Why not hire a professional to handle your move?

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Being promoted to a new position out of town, in another city or overseas is something that most employees dream of. The bad news is that you have to move and bring your family with you, your belongings and sometimes your pets too.

Moving is, of course, not a simple thing. It involves a wide range of tasks that, if not handled properly, will result in a nightmare that you are unlikely to forget. Some researches have indicated that moving is one of the most stressful life changes.

If the moving process is not well organized, your favorite ceramics or other fragile wares might arrive at your new home in pieces or your furniture sets may never arrive at all.

For most Indonesian people, even the middle class, hiring a professional to handle their relocation is still not common. When moving within the city, they usually hire a truck and handle all the process by themselves. When moving to other cities, they entrust the handling of their relocation to a freight company.

Hiring a professional might be the best way to reduce such a stressful task. There are many advantages in allowing professionals to do the job. Moving service providers already have the materials and equipment they will need and the experience of having moved people before. You can hire movers to pack your belongings as well as move them. They are also liable for breakage or loss of any items they pack. But while it might make the move easier on you, hiring movers costs more than doing it yourself.

Where to find such professionals? There are dozens of companies providing relocation services in Indonesia at present. Some of them specially focus their activities on moving services, while others provide the service as part of their courier or express business. Companies which specially provide moving services include PT Pacific Removindo, PT Crown Relocations, PT Gelombang Fajar and PT Pelangi Semesta.

If you decide to hire a professional to handle your relocation, the first step you will have to take is to shop around for a moving company that really suits your needs, and more importantly your budget.

Moving companies have different ways of charging their clients. Some charge based on distance while others offer rates payable by the hour, especially for local moves.

Some movers also include insurance in their fee, while others let their clients arrange the insurance coverage. So don't be afraid to negotiate and ask for details.

Find out how much the mover charges just for moving your possessions and how much extra it would cost to have the mover do the packing.

It is also good to know the types of the services provided by the companies before you make a deal. If you move overseas, it would be better to choose a company that offers a total package such as moving, packing and freight. Also make sure that the company has a network in the city where you plan to move.

Below are some other important tips provided by United States- based National Moving Company to make sure that your move will go smoothly.

- Allow six to eight weeks to choose a relocation specialist. The process of finding the right relocation company for you will probably take time. You will request a bid from each mover, check references and make your final decision about which company is the best value for your money.

- Ask around before choosing a mover. It is always helpful to ask information from people you trust. Talk with friends or neighbors who have moved recently, relocation consultants or your real estate agent. We all know that the best recommendations come from satisfied customers.

- Decide in advance which goods will be shipped and which will be sold or given away. Then consider whether or not you would like the mover to pack and what other type of additional services you may want. Remember, the packing is always a separate bid from moving.

If you decide to do your own packing or partial packing, remember that the moving company is not liable for damage to boxes packed by the customer.