When people hire a mover, especially if they are paying for full packing and unpacking services, they expect full service. They expect that each and every item will be taken care of without much thought on the part of the client. They’re right, to a point. Unfortunately, though, there are some things that a mover, at least without help, cannot do.

What are the things movers can’t do?

1. Disconnect or reconnect gas appliances

In many cases, especially in California, appliances move with the customers. If any of those appliances are gas powered, though, a plumber is required. It’s simply not safe for movers to be disconnecting or reconnecting gas lines.

2. Tune pianos

This one might seem sort of obvious. Anyone who owns a piano knows that piano tuning is a finely honed skill. You’d be surprised, though, at the number of people who assume that a piano will be tuned exactly as it was before it was moved. While most movers are skilled at moving pianos, and are extremely careful at making sure the piano remains upright at all times, changes in environment and the act of moving can put a piano out of tune. It’s recommended that you hire a piano tuner for after the move.

3. Decide what is trash and what is treasure

On more than one occasion, I’ve heard customers complain that their movers moved trash. While that may seem wasteful (no pun intended), it’s just movers doing their jobs. Without proper instruction, there’s no way for them to know if something is actually trash or may be something valuable to you. It’s not unheard of for people to hide valuables in the bottoms of trashcans.

Certainly, literal trash is an extreme example, but it’s never a mover’s job to determine what is worth moving and what is not. That’s why we always advise supervision and sticky notes are always helpful.

4. Move living things

Most customers understand that pets (even fish and reptiles) shouldn’t be moved in moving trucks, but for the very same reasons, it’s also a bad idea to move plants. Moving trucks are hot and the air is stale. They also take up a lot of space, since it’s impossible to stack plants. If you’re moving across town, that might be one thing, but if you’re moving across country, you want to bring all your living things in your car.

<2h>5. Hoist

If an item was too big to fit into your home through the door, there’s a good chance it was hoisted in. Hoisting can require ropes or even a crane, depending on the difficulty. While some movers might hoist with ropes, very few have cranes. For that, you’d need to hire a company that specializes specifically in hoisting and it can add hundreds if not thousands to the cost of the move.

While it’s true that moving companies can’t do everything, you’ll find that most have a wealth of information. They have connections with professionals who can do nearly everything they can’t.

Featured image via Wikimedia.