FAQ

For local moves, the trucks we use are the largest trucks you can get with only two axles. They are like the largest size U-haul truck, only a little longer and taller. For long-distance moves, we use many different sizes of straight trucks and tractor-trailers. Most of the time we use straight trucks and half-sized 28’ long semi-trailers that can get close to most locations. Our goal is to use equipment that can get close enough to your home so that a shuttle-truck, and hence double-handling of your items, is not required.

Yes, we are container-moving experts. We have several different types and sizes of containers. For storage we use “warehouse containers.” These are large, all-wood containers that we bring to your site inside one of our moving vans. We also offer all-weather “outdoor containers” that are delivered to your location and can be stored outside. For interstate moves, we have specially designed “long distance containers.” These also fit inside our moving vans and are loaded and unloaded at your locations. For international moves, we use either custom-sized containers for small moves, or 20- and 40-foot steel ocean containers for larger moves.

Federal and state governments regulate household moves. Commercial moves within Florida are not regulated.

Moves are first categorized by the type of cargo they contain. There are two types of cargo that we handle: (1) household goods and; (2) commercial or office goods. Moves are next categorized by distance:Local Moves are moves in which the origin site is within thirty-five (35) miles of the destination site; North Carolina Long Distance moves (NCLD’s) are moves in which the origin site and destination site are both in Florida, but are more than thirty-five (35) miles apart; Interstate Moves are moves in which the origin site and the destination site are in different states; International Moves are moves in which the origin site and the destination site are in different countries.

We are an excellent choice for moving small shipments. We do not have a minimum shipment size, and we can move your small shipment on an exact date schedule anywhere in the continental United States. Please note that for international shipments, there is a minimum volume of forty (40) cubic feet.

Yes, most definitely! We make certain the moving crew always has more pads than needed. Proper padding is the key to a damage-free move. We are very thorough with the padding, and the charge for padding material is already included in our moving rates.

Yes, absolutely. Please decide in advance where the furniture will be placed. Our guys are happy to put it exactly where you want, but to keep the move on schedule they only want to put each piece down one time.

Yes, but only when necessary. Please let us know what you need disassembled and reassembled and we will include this service in your move price. There are some set exceptions to this. We recommend that the customer take apart and reassemble any cribs. Items like home gyms, pool tables, and play-sets are best handled by the vendor from whom they were purchased. Also please be aware that our movers only reassemble items that they have disassembled.

It is very rare that rain will actually stop us from completing a move. The crew has cloth pads, and will keep the furniture covered and carpets protected. This allows us to continue moving in moderate to light rain.In a hard downpour the crew will try to take a lunch break until the rain slows down or stops. If the crew must wait on the job site for the rain to lighten up, that wait time is charged at 1/2 the hourly rate — we only need to cover the cost of the movers during this time.

As with compensation for waitstaff in a restaurant, there is no set amount of gratuity expected, but if you feel our movers did an excellent job, you should feel free to tip them accordingly.You can also reward our movers by responding positively to a Goodwill Survey we’ll ask you to complete after your move and by writing an online review with Google+, Angie’s List, yp.com or CitySearch.com. We give our movers a bonus when the move is damage free and the customer provides positive feedback on the move. We also give our Crew Leaders a bonus when one of their customers posts an online review.

Local moving is regulated by the Florida Utilities Commission (NCUC). A move is a local move when the origin is within 35 miles of the destination. Local moving must be charged by the hour and hourly rates my not exceed a maximum set by the NCUC. A minimum of one hour for “travel time” must be charged on all local moves. Travel time covers the time spent “prepping” the truck, briefing the crew, getting the crew to the origin, getting them back from your destination and completing paperwork at our office. We charge additional travel time if the distance to the origin and back from the destination is more that 50 miles. The time starts when our crew pulls up in front of your origin location and stops when they pull away from your final destination. We charge to the nearest tenth of an hour. Short breaks of 5-10 minutes every two to three hours are included in the billable time. Longer breaks for meals are not included in the billable time.

The Florida Utilities Commission (NCUC) regulates NCLD moves. The move is an NCLD when the origin and destination are both are in Florida and they are more than thirty-five (35) miles apart. NCLD moves must be charged based on shipment weight and distance traveled. Please see the question on minimum move charges for more info on NCLD moves.

The United States Department of Transportation (USDOT) regulates interstate moves. However, the USDOT does not set limits or rules on rates movers can charge. We charge based on the weight of the shipment and the distance traveled.

International moving is charged based on weight and volume. We are very careful to load your shipment in as little space as possible because ocean shipping rates are based on volume. There is a minimum volume for international shipments of forty (40) cubic feet.

There are no minimum charges for local moving. For Florida Long Distance (NCLD) moves there is a 500 lb. minimum if the move is coordinated with other shipments. When an NCLD move is shipped by itself the minimum weight depends on the distance between the origin and destination:80 miles or less, the minimum is 4,000 lbs.; 81 to 150 miles, the minimum is 5,000 lbs.; 151 miles or more, the minimum is 8,000 lbs.. There is a minimum volume for international shipments of forty (40) cubic feet.For local storage, there is a one-month minimum. For warehouse labor, there is a one-hour minimum.

We do not charge sales tax, and all of our charges are discussed with you up front. Your estimate letter includes all the charges that apply for the services you have requested. If you change services, like needing storage at the last minute, there can be new charges for the new services. However, if your requirements stay the same there will not be any surprise or hidden charges.

There are three types of estimates: non-binding, not-to-exceed, and guaranteed. When you are very certain of the items to be moved and levels of service (such as packing) that you need, we offer not-to-exceed and guaranteed prices. When there is uncertainty about the items to be moved and other services you may need, we charge for the actual weight moved on long distance moves, or the actual time the move takes for local moves, based on a non-binding estimate.

Payment are accepted in Cash, Certified Check, Money Order, Western Union, Venmo, Zelle Only

Yes, for moves within the Continental United States we offer guaranteed move dates. This is very different than most other move companies who offer move spreads, or a range of dates during which they may deliver your household goods. We believe that our clients’ time is valuable and that you deserve to know exactly when your belongings will arrive.

Absolutely! We believe that a well-trained and well cared for work force will produce high-quality moves. Competency is born of education and experience and our ten-class training program provides our move teams with a well-rounded and thorough skill set. Our movers are incentivized to provide our customers with a 100% damage free move – and that begins with meticulous packing skills. So the first three classes cover best practices for packing household goods.The curriculum for the next three classes covers basic moving techniques. We stress proper body mechanics – moving is a physically demanding profession and the health of our movers is important to us. One technique we employ is called “humping.” It’s a method of carrying move boxes behind on your back that puts less strain on the body and allows the mover a clear sight line. The next three-course module covers the skills that comprise the trucking industry part of the moving business – Driving, Paperwork and Compliance. These courses focus on safety and the importance of keeping accurate records for regulatory compliance.The final course offers training for the position of Crew Leader. Every local, interstate and international move is lead by a team member who is trained to optimize the efficiency of a variety of move situations and to provide top-notch customer care.

A successful move requires a high level of critical thinking, problem solving and mental agility. There is, in short, more than one way to load a move truck. For nearly forty years the moving professionals at  Affordable Florida Movers have innovated smart move strategies. Used individually, or in concert, they will guarantee an efficient, lean, and very kind move. Speed Moving – Local moves are billed by the hour, so an efficient move crew means you save not only time, but also money. To expedite the move process for a local move, we often use two move trucks and staff a move crew at the origin site and a move crew at the destination site. Cube Loading – Every move is different and we approach the arrangement of your belongings as a unique and challenging puzzle. When we load our move trucks, we employ a space saving loading methodology called “cube loading.” Like those Legos your little ones play with, we build a solid structure one brick at a time. Our highly trained move professionals can safely fit more pieces into less space than you can possibly imagine. This technique is especially useful on long distance moves, where charges accrue by the linear square foot.Containerized Moving – In the 1980s we pioneered containerized moving, developing wooden crates that once filled can be easily transported by forklift from move truck to storage warehouse and back. We’ve honed this technology over the last thirty years with weight reduction and the earth in mind. Our proprietary, lightweight, environmentally-friendly, disposable containers have allowed us to reduce long distance delivery costs by as much as 10%.Strategic Transport Partnerships – While most moving companies wait to reach a full trailer load – often comprised of the belongings of multiple families – we rely instead on the network of transport partners we’ve cultivated over the decades. This approach allows us to guarantee exact delivery dates in the Continental United States. It’s also a green initiative, optimizing fuel usage by minimizing deadheading, the practice of shipping empty trailers.

No. In fact, our efficiencies in honor of Mother Earth can also translate to lower move and storage costs. Our move and storage quotes are highly competitive. It is possible to reduce your carbon footprint without it costing more.

Affordable Florida Movers has been honored yearly by our Angie’s List clients with the Super Service Award since we began on Angie’s List in 2009. We are also a Better Business Bureau A+ company.

At  Affordable Florida Movers we believe that it is important to take every step we can to preserve this beautiful planet we all call home. Our biodiesel moving trucks are the foundation of our green moving services. Biodiesel burns much cleaner than regular diesel, contains no sulfur, and is nearly carbon neutral. We have an in-house fueling station that is solar powered to reduce energy consumption as it provides the electricity required to pump fuel into our trucks. We also have a green-designed storage warehouse that doesn’t rely on external power for heating or cooling, yet maintains the perfect environment for storing your valuables. Our office and the lights in our warehouse are powered by rooftop solar panels that routinely generate more power than we need on a daily basis. We are also active recyclers of everything from old electronics to cardboard – and yes, we will buy back your used packing boxes!Finally, we have pioneered express moving, a green moving approach designed to minimize deadheading – driving empty trucks long distances. As container moving experts, we are able to take advantage of our highly developed network of partnerships with other carriers to significantly increase efficiency in long distance moving. Our green moving partner carriers provide semi-trailers for our moves, but only charge for the amount of space used. By optimizing the efficiency of fuel-burning miles, Affordable Florida Movers helps to reduce overall greenhouse emissions.

We are grateful to each of our clients who takes the time to leave us a testimonial or online review. We encourage you to check out our testimonials and links to reviews on Google+, CitySearch, YP.com and Angie’s List, by visiting our Reviews Page.