- The pros and cons of consolidated long-distance moves
- What is a consolidated long-distance move?
- Tips for a successful consolidated move
The pros and cons of consolidated long-distance moves
Consolidated long-distance moves are getting more and more popular as a cost-saving option for many people, especially when it comes to those who need to move cross-country on a tight budget. However, is it always your best choice, and what exactly is the payoff compared to standard individual moves? Let’s get to the bottom of this.
What is a consolidated long-distance move?
Consolidation essentially means that your items don’t get a dedicated truck — the team will put your items alongside someone else’s in the vehicle and then deliver them where requested. Moving companies generally recommend this approach for smaller moves and people who have flexible schedules.
The main advantages
Cost savings
This is the primary reason to choose a consolidated move. Since the company’s fuel, labor, and tolls expenses are shared, the final costs are significantly lower, so you get to save a substantial sum on your move.
Eco-friendly
If you are passionate about protecting the environment, then consolidated moves are a good way to deliver your items in a much less harmful way — fewer trucks on the road means reduced carbon footprint.
Professional handling
Despite what you might think of consolidated moves, both customers always still get professional packing and loading from a highly experienced team. It is not a downgrade in service, just a different logistical approach.
Good fit for smaller loads
If you only need to transport a small set of items, there is no need for an entire dedicated truck. After all, most students, small households, and single professionals prefer a consolidated approach for a good reason.
The potential downsides
Longer delivery windows
Unfortunately, movers may need extra time to coordinate routes and multiple drop-offs when they have to deliver two or more separate sets of items to multiple locations. That usually means that you have to expect longer delivery windows.
Less scheduling flexibility
With consolidated moves, you most likely won’t be able to set your own timeline and will have to adapt to the circumstances. If you cannot afford to free some time to meet the team when they deliver your items, you might want to consider a different option.
Higher risk of delays
The more customers the team delivers to, the higher the chance of delays — if one client cancels or reschedules, it will most likely affect the whole route.
Possible handling risks
Although this isn’t generally the case with professional long-distance moving companies, you have to expect some extra risks of damage associated with additional loading and unloading for consolidated moves.
Tips for a successful consolidated move
First of all, make sure to pack your items efficiently and label everything clearly — you don’t want any confusion when loading and unloading the truck. For the same reason, always keep essentials with you — documents and other things that you might need at any given moment don’t belong in the truck.
When you sign up for a consolidated move, you have to be flexible with your schedule. Make sure that you can quickly adjust your plans so that they don’t get in the way of accepting the delivery. Finally, always confirm delivery expectations in writing and stay in touch with your long-distance moving company for updates — following these simple rules will save you from some of the most frustrating experiences.
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