When deciding whether to hire a mover or do it yourself, there are a number of factors that should be considered. Obviously hiring a mover costs money. But moving yourself is not as inexpensive as you might think! If you are renting a truck there is the rental fee, insurance and taxes. On top of that there is the cost of gas and mileage. If you are moving locally this is not a major expense, but if you are moving across the state or even further that gas and mileage can add up quickly!

Aside from the cost of the truck there is the problem of loading it. If you live upstairs you need to get all of your things down to the truck (without damaging them!). Once everything is outside it needs to be carefully stacked in the truck to avoid damages. Wood furniture that is stacked on top of one another without any pads or protection between them is going to arrive at its destination full of nicks, scratches, gouges and dents. If the furniture on the bottom is not strong enough to hold the weight of what is above, it may be cracked or broken into pieces. Glass and electronics must be packed carefully to avoid costly damages. The farther you are travelling, the more likely it is that something will be damaged in transit. Once you reach your destination you then need to unload your truck (and are likely exhausted after packing, loading and driving).

Hiring an experienced professional mover can take most of the stress out of moving! Movers get it done faster and more efficiently because it’s their job! Your Austin movers have all the equipment necessary to protect and load even the most fragile items and the experience to stack the truck without damaging your things. There are several crew members (2-6 or more depending on the size of your move) and they work quickly to get you into your new place in just a few hours.

We hear it time and again from our customers: This was the best $ I ever spent!

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Here at Elephant Moving, your friendly Austin movers have noticed that everyone underestimates the number of boxes they will need when packing! So, below are some guidelines to help you prepare the supplies you need, as well as give you an idea of how many boxes you should have moving companies add to your estimate to give you the most accurate quote possible.

Remember, it is always better to overestimate! This ensures that the quote you get is truly a high end estimate. It will also help you when you shop for packing materials. If you are buying them yourself it is a good idea to take more than you think you need. That way you will not have to make runs to the store in the middle of packing. If you have extra boxes, many moving supply stores will buy back your unused boxes if you end up having leftovers. If you buy your supplies from a moving company, be sure to ask if they will take back unused materials.

Buying your materials from a moving company is also a great way to avoid having to lug the materials around yourself. Here at Elephant Moving we offer competitive prices and FREE DELIVERY! We can also deliver additional materials if you run out. If you have extra supplies, we will gladly take back unused materials when we come to move you. The cost of the packing materials you used is added to the final bill for your move.

1 bedroom: 15 small, 10 medium, 10 large + wardrobe and dish
2 bedroom: 20 small, 20 medium, 10 large + wardrobe and dish
3 bedroom: 30 small, 20 medium, 20 large + wardrobe and dish
4 bedroom: 35 small, 25 medium, 20 large + wardrobe and dish
5 bedroom: 35 small, 30 medium, 25 large + wardrobe and dish

Wardrobe boxes have a 24 inch metal bar that can accomodate up to 2 feet of hanging clothes. Elephant Moving sells these boxes and also rents them for the day. If you decide to rent wardrobe boxes, leave your hanging clothes in your closets until the day of your move. When your movers arrive they will hang the clothes in boxes, load them in the truck, and hang the clothes in the closets when they arrive at your destination!

Dish packs are heavy duty boxes that offer superior protection for your fragile items. Most standard kitchens need 5-7 dish packs and 1-2 bundles of packing paper. If you have a china cabinet or a lot of extra dishes/breakables you will need more of these.

Don’t forget the tape, markers and packing paper!

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You will have many choices of household goods movers. Since the prices and services offered vary from mover to mover, you may want to shop around before hiring a mover. Don’t be afraid to ask questions, and make sure you get everything in writing, including the company’s full name, address, and telephone number.

Under Texas law, anyone offering to perform a moving service for hire must be registered with the TX Department of Transportation. To verify whether your Austin mover is properly registered, check the status of the mover’s motor carrier registration or contact TxDOT at (800) 299-1700 (select Option 3 from the automated menu). TxDOT can also give information about the mover’s complaint history and annual report. You may also want to contact other sources such as the Better Business Bureau for information.

Elephant Moving Inc is insured and licensed; our TxDOT registration number is 000613531B.

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When you call to get an Austin moving estimate, you should provide the Austin moving company with as much information as possible to ensure there are no surprises the day of your move. Pertinent information includes:
• What floor are you on? Is there an elevator or stairs?
• How many flights of stairs? Do the stairs curve or turn sharply?
• Can the moving truck park near your door or stairway?
• Or will there be a long walk for the movers?
• Does your driveway slant at a 40 degree angle?
• Do you have a storage unit or garage that is also full of furniture and/or boxes?
• How many items will require disassembly?
• How many glass/marble/granite table tops, glass shelves, glass cabinet doors and/or framed pictures will require wrapping the day of your move?
• How large are they? This is especially important information – your Austin movers need to be sure they bring large enough crates or bins to accommodate the biggest fragile piece you have.
• Do you have any items that require special tools or techniques to disassemble (i.e. pool table, game table, hot tub)?
• Do you have any odd shaped bulky or loose items such as potted trees/plants, bird baths, lawn fountains or sculptures?
• Is there something that caused problems the last time you moved (i.e. those doors that had to be removed for that extra large overstuffed sleeper sofa)?

Providing your Austin movers with this information ensures that your estimate will be as accurate as possible. It will also ensure that your moving crew brings all of the tools and materials necessary to keep your move going smoothly.

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As you prepare for your Austin residential move or Austin commercial move, there are some things you should be prepared to move yourself or leave behind. Moving companies are not legally permitted to transport any hazardous materials! This includes items that are flammable, corrosive or combustible. What does this mean for you? If you have a gas barbeque grill you will need to disconnect the tank and take it with you or the grill stays where it is. Your lawnmower and other power lawn tools must be emptied of fuel or they do not go on the truck. You should also be sure to disconnect gas hookups for grills, dryers, water heaters and anything else that you plan to have your movers take; moving companies cannot handle gas connections.

Non-allowable items include: Sterno, Fire Extinguishers, Household Batteries, Matches, Aerosols, Chemistry Sets, Kerosene, Cleaning Solvents, Darkroom Chemicals, Gasoline, Ammonia, Pool Chemicals, Propane/Propane Tanks, Nail Polish, Nail Polish Remover, Motor Oil, Fireworks, Car Batteries, Charcoal, Charcoal Lighter, Liquid Bleach, Fertilizer, Paints (latex & oil-based), Paint Thinner, Pesticides, Firearms, Ammunition, Poisons (such as weed killer), Lamp Oils, Fuels.

Customers must make other arrangements to transport these items.

**If you ship any of these goods without our knowledge, you immediately void any and all liability by our company for any and all loss or damages, and you will be held responsible for any damages, fines, warehousing costs, and delays incurred by our company resulting from the transport of these materials.

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