Glossary of Moving Terms

Appliance
The cost of a complete disconnect of an appliance at the originating residence and a reconnect of the appliance at the new residence. Covered appliances include washers, dryers, dishwashers, and refrigerators. Certain movers charge a surcharge for this service while others simply charge the amount of time the actual service takes. If a particular mover does not perform this service or contracts with a third party, the field is marked “NA”

Appliance Dolly
Supplied by self-service movers to help you load and unload large items like appliances and oversized furniture

Assessed Value Coverage
This specifies how much money per $1,000 of assessed value you will need to pay to cover your household items to their fully assessed value. Purchasing this protection requires that a cash value be assigned to the items you will be moving. If a deductible is applied, that value is stated next to the cost-per-$1,000 figure. For example, 7.50/100 means that the consumer must pay $7.50 per $1,000 of assessed value to cover the load against loss, and the first $100 of damage is not covered. Some valuation policies are calculated on a sliding scale, where the price per $1,000 of coverage will vary depending upon the total amount of coverage. In such cases, carriers are requested to quote valuation prices based on $25,000 of coverage. Please note that most valuation policies require that the entire load be covered, not just specific items. Ask your carrier for terms

Bill of Landing
This is the contract between the mover and the customer. It also acts as a receipt. It is important to understand everything on the bill of lading before you sign it

Binding/Non-Binding Estimate
Binding: The mover quotes a flat price based upon a given inventory. No matter how long the job takes, the flat price is always paid. It is given only when an onsite estimate is performed
Non-Binding: These estimates are based upon the movers’ previous experience of jobs similar to yours. As the name suggests, these estimates are subject to change

Hourly Rates
Customers are charged by the hour per man/woman, per truck
Carrier
This is the mover with whom you’re working

C.O.D. – Cash on delivery
This is when payment is required at the time of delivery. Make sure to ask if your payment should be in cash, credit or check

Comments
Any additional information about a listed company

Cost of Move
This addresses how much the specific move will cost, not including the various extra charges and insurance. All cost estimates are calculated based on information obtained from the listed moving companies during a signup interview. Although every effort is made to gather the most accurate information, customers should be aware of the fact that many factors affect the cost of a move. Make sure to ask about all of the movers involved costs, including things like flights of stairs, distance between your residence and the moving van (some charge extra if your belongings are a significant distance from the moving van)

Depreciated Value Coverage
See Assessed Value Coverage

Divider
Many self-service movers will place commercial goods behind your household possessions on the trailer. A divider is installed between these separate shipments to keep them secure

Divider Installation
This specifies how much extra it will cost a consumer to have a divider (see definition) installed

Expedited Service
This is an agreement to transport goods by a set date in exchange for a higher rate

Flight of Stairs
This tells you the additional cost, if any, of a flight of stairs either at the point of origin or the destination. Please note that a third-floor walkup counts as two flights since you are starting on the first floor. Serviceable elevators (an elevator large enough to transport the household goods) eliminate the need to pay this fee

Freight-Service
A low-cost alternative to a full-service move, freight-service movers will move all of your household goods from your old address to your new address but will deliver the items only to the doorstep of your new home. Your items must all be boxed in advance, and your individual pieces of furniture will not be wrapped in blankets, as distinguished from full-service movers. See also Self-Service Mover and Full-Service Mover

Full Replacement Value Coverage
This specifies how much money per $1,000 of value, you will need to pay to protect your household items for their full replacement value. Full replacement value is the amount of money it will cost to purchase a new replacement for a damaged item, regardless of how old the damaged item was. If a deductible is applied, that value is stated next to the cost-per-$1,000 figure. For example, 7.50/100 means that the consumer must pay $7.50 per $1,000 of declared replacement value to cover the load against loss, and the first $100 of damage is not covered. Some valuation policies are calculated on a sliding scale, where the price per $1,000 of coverage will vary depending upon the total amount of coverage. In such cases, carriers were requested to quote valuation prices based on $25,000 of coverage. (Please note that most valuation policies require that the entire load be covered, not just specific items. Ask your carrier for terms).

Full Service Mover
The most common form of moving company, the full service mover, will move all of your household goods from your old address to your new address. The items are picked up from every room in your old home and delivered to the appropriate rooms in your new home. Individual pieces of furniture are wrapped in blankets to protect them during shipment. Full service movers will also provide, at additional cost, full packing and unpacking services as well as appliance service (see definition). See also Self-Service Mover

Guarenteed Pickup and Delivery Service
A premium service whereby dates of service are guaranteed, with the mover providing reimbursement for delays. This type of service is often subject to minimum weight requirements

High Value Article
These are items in a shipment that are valued at more than $100 per pound

Inventory
The detailed descriptive list of your household goods showing the quantity and condition of each item

Interstate Move
Any move that crosses a state boundary, regardless of the number of miles. Distinguished from a Local Move and Intrastate Move

Intrastate Move
Any move which does not cross a state boundary, 56 miles or greater. Distinguished from Local Move and Interstate Move

Loading Ramp
Provided by self-service movers to help you load your household goods onto the trailer

Local Move
A move within a state, 56 miles or less. Distinguished from an Intrastate Move and an Interstate Move

Linehaul Charges
Basic method of billing for long distance service. Linehaul charges are calculated by mileage and the weight of your shipment. Linehaul charges may not include fees for charges such as the ones noted in Additional charges

Long Carry Charge
An additional charge incurred when articles must be carried an excessive distance to the movers truck

Local moving
Local moving usually refers to moves of less than 56 miles within the same state. This type of move is based on hourly rates and is regulated by the states DOT (Department of Transportation) or other regulatory body

Moving Company
A Moving Company is the business offering your move program and that is in charge of transporting your belongings

Order for Service
The authorizing document allowing movers to move your goods

Order Number (aka Bill of Lading)
This is the number used to identify and track your shipment

Packing Service
Many full-service movers provide customers the option of having all of their possessions packed before the move and later unpacked at the destination

Peak Season Rates
A premium rate that is charged at certain times of the year. This rate is generally applied in the summer months

Permanent Storage
Vaulted full service storage, charged monthly according to the actual weight of goods. Items are inventoried, condition catalogued, pad/stretch wrapped, carton packed, and placed in storage vaults by our warehouseman. Charged with warehouse handling (according to weight) to cover vaulting time at the open and close of the account. Accessing lot involves charges of warehouse handling (according to time) to have staff pull vaults and assist with access due to the placement of items within the vaults, and account for removal or addition of items on inventories. Items that don’t fit in vaults are appropriately protected and stored in oversized item storage. One month storage minimum, and prorated thereafter according to actual days in storage. 500 pound minimum also applies. Additional fees associated with piano storage.

Phone
Usually the phone number for the sales department of each listed mover

Piano
This specifies the additional cost to move a single 42-inch piano as part of the total household. This is not the cost to move the piano if that is the only item being moved

Pickup and Delivery Charges
This is an additional charge that is applied when you have to transport your shipment between the Storage in Transit warehouse and your residence

Price
This tells you how much the specific move will cost, not including the various extra charges and insurance. All cost estimates are calculated based on information obtained from the listed moving companies during a signup interview. Although every effort is made to gather the most accurate information, customers should be aware of the fact that many factors affect the cost of a move.

Self-service Mover
Companies in this category will provide a trailer for you at your old home. You load the trailer yourself and the company returns to move the trailer to your new destination. You then unload the trailer yourself and call the mover to remove the empty trailer. This type of move is becoming increasingly popular with consumers because it saves money in two ways. First, you do not pay for any of the loading/unloading labor. Second, the self-service mover will often load commercial goods on the trailer behind your household goods, to help defer the cost of the total shipment. See also Full-Service Mover and Freight-Service

Shuttle Service
Occurs when a smaller vehicle is used to haul goods to a location that is not accessible to large moving trailers

Stair-Carry Charge
An extra charge for carrying items up or down flights of stairs

Standard Coverage
Movers, by law, are required to provide a minimum amount of free coverage. This number, typically 60 cents, refers to the amount of money you will receive per pound of damaged goods. This coverage is a bare minimum and should not be relied upon to cover you for any significant damage. For example, if you have a priceless vase which weighs two pounds, you would only be entitled to $1.20 of compensation if the vase is damaged in transit

Storage-In-Transit (SIT)
Temporary warehousing of your goods pending further transportation or transportation to your new home if it isn’t ready for occupancy. You may not exceed a total of 180 days of storage, and you are responsible for the added SIT charges as well as the warehouse handling and final delivery charges

Valuation
Valuation is not insurance. Valuation offered by your moving company is a tariff level of carrier liability based on the weight of your goods. Valuation covers your property by assessing value in three different ways explained above (Assessed Value Coverage, Full Replacement Value Coverage & Standard Coverage). In a nutshell, Valuation is an amount that reflects “what your goods are worth.”

Valuation only covers your goods for damage or loss if you can prove negligence on the part of the carrier. IT DOES NOT cover any loss or damage due to Acts of God, (high winds, earthquakes, tornadoes, hurricanes) riots, strikes, civil commotion, etc. and all claims are settled by employees of the carrier that damaged your goods. The valuation charge compensates the mover for assuming a greater degree of liability than that provided for in the base transportation charges

Warehouse Handling
This is an additional charge applicable to SIT service and Permanent Storage. This charge compensates the mover for the physical placement and removal of items within the warehouse.

Why Choose Us

History

Hansen Bros. Moving & Storage is locally owned and operated by the same family for four generations, since 1890. We have a well-established reputation for service quality and reliability with a high percentage of repeat household and commercial clients.

Professionalism

We’re a certified ProMover by the American Moving and Storage Association with A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau, voted “Best in Western Washington” in 2009 and from 2011 to 2016 by KING5. Our company is fully licensed and insured and member of WMC and AMSA.

Value

Hansen Bros. Moving & Storage provide free, no-obligation in-home estimate and competitive rates, including low minimum rates for shipments moving under 300 miles. We’ve set a refund policy for unused packing materials and three Puget Sound locations to help clients save on travel fee costs.