ᐅ Long-Distance Domestic Move – How to Find a Moving Company?

I also find it quite silly to save every last cent on a move, only to renovate the bathroom "cheaply" for a year, after having sold the previous house for thousands. It’s no wonder the middle class is giving up when even well-off people are too stingy to pay properly for quality work. Honestly, what are 5,000 or 8,000 euros for so much labor, expertise, insurance, and equipment?

The whole thread reads like a student move, which I find both embarrassing and socially unfortunate.

If you have enough helpers within the family, that’s different. But gathering friends and a lot of manpower with difficulty for something like this—I wouldn’t do it as an organizer or a helper.

Why do people who can afford it so reluctantly pay the labor costs that are part of the service? I don’t understand that. Work that provides a decent living is the glue of society. When that starts to crumble, things become socially uncomfortable.

So, maybe I’m thinking too big, but I just wanted to say that I basically find this thread embarrassing.

Bertram100 schrieb:

So, maybe I was thinking too big, but I just wanted to say that I basically find this thread quite disappointing.

Silly.
It's completely reasonable to ask how to find reliable moving companies.
Thanks to this thread, I found a platform I’m very grateful for. We received 8 offers, all within the price range of 3,500–4,000 (approximate currency).
If I choose a well-rated provider from the mid-range, then I don’t have anything to be ashamed of. So I wonder why you blame me for that?
If local companies hardly submit any bids, and the few that do come at twice the price, I wonder why they are not economically competitive, or if they might even be taking advantage of their position due to the limited regional options and marking up the price. That would be a possibility as well.

Arguing with the home sale is a bit short-sighted, too. Of course, we could go all out now, but we also want to keep ownership of the property, and we need to manage the increased costs in our new location.
That’s why I understand in the bathroom renovation thread when some people say, “I wouldn’t invest anything there.” In our temporary apartment, we will probably just buy materials and do what we can ourselves to keep costs manageable—but doing nothing isn’t an option either, since the transition phase will last at least 1.5 meters (5 feet) long.

Bertram100 schrieb:

Why do people who can afford it so reluctantly pay the labor costs that are part of the service? I just don’t understand that.

kati1337 schrieb:

When local companies hardly provide any quotes, and the few that do come at double the price, I wonder why they are not competitive economically, or if they might even be exploiting their position because there isn’t much choice in the region and are increasing the price because of that. That could be a possibility too.

So that is the answer to my question about why labor costs are paid so reluctantly:

Let's say, if you have furniture that means a lot to you, it's better to have it transported by professional movers whose packers are experienced and treated fairly. Otherwise, furniture may end up being sealed with packing tape, and no picture frame or mirror will remain intact.

Myrna_Loy schrieb:

Let’s just say, if you have furniture that means a lot to you, it’s better to have it transported by moving companies whose packers are experienced and treated fairly. Otherwise, furniture might just get taped up with packing tape, and not a single picture frame or mirror will survive.

My last move to this place was with a local company with over 10 years of experience. I hired them again because I had moved with them 10 years earlier and they were very fast and careful.
Unfortunately, experience and being a "local company" were no guarantee for a good move. This time, we were not satisfied at all and quite a few things got damaged because they apparently miscalculated and as a result had to work hastily and carelessly.
And that despite the fact that the company had previously done a site visit here.
Since then, to put it bluntly, I don’t trust those so-called great local companies who come for a survey beforehand.

Bertram100 schrieb:

So this is the answer to my question about why labor costs are paid so reluctantly:

Who says I’m paying it reluctantly? You put words in my mouth.
I simply won’t pay more than necessary.
If local companies offer me quotes that are €2,000 to €4,000 (about $2,200 to $4,400) higher than alternatives from Berlin, despite having higher travel costs, then those aren’t good offers. I don’t just have one nationwide offer with a low price; I have eight nationwide offers that are cheaper. In that case, I do question the pricing policy of the local companies, whatever the reason might be.