same predicament. Insist upon being present during the weighing. The truck carrying the goods is first weighed when it is empty and then re-weighed after being loaded. The difference in weight is used to calculate the cost of the move. In case you are not satisfied with the weighing, demand a re-weigh. Although, most companies will charge a fee for reweighing, it is better to put your doubts to rest instead of shelling out a huge amount of money later. The final charge of the move should be based on actual weight, not the minimum weight of the goods.

Mathews Rosario
Movers.com Team

To Keep or Not To Keep

Ask any mover and he will tell you that, these days moving is the easiest job on the planet. Well, they have a job well done, as long as they have convinced you that moving is nothing more than tic-tac-toe. Huh, as if!!

If I may put it this way; moving is more like dismantling-transporting-and rebuilding rather than packing-hauling-and unpacking. When you stay in a house for a long time, you build it in to a home—putting pieces of furniture, carpet, etc one by one so that they fit your house. A relocation proposal suddenly makes all those efforts futile.

Apart from the sentimental trauma part; when you actually get down to moving you’ll find that it’s not only a pain in your leg, but also expensive at the same time. Royal combination, as it is; you have to plan your move in such a way that you take only the stuff that you want and dispose the rest. You should think of every possible manner of reducing the cost of your move. As every item counts you have to carefully select the goods you have to move and dispose all the unwanted ones. Disposing unwanted goods will fetch you some amount that can be used as moving budget.
 
You can dispose your unwanted goods by arranging garage sales, by advertising online, by selling them to stores that deal with buying and selling of second hand goods, by donating them to charity, by exchanging them with that of others, and by sending them to recycling, etc.

Garage sale is an easy means of selling your unwanted furniture by putting on a display in a place where people can come, see and buy. Placing an advertisement in a local newspaper and arranging the sale on a weekend will attract more visitors. Online sale is another means of disposing your unwanted goods. Almost all unwanted goods can be sold online these days. Placing an online advertisement listing the items you are planning to dispose will draw the attention of many. You can get a good market price by selling your items to stores that deal with buying and selling of second hand goods. They too will buy and sell almost all household goods.

So, that was about how and where—obviously, you have to decide the what. There may be several items in your household that you do not use, but you’re attached to them all the same. Like, say, your old Harley that you used to drive when you were 25. You may contemplate renting a self storage unit for these special value items.

Also, if you’re not the type of person who want to scrounge for every penny you can think of donating your old books to public library, schools run by charity organizations or to the reading rooms. You can donate unwanted rugs, clothes etc. to charity organizations such as churches, local communities, volunteer organizations and religious institutions.

Swayam
Movers.com Team

How To Find A Mover ?

Finding the right mover is a stressful job. A lot of research and time needs to be devoted to this work. Choosing the wrong mover can have disastrous results. You could end up losing your belongings, damaging them or paying a lot more than your original estimate.

To choose the right mover it is important to carry out proper research. The best option is to check out at least 10 movers and then pick the one that is least likely to cause problems. Research the history of the movers and find out the details involved in making the move. Your mover should provide you with all important data regarding the mode of packing, the time needed for transportation and the estimated cost of the move. Interviewing the movers before hiring their services will give you a good idea of whether their services meet your needs. The necessary points to clarify during the interview are the registration of the company, the rates and estimates offered by them, the subcontractors - if any, the additional fees and transfers, the insurance provided by the company, packing and storage options and also the complaints and claims that you are entitled to. Always check the referrals or recommendations of the company. If possible, then ask for any letters written by previous customers. Usually most moving companies will be more than happy to show you letters from satisfied clients. However, there is always a possibility that the letters may be faked. Try to follow up on the referrals.

Check the company website. The websites list the services, service history and the destinations they move to. Follow up on the web information with a thorough background check on the company.

One of the best ways of verifying the credentials of a company is to ask around. Some one among your friends, colleagues or relatives must have moved at least once. Talk to them and see if they can recommend a reliable company. Usually companies that have been in business for a long time provide satisfactory service.

Once you have short listed the best moving companies, visit their offices. Make sure the company is really who they say they are. Check out the trucks and storage spaces. Avoid companies with shabby offices and storage facilities.

A reliable company should give an estimate only after visiting your house. Feel free to ask questions regarding any doubts that you may have. Remember, all your belongings are at stake. Don’t hold back because you think it’s impolite to ask too many questions or you are feeling shy.

According to US Federal Law, the moving company should provide you with a copy of "Your Rights and Responsibilities When You Move". If the company does not provide you with this booklet, do not hire them.

Finally, never ever sign any document without going through it thoroughly.

Vidya Garapati (GV)
Movers.com Team