Questions people ask before they move

Local moves are usually charged by the hour for the crew and truck, and longer moves by the weight or volume of your belongings and the distance. Florida law requires a written, itemized estimate before any work starts. Palm Beach County's consumer affairs office says your total should be no more than that estimate unless you didn't meet your own obligations, such as showing everything that's going. A free walkthrough gets you that estimate in writing.

Florida law says the estimate and contract must be in writing, signed or acknowledged and dated by you and the mover before any work starts. They must show the mover's name, phone number and physical address, the date prepared and the proposed moving dates, both addresses, any place your goods will be held, an itemized breakdown and total of all costs and services, and the payment methods accepted. In Palm Beach, Broward and Miami-Dade counties, the Tri-County moving disclosure form (opens in a new tab) goes with it.

In Palm Beach County, a deposit is limited to no more than 20% of the total estimate. Ask how much is due and when, and make sure the deposit is written on your estimate. A mover that wants most of the money before anything is loaded is asking for more than the county allows.

Florida calls it registration. A mover doing moves within Florida must register with the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS), and its ads must show "Fla. Mover Reg. No." or "Fla. IM No." with the number. A mover based in Palm Beach County also needs a county permit, shown in its ads as a number preceded by "PBC#M". Our guide on how to check a Florida mover covers what else to look for.

The mover's liability for your things, called valuation, can't be limited to less than 60 cents per pound per article under Florida law. Any limit must be disclosed in writing when you sign, along with the option to buy more coverage, what it costs and your right to refuse it. Palm Beach County's disclosure form shows why that matters: at 60 cents per pound, a 5-pound lamp worth $300 is covered for at most $3. Ask for your choice in writing, and ask your own insurer whether your policy covers belongings in transit.

Note the damage on the paperwork at delivery and take photos. Under the Tri-County moving disclosure form used in Palm Beach, Broward and Miami-Dade counties, you have 60 days to file a written claim. If it isn't settled within 30 days, the mover must give you a status update, and it must pay or reject the claim within 90 days.

Not once you've paid what you agreed in writing. Under Florida law, when you pay the amount on the written estimate or contract, plus any changes you signed, the mover must release your goods and place them inside your home. Prescription medicines and children's furniture, clothing and toys may never be withheld, and refusing a law enforcement order to release goods after payment is a third-degree felony.

As soon as you know your date. Allow more time for the end of a month, when moves bunch up, and for the spring weeks after Easter, when seasonal residents head north. A flexible date makes booking easier at any time of year, and our snowbird checklist covers the seasonal rush.

If you can choose, the cooler, drier months are easier going: NOAA's normals for Palm Beach International Airport show about 3.5 inches of rain in January, against about 8 to 9 inches in June, August and September. The catch is that seasonal residents arrive in late October and November and leave after Easter, so book early for those weeks. If summer is your only option, our hurricane season guide covers how to plan around heat and rain.

It depends on how much is moving, the distance, and the access at both ends, such as stairs, elevators and how close the truck can park. The walkthrough gives you the expected hours before you book, so you can plan the day around them.

You, or someone you trust, should be there at the start to show the crew what's going and what's staying, and at the end to check the delivery. The estimate and contract must be signed or acknowledged before any work starts, so handle that ahead of time if you'll be away. In between, you don't need to watch every box, but keep your phone on in case a question comes up.

Yes. Taking apart beds, tables and similar pieces so they move safely, then putting them back together in your new home, is a normal part of the move. Tell us about anything unusual at the walkthrough, such as a large wall unit or a crib, so we plan the time and bring the right tools.

We bring pads and wrap to protect furniture on moving day, and if we're packing for you, we bring the packing materials too. If you're packing yourself, ask at the walkthrough what we can supply. Any charge for materials is itemized on your written estimate, as Florida law requires.

Yes. You can pack the everyday things yourself and leave the kitchen, the breakables or the artwork to us; see packing and unpacking. Tell us at the walkthrough which rooms or items you want packed, and the written estimate will cover exactly that.

We don't load anything that can burn, explode or leak, such as gasoline, propane tanks, paint thinner, pool chemicals, fireworks or ammunition. Perishable food stays off the truck too. Keep documents, medicines, jewelry and cash with you rather than packing them.

Rain is part of summer in South Florida, so we plan for it: we wrap furniture, put mattresses in covers and keep the carry between the door and the truck as short as we can. It helps if you set up a dry spot inside the door where boxes can wait. If the weather makes driving or carrying unsafe, we'll talk with you about the timing before anyone takes a risk.

Yes. Hurricane season runs from June 1 to November 30, and moving through it takes some extra planning: early starts, flexible dates and an eye on the National Hurricane Center's forecasts. Before you book, agree with your mover in writing how a storm delay would be handled. Our hurricane season guide covers the rest.

Ask your association for its moving rules as early as you can. Buildings may require approval of new residents, a certificate of insurance from the mover naming the association as additional insured, an elevator reservation, notice to management and a gate pass, and some allow moves only on set days and hours. Our condo paperwork guide lists the questions to ask, with real examples.

Tipping is never required. If you'd like to, the simplest way is to hand it to each mover yourself at the end of the day, so it reaches everyone who did the work.

Moves between Florida and other states need a federal USDOT number, and the mover must show "U.S. DOT No." in its advertising. Call us at (386) 296-6193 to talk about your move.