Tag Archives: Austin moving companies

The costs of moving homes add up very quickly, so we have some tips for you to help you move on a budget!

Do-It-Yourself vs. Professional Movers

While your first instinct when pinching pennies may be to do the whole move by yourself, be sure to do your research. When you take into account the hourly cost of renting a truck, traffic or flaky friends and family can quickly add up the bill. In addition, friends exchanging labor for beers are more likely to break something valuable that will cost you to replace.

No matter which you choose, though, try to avoid rush hour! Unexpected traffic can majorly bump up costs when everything is charged hourly.

Never Buy Cardboard Boxes

Ever run out of cardboard boxes for the third time, wondering to yourself how you acquired so much stuff? Especially for large homes, cardboard boxes can get quite expensive due to the quantiy needed. Ask around friends and family if they access to empty boxes, get some from your workplace, cruise around liquor, grocery, or retail stores. You can also check the Craigslist Free section and get some from another person who also just moved!

Shut Down Unnecessary Utilities Early

While it does depend on the company and type of utility, many utility companies won’t be able to set up termination dates based around your exact move date. Consider ending non-essential bills early (i.e. cable) to save money before your move.

Sell and donate!

Especially if you’ve lived in your current place for an extended period of time, you’ve acquired a lot of things you don’t need. You may even stumble across objects you’d completely forgotten about while packing! If you didn’t realize you lost it, you don’t need it. Selling or donating all those miscellaneous objects you never use will not only get you cash upfront to help with the move, but will save money and space once you’re on the road!

Remember that cheap furniture is rarely worth moving when you’re being charged by weight or space. Sell your IKEA desk on Craigslist and get a new one once you’re in your new city.

Thank you for visiting the Real Men Moving blog, an Austin moving company. If you don’t want to risk throwing your back out moving call us for a free consultation.

Movers Blog

Why You Should Get an On-Site Moving Estimate

July Jul, 2018 Real Men

Amidst the whirlwind stress of moving house, you may be tempted to keep things as quick as possible – including the moving company estimate. While keeping estimates confined to phone calls and emails may seem quicker and easier, it can come back to haunt you during the actual move. Money How much a moving company charges depends greatly on how much – and what type – of things you own. Obviously, a two-story house with heavy wall-to-wall furniture will be more expensive than a sparsely decorated 2-bedroom. It can be difficult for a homeowner to gauge the size and weight of items, which can end up costing you in the long run if special equipment or extra hands are needed to move your grandmother’s grand piano. On the other hand, a homeowner may experience inflated moving costs if they overestimate what is required. A moving professional will be better to assess needed equipment and labor in-person than in text or over the phone. Gauge Professionalism Needless to say, meeting someone in real life is a very different experience than talking to you on the phone. If they are rude, unprofessional, or don’t listen to your concerns in real life, do you really want them handling your most valued possessions? An on-site estimate will not only give you a better idea of your moving needs and cost, but it’s a chance to judge the character of the person who will be moving them. As stressful as moving is, you don’t need the added stress of an incompetent moving company. Take care of your valuables Depending on how many objects of extreme sentimental value you own, the mover assessing which objects will need the most care and protection could be the most important aspect of an on-site estimate. Your 150 gallon fish tank or your great-aunt’s beautiful gilded full-length mirror may require some extra care or protection during the move, and it’s improtant that the movers are aware beforehand to take note of such challenges in advance. Thank you for visiting the Real Men Moving blog, an Austin moving company. If you don’t want to risk throwing your back out moving call us for a free consultation.

Movers Blog

Texas Tenant Rights – For Apartments, Commercial Places and Hotels

July Jul, 2018 Real Men

Your things are packed, you’ve cleaned your old home down to the baseboards, and you’re ready to move in to your new place!

…Or are you?

Before you enter into a new lease, there are a few things you need to be aware of in order to protect yourself and your health legally. In a new living situation, you have no idea how your landlord will act for the long haul. You don’t know if they’ll respond to you in a timely manner or make needed repairs when requested.

Check if your city has a tenant association. You can call to inquire about complaints from previous tenants and ask about the landlord’s other rental properties, if there are any.
Do not EVER put down a deposit or sign a lease before seeing and inspecting the exact pace you will be renting. Model apartments can be misleading, and if the landlord or apartment refuses to let you see the space there’s reason for justifiable suspicion.
Do a thorough inspection of the place. – note the smell, check the stove, toilet flush, refrigerator, heating and A/C, garbage disposal, hot water, etc. Look for stains or miscoloring that could indicate mold. If the landlord promises to fix things, get it in writing or refuse to give the deposit until it’s done.
DOCUMENT EVERYTHING. If you end up needing lawyer, you will want it all on paper. Don’t let any agreement be explicitly oral – get it in writing with signatures.

As a tenant in Texas, there are a few rights you should know about:

SECURITY. At the owners’ expense, all doors leading outside should have a peephole or see-through glass pane, a door handle lock or deadbolt on the front entry door, a pin lock and handle latch or security bar on sliding glass doors, a smoke detector, and each window needs a latch.
“QUIET ENJOYMENT.” You have the right to live your life in reasonable peace and quiet. This means the landlord cannot evict you without cause or disturb your peace needlessly.
Except a few very specific circumstances, the landlord does not have the right to interrupt their tennant’s utilities unless for a construction/repair emergency.
SB 1448 (81st Regular Session), effective January 1, 2010, dictates that judges can order landlords to make repairs that negatively affect the health and safety of the tenant as long as the cost is less than $10,000. Tenants can get one such repair order by going to justice court, no attorney needed.

If the landlord refuses to make repairs needed for the health and safety of the tenant, you have the right to:

End the lease;
Get the problem repaired and take the cost from your rent; or
Force the landlord to make the repairs by filing suit

But remember: You do NOT have a right to withhold rent because the landlord fails to make repairs when the condition needing repair does not materially affect your health and safety. Following this method may open you up legally for the landlord to sue you instead. Always make sure your rent is up to date.

Thank you for visiting the Real Men Moving blog, an Austin moving company. If you don’t want to risk throwing your back out moving call us for a free consultation.

Movers Blog

Bad Landlord: Signs and How to deal with him

June Jun, 2018 Real Men

Bad landlords can come in a few different varieties, and they can cause you to end up hating the apartment you live in. Thankfully it’s easy to spot a bad landlord before you make the decision to move into a new apartment.

Here are a few different ways in which you can protect yourself.

Do a Walkthrough Prior to Moving In

When you go on the initial walkthrough of your potential apartment, be sure to make note of any flaws that you come across, regardless of whether or not it can be fixed. Always take pictures if possible. This will help to prevent you against the landlord blaming you for issues that already existed prior to you moving in, or if he attempts to keep your security deposit because of it.

Be Cordial, But Distant

There are landlords who feel that they can stop by your apartment whenever they wish to do so, either for a chat or to check on something. If a landlord tries getting too close to you though, it can really affect your overall privacy to the point where you may have to move away.

Remain Firm and Calm, and Document Everything

Whenever you approach your landlord for any reason, be sure to always remain calm, firm, and friendly. Take the time to explain what needs to be fixed, as well as that you have documented these issues for yourself. If no attempt is made to correct the issues, this is a big red flag indicating that you may need to resort to taking further action.

Thank you for visiting the Real Men Moving blog, an Austin moving company. If you are looking to ditch landlords all together and move in to a house contact us for a free moving consultation.

Movers Blog

What to Get Rid of When Moving

May May, 2018 Real Men

Being free of clutter has all sorts of positive benefits associated with it, especially when it comes to moving from one residence to another. It’s not always easy to get rid of things prior to moving, but getting rid of things you no longer need will greatly help to organize space. Not to mention that taking care of that process prior to your move will make things much easier on you and the moving process itself.
Here are three things that you should consider throwing away prior to moving.Old Magazines
If you’re someone who subscribes to various magazines, the chances are great that you have these laying around your home. Take the time to throw out any magazines that are not current, or consider donating them to places such as hospitals, libraries, and nursing homes.
Dictionaries/Books
These are also things that generally can pile up when they want to. The best way to get rid of these rather than throwing them away would be to donate them to schools or libraries so that others can read them for themselves and make some use out of them.
Beauty Products
A lot of these products are traditionally seasonal in nature, meaning that there’s every chance that these products can build up as time goes on. Take the time to go through all of them and throw away beauty products that are either expired, old, or unused.
If you are searching for affordable movers in Austin, be sure to contact us today. We can provide you with a more in depth list of things that can remove stress, and ensure that your move is a success.

Movers Blog

Three Things People Forget To Do Prior To Moving

May May, 2018 Real Men

Imagine finally getting everything packed prior to the big move to your new residence, only to then discover that there are a few things you forgot to do or realize that you should have also taken care of.

Here are three things people will generally forget to do prior to moving to their new residence:

Change Address Early

The United States Postal Service offers an online form to enable people to easily change their address when they’re planning on moving to a new residence. This is not something that anyone should wait until the last minute to do. Generally, this should be done two weeks prior to your moving date.

Take Pictures of Electronics

If you have your electronics set up in a specific way, such as cords and cables needing to be arranged in a specific manner, take the time to take pictures of how everything looks prior to unplugging everything. This will make it much easier when the time comes to set everything back up in your new home. You will want to do this the day before your moving date.

Put a Go-To Box Together

Items such as toiletries, clean sheets, paper towels, paper plates, and plastic silverware should be packed in a separate box the day before your moving date. This will help you to have easy access to things in the event that you get hungry or need to rest.

If you are searching for affordable movers in Austin, be sure to contact us today. We can provide you with a more in depth list of things that can remove stress, and ensure that your move is a success.