Inside the boxes you use for moving are your valuable, in some cases priceless possessions. Not all boxes are alike. You should be aware of how box quality, size and loads will affect your move. Below are some questions and answers about moving boxes and moving supplies, as well as about our company and our services:

“Why is box strength important?”

Corrugated boxes come in all shapes, strengths and sizes – the stronger the box, the greater the protection for its contents. The moving industry is very competitive, but professional movers use moving boxes that are at least 32 ECT (or 200lb test) in strength. These ratings are standard from the box industry, and help insure that your household belongings will arrive safely. Weaker boxes will crush under load. No moving, truck rental or self storage company should sell a moving box weaker than 32 ECT (200lb test). There are some retailers that sell sell much weaker (by 46%) 150lb test boxes and calling them moving boxes. BEWARE! This box was actually designed for light-weight usage and should not be used for moving.

“How Do I Know How Strong My Box Is?”

All boxes have a certificate seal printed on the bottom flap by the manufacturer certifying the box’s strength. Industry standard Moving Boxes are 200lb test weight or 32 ECT. Larger boxes like Wardrobes or kitchen dish pack boxes Kitchen should have a higher test weight/strength. Also on the certificate you will find a capacity in weight that the box is designed to handle. Just because a box is large, doesn’t mean it can carry a lot of weight. Make sure to check box strength before you make a purchase to make sure they are adequate for your needs.
Source: MoveOut.com

“How Can I Choose The Right Kind Of Boxes And Right Sizes?”

In many cases you will need to go to moving websites in order to see what kinds of boxes there are, what sizes do they come in, and what is the maximum weight they can carry. You can find more information at: http://www.flatrate.com/new-york-storage-overview.html. This website provides you with the sizes of the boxes and what each box is used for. Click here for wholesale clothing distributors.

Moving your office to another floor in the building or moving your entire company across the globe? No matter what your commercial moving needs are, it’s essential to hire a company with extensive experience in the corporate relocation sector. The number one priority of corporate relocation is to make a smooth, seamless transition that does not affect your business’ productivity before, during, or after the move.

From moving office furniture and fragile equipment to transporting important documents, make sure to find business movers who understand the ins and outs of corporate relocation. It might be enticing to receive multiple quotes and then choose a cheap mover in order to cut costs but it’s not worth it in the long run when you think about the possibility of the mover damaging your equipment or not getting your belongings to their destination on time. Find a mover that will do more than just lend you a helping hand and provide you with a truck rental – select a mover that can help you plan every aspect of your move.

The FlatRate group of movers is a specialist in the corporate moving sector. They provide our corporate clients with a corporate relocation specialist who will assess your situation carefully to create an optimal relocation plan. Thanks to our special corporate relocation checklist, our staff members can ensure that every aspect and detail of your move is assessed. If you are providing your employees with a relocation lump sum, you want to be sure that the moving services provided are as cost-effective and efficient as possible. Select an experienced mover like FlatRate for your local and nationwide office relocation needs to guarantee complete satisfaction with the end results.

Flat Rate Corporate Relocation

FlatRate takes care of all aspects of your commercial move from the planning stages to the unpacking. First, a corporate relocation specialist will meet with you to come up with strategies for an optimal relocation plan. In addition, a foreman will do a walk-through with you to assess every detail of your particular situation. Prior to your move, tags and boxes for all of your equipment and belongings will be sent to you for your convenience. Then our staff will visit your office in order to mark and label all of your items. The new office space will also be marked and labeled to ensure proper placement of all of the items.

The walls and floors of your office will be protected during the move. Your office equipment and furniture will be packed wrapped and packed efficiently as well. Our staff will load your belongings onto dollies for quick transport via elevator on the day of the move. Our specially trained crew members and a field manager will safely load your items onto our air-ride trucks and transport them to their final destination in perfect condition. Once your items arrive, our crew members will unload, unpack, and set up your new office to your complete satisfaction.

There are several commercial movers and interstate movers that offer corporate relocation services and they include Uhaul, K2, Atlas, and United and Van Lines. But when you measure customer satisfaction and reputation, the FlatRate group of moving companies clearly comes out on top. From offering challenging and rewarding careers to providing affordable moving services of the utmost quality, FlatRate is undoubtedly a leader in the commercial moving sector.

Storage

When you are planning a stressful move within the New York City area, the last thing you want to worry about is where to put all the company belongings. FlatRate will pack firm’s belongings and then transport them to your self storage units in New York without you having to lift a finger. If you end up needing an item or two from your storage unit, there’s no need to fret. Simply give them a call and they will bring whatever items you need back to your office on the same day. More about office storage >

What Kind of Dispute
Do You Have With Your Mover?
Disputed Claim for Loss Damage
To the Articles Transported

In Your Shipment

1. A dispute with your mover regarding the settlement of a claim for loss or damage to the articles contained in your shipment.
2. This type of dispute may be eligible for arbitration.
3. Click here for more information and a Request for Arbitration Form.

Dispute Regarding Additional Charges Billed to You by Your Mover

AFTER THE DELIVERY

A dispute with your mover regarding additional charges that the moving company billed to you after your move.

This type of dispute may be eligible for arbitration.

Click here for more information and a Request for Arbitration Form.

A Complaint Regarding the Quality of Service That You Received Or Other Complaints That Are Not Subject

To Arbitration a complaint with your mover regarding the quality of service that you received.

Complaints are not eligible for mandatory arbitration under the Federal guidelines of the AMSA arbitration program.

ARBITRATION DISPUTED LOSS AND DAMAGE CLAIMS.

The Arbitration Program ensures that our members comply with the federal requirement that they must have a formal arbitration program available to resolve their customers disputes regarding loss and damage claims.

If you have a dispute with your mover regarding loss or damage that occurred to the articles in your shipment, you should first file a claim with your mover. Then, if your mover denies your claim or provides a settlement offer that you are not satisfied with, you may elect to use arbitration to have your claim resolved.

For more information about the Arbitration Program, including a schedule of the current administrative fees, Click here for a form to use to request arbitration.

The arbitration program operates under federal guidelines and is limited in the type of cases that may be arbitrated. Under the program, disputed loss and damage claims up to $10,000 are subject to mandatory arbitration if no settlement can be reached; claims over $10,000 may be arbitrated if your mover agrees to do so.

The National Arbitration Forum administers our arbitration program. NAF is an independent, non-governmental organization that is not affiliated with AMSA or with any household goods moving company. NAF maintains a panel of independent and neutral arbitrators that include law professors, attorneys and former state and federal court judges to resolve the disputes. NAF will charge an administrative fee to arbitrate your case. The administrative fee, which is divided equally between the parties (unless your mover agrees to pay all or a portion of your share of the fee), is paid to NAF; AMSA does not receive any portion of the administrative fee. The parties to your proceeding will be you and your mover with NAF acting as the neutral program administrator. Neither AMSA nor any of its employees takes any role in the arbitration proceeding or has any influence in the outcome of the arbitrator’s decision. (AMSA serves only as a clearinghouse to make sure that your mover properly addresses your initial request for arbitration as required by the Federal statute.)

Click here for a copy of the NAF Arbitration Rules and Procedures.

The decision of the Arbitrator that you receive from the National Arbitration Forum will be kept confidential. Federal law (Section 14908, Subtitle IV, Title 49 United States Code) specifically prohibits an interstate carrier or its agent from disclosing any information about your shipment without your permission, except in response to legal process issued under authority of a court of the United States or a State or to an officer, employee, or agent of the United States government. Therefore, AMSA respects your right to privacy in such matters and will keep the results of your arbitration case confidential.

ARBITRATION DISPUTED CHARGES.

The Arbitration Program ensures that our members comply with the federal requirement that they must have a formal arbitration program available to resolve their customers disputes regarding certain types of disputed charges.

While most disputed claims for loss and damage are eligible for consideration under the mandatory arbitration provisions, only certain types of disputed charges are eligible. Disputes regarding charges that your mover collected when your shipment was delivered are not subject to mandatory arbitration. However, disputes regarding additional charges that your mover billed to you after your shipment was delivered are eligible for consideration under the mandatory arbitration provisions.

If you have a dispute with your mover regarding the additional charges that your mover billed to you after your move, you should first file a claim with your mover. Then, if your mover denies your claim or provides a settlement offer (refund) that you are not satisfied with, you may elect to use arbitration to have your claim resolved.

Under the regulations, your mover is authorized to collect the following charges when your shipment is delivered:

100% of the binding estimate amount or 110% of the non-binding estimate amount, plus

Charges applicable for any services (i.e. waiting time, extra pickup or delivery, storage-in-transit) that you requested after the contract was executed that were not included in the estimate, and

In the event that shuttle service is required, the mover may also collect for the shuttle charges at delivery €“ provided that the shuttle charges collected at delivery do not exceed fifteen (15%) percent of the total charges due at delivery.

Any remaining charges must be billed to you €“ it is these additional charges that your mover bills to you (and are not collected at delivery) that are subject to arbitration.

For example, if you received a non-binding estimate from your mover for $7,000, you would be required to pay no more than 110% of this amount (or $7,700) at delivery for the services and quantities listed on your estimate. However, if your shipment weighs more than the estimated amount, your mover will invoice you for the additional amount after your shipment has been delivered. The amount of the additional billing is the amount subject to arbitration.

The National Arbitration Forum administers our arbitration program. NAF is an independent, non-governmental organization thatis not affiliated with AMSA or with any household goods moving company. NAF maintains a panel of independent and neutral arbitrators that include law professors, attorneys and former state and federal court judges to resolve the disputes. NAF will charge an administrative fee to arbitrate your case. The administrative fee, which is divided equally between the parties (unless your mover agrees to pay all or a portion of your share of the fee), is paid to NAF; AMSA does not receive any portion of the administrative fee. The parties to your proceeding will be you and your mover with NAF acting as the neutral program administrator. Neither AMSA nor any of its employees takes any role in the arbitration proceeding or has any influence in the outcome of the arbitrator’s decision. (AMSA serves only as a clearinghouse to make sure that your mover properly addresses your initial request for arbitration as required by the Federal statute.)

Click here for a copy of the NAF Arbitration Rules and Procedures.

The decision of the Arbitrator that you receive from the National Arbitration Forum will be kept confidential. Federal law (Section14908, Subtitle IV, Title 49 United States Code) specifically prohibits an interstate carrier or its agent from disclosing any information about your shipment without your permission, except in response to legal process issued under authority of a court of the United States or a State or to an officer, employee, or agent of the United States government. Therefore, AMSA respects your right to privacy in such matters and will keep the results of your arbitration case confidential.

SUBMITTING A COMPLAINT.

If you have a complaint with your mover regarding shipment delay or the quality of service that you received during your move or another type of complaint that does not fall within the guidelines for arbitration, you should first file a claim with your mover. Then, if your mover denies your claim or provides a settlement offer that you are not satisfied with, you may elect to file your complaint with AMSA.

Click here for a form to use to file a complaint.

If you have a complaint about your mover that you have been unable to resolve, you may submit your complaint using the form above to provide us with the information that we will need to assist you in processing your complaint. After we receive your complaint, we will contact your mover to obtain a written explanation of the circumstances that brought about your complaint in order to attempt to bring the matter to a conclusion.

AMSA is a non-profit organization that acts as a clearinghouse for matters relating to consumer complaints, information and arbitration. AMSA is not a governmental agency and we do not have the authority to order your mover to provide refunds or reimbursements, force a settlement or to demand any type of compensatory payment from your mover; however, we do routinely remove movers from our membership that show a repeated pattern of consumer abuse.

There is no cost to you for processing a complaint through this AMSA program.

I was moving from Miami to ny. I’m a very busy person so i was looking for a moving company that does it all, a company that would do the move for me without me having to intervene. I was basically looking for a company that by many people doesn’t exist. I wanted to move without moving. Ive had to move many times over the past few years because of my job, so i have a basic idea of what a good moving company has to be like and what it shouldn’t be like.Ive had different experiences with different companies some were good and some were not.

But this time i didn’t want to bother with the move I wanted it to go as smoothly as possible. About a month before my move I called up a friend of mine nd asked him if he knows any luxury/elite moving companies, that would do the job well, so well that i wont even feel that I’m moving. To my surprise his answer was positive. He immediately said Flatrate moving. I asked him how do u know about them so he told me h used their services a few times, and every time he came out even more satisfied than the last time, he said they were fabulous.

The next day I called them, I asked if they I can make my move on a certain day they said before we talk about that lets have a meeting on this day and set up all the details of your move. During that meeting they took care of everything, we talked about everything to do with the move, and they even thought about questions tht didnt even come to my mind @ all. I thought it was amazing how they had it all figured out by the end of the day.

The day of the move came by and it was like every other day… I went to work they did everything. I came home at the end of the day and everything was done, it was amazing! When i came into my new apartment everything was there, nothing was damaged, nothing missing it was all great just like my buddy told me. Overall i think Flatrate moving is a great company, they did everything they were supposed to in less time with a great service.

http://www.flatrateelite.com/

Storage companies will generally provide an estimate on request. Before accepting your goods for storage the storage company must provide you with a written estimate which is usually free of charge although in some states a maximum nominal fee can be applied. It is important to stress that the choice of company should not be based solely on price. Remember the cheapest estimate may have the worst service and the last thing you need is to take your important business documents, high end kitchen or home furnishings out of storage after a period of time and find they have been damaged due to poor service. The estimate a warehouse will give you differs from an estimate a mover can give you in the sense that no extra charges can be applied without being agreed to by the customer.

The storage facilities reputation must always be considered. Ask family and friends and business colleagues for referrals and check with the better business bureau on any complaints they have on file on a particular warehouse you may be looking in to and how these were resolved. It is highly recommended that you obtain at least three estimates before making a final decision. All estimates must be based on the warehouse operator physically inspecting the items to be stored in person and you should always receive a written copy of the estimate. If you are offered an estimate over the phone do not accept this and think twice about using this company.

Here is a guide on what to expect in an estimate.

• Name, address and telephone number of company
• Address of actual storage location (this may be different from the office location, especially in larger companies)
• Warehouse storage rate per unit
• Minimum monthly storage charges
• Minimum number of month’s storage
• Any applicable charges for storage preparation, padding or packing
• Any charges applied for transportation if this service is available and accepted
• Other charges the warehouse may apply

The cost of storage can vary depending on the options you decide to accept. The basic cost will cover items such as light, electricity, insurance, security and pest control. In order to calculate the actual costs it is important to think through the storage options you NEED. I stress the word need because if your goods do not require conditioned storage to remain in good condition it is probably not worth paying for it, however if your goods do need special storage conditions it is advisable to pay for it as it will be worth it in the end. For example, paper products going in to storage should be stored in rooms that have humidity control. You will pay extra for environmentally controlled rooms such as temperature and humidity control and you will also pay extra for non standard insurance.
A warehouse must insure goods against loss or damage for a minimum of about $0.30 per pound per article up to $2,000. The figure may vary slightly depending on the state. If your antiques china set weighing 10 pounds and valued at $1,500 is broken in the warehouse you would be entitled to the tidy sum of $3.00. You may want to take out additional insurance and the warehouse operator is required to inform you that additional insurance is available. Be sure you understand what the insurance covers in the unlikely event any goods become damaged. For example if you take out $3,000 worth of insurance on $12,000 worth of goods, i.e. ¼ of the value, if there is $4,000 worth of damage you would be covered for only $1,000 of the loss.
Source: http://www.newyorkmovers.org/storage-estimates.htm