Florida's registration law, before anything else
Florida has a specific law for household moves. Under Florida Statutes section 507.03, each mover and moving broker must register with the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, which administers the state's Household Moving Services law.
So the first question for any company you call about a move in or out of Sebastian is the same: "What is your Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services mover registration number?" Write the number down, along with the company's full legal name and address. If you want to check it, contact the department and ask how. Keep the number on the quote and on the agreement you sign.
Mover or broker?
Some companies that advertise moves do not own trucks or employ crews; they arrange the job and pass it to a carrier. That can work, but you should know which you are dealing with. Ask directly:
- Are you the company whose crew will come to my house?
- If not, which company will do the move, and what is its registration number?
- Who do I call on move day, and who handles a damage claim?
Get the answers in writing. If the name on the truck may differ from the name on your quote, you want to know that before the day, not when the crew pulls up.
Sebastian's history
The City of Sebastian was incorporated in 1924, and in the late 1950s General Development Corporation bought the land from the Mackle family of Miami and began the planned community that is now the city.
Getting quotes that line up
A useful quote starts with someone looking at what you own. Ask for an in-home or video survey, and show the surveyor everything: closets, the garage, the patio, any shed, and things stored in the attic. Then ask for the quote in writing, with:
- the number of movers and the size of the truck;
- an hourly rate or a flat price, and what is included in either;
- how travel time is billed;
- separate lines for packing, materials, disassembly and reassembly;
- any charge for stairs, elevators or long carries;
- the deposit, when it is due and whether it is refundable.
Ask what could raise the final price and get that answer in the quote. When you compare quotes from more than one company, check that each lists the same rooms and the same large pieces. A quote that leaves out the garage can look cheaper than it is.
Access at both ends
Think through both addresses as if you were the driver. Where can a large truck stop? Is there room to open the back and set down a ramp? How far is it from the truck to the front door, and are there steps along the way?
If either home is in a community with an association, a gate or a condominium board, ask the manager what rules apply to moving trucks: allowed days and hours, where the truck may park, whether the mover needs to send proof of coverage ahead of time, and whether an elevator must be booked. Pass those answers to the mover when you ask for a quote, so the price reflects them.
Coverage and paperwork
Ask the mover what its basic coverage pays if an item is damaged or lost, and whether fuller protection is offered at extra cost. Ask for proof of liability coverage and workers' compensation. Then call your homeowners or renters insurer and ask what, if anything, your own policy covers while your belongings are being moved or stored. Read the agreement before you sign it, and ask about anything you do not understand.
Your own inventory
Even if the mover makes one, keep your own list. Number your boxes in marker, note the room each is going to, and write a few words about what is inside. Photograph furniture and valuables before they are wrapped, including any marks or scratches already there. Your list and photos make it much easier to show what arrived and what did not.
Set aside a box or bag that travels with you, not in the truck: documents, medicines, keys, chargers, jewelry, a change of clothes, the pet's food and anything you could not replace. Ask the mover which items it will not carry, such as paint, fuel, propane, pool chemicals or open liquids, and plan for those yourself.
Packing that helps the crew
Pack the rooms you use least first and the kitchen and bathrooms last. Use small boxes for books and heavy items, and larger ones for linens and light things. Tape the bottom of every box as well as the top. Wrap dishes and glasses one by one and keep plates on edge. Empty and clean the refrigerator and freezer if they are moving, and leave the doors open so they can air out.
Move day
Be there when the crew arrives and meet the crew lead. Walk through each room together, point out anything fragile, and confirm where the truck will park. Keep children and pets out of the path. Before the truck leaves, check every closet, cabinet and drawer, and the garage.
At the new house, show the crew which room is which. Check furniture as it comes off the truck, and count boxes against your list. If anything is damaged or missing, write it on the delivery paperwork before you sign, and take photos. Keep your copy of everything, with the registration number on it.