Long-distance Moves Made Simple

Three Reasons You Should Hire A Carpenter To Help With Your Next Move

by Stanley Lynch

Moving companies typically offer a variety of services to help you deal with the many challenges associated with relocating from one home to another. One that some companies offer is having a carpenter (or an employee skilled in carpentry) perform various helpful duties in your home before or the day of the move that will make things go easier. Here are three reasons why you may want to opt for this service if offered.

Dismantle Specialty Items

When you hire professional movers to help you pack and load the truck, the employees will do basic disassembly, such as take the legs off a sofa. If you're like most homeowners, though, you probably have a few large items that need to be dismantled, such as flat screen televisions or custom furniture (e.g. wardrobes, bookshelves).

Opting to upgrade to having a carpenter help on moving day means you can get help taking apart large or complex items in a way that avoids damage to the item and your home. Additionally, the professional can reassemble them in your new residence, depending on how far away you're relocating from your old place. This can save you time and stress, especially if you have a number of specialty items that must be moved.

Build Crating for Valuable Items

Some items you own may need to be packed in a specific way to prevent them from being damaged during transport. Art, antiques, chandeliers, musical instruments, and other fragile belongings should be moved in something much sturdier than regular cardboard boxes or plastic containers.

For this task, the carpenter can build customized crates to house the item while they're in the truck and/or storage. Since they're made of durable wood, the crates are better able to withstand the rigors of moving; thus preventing items from being crushed or dinged by boxes or other things falling on them. Once your move is complete, you can reuse the wood for other projects, such as shelving.

As a side note, it's important to remember to get the right insurance when transporting items of significant value. Although moving companies do provide free insurance, they will only reimburse you $0.60 per pound for lost or damaged belongings. For example, you would only get a maximum of $6.00 for a 10 pound painting worth $5,000.  You'll want to upgrade to insurance that covers the declared value of the item, such as full protection value insurance, to ensure you get the full worth of your belonging.

Fix Damage to Home

If you've lived in your current home for awhile, chances are pretty good there is quite a bit of wear and tear. While this may not be much of a problem if you sold the home to new owners who don't mind fixing the assortment of dings and holes the house may have accumulated, you may lose your security deposit if you're renting the place and/or be charged additional money to fix damage that costs more than your deposit covers.

In some cases, the carpentry professional provided by the moving company can fix some of the damage. For instance, he or she can fill in holes or even put up brand new drywall if the damage is extensive. Other things the carpenter may be able to do include repairing stairs and handrails, kitchen cabinetry, doors, windows, and shelving.

Regular carpenters typically charge anywhere from $40 to $80 per hour. However, the moving company may charge less for this service as part of a moving package, so it may make more financial sense to sign up when you get other moving services through them. For more information about this or other services, contact a moving company, such as Bekins Van Lines Inc.

Share