According to the American Moving and Storage Association, some 40 million people move each year.
In transient Durango, the moving season starts early and ends late, and locally owned options for movers are limited.
“Historically in the moving business, they say the busy season is May 15 to Sept. 30,” said Jeanie Lephart, 32-year co-owner of Durango Transfer Moving and Storage. “But for probably the last 10 or 15 years, our busy season starts no later than April 1.”
Green Apple Moving’s eight trucks are soon to be operating at full capacity for what will be a roughly eight-month moving season, from mid-April through December. Co-owner Charlie Sturtevant said 75 percent of Green Apple Moving’s business involves local moves, and 25 percent is out of state.
Even in winter, business doesn’t really slow between out-of-state transports, corporate moves and the transience of students at Fort Lewis College, and there are multiple small ways movers can streamline the process.
When a seller lists his home, it’s a good time to get an initial estimate on moving. Once an offer is made, the seller should tentatively schedule a move. Both Green Apple and Durango Transfer charge by weight for long-distance hauls and hourly for local moves.
“We can be flexible and adjust the moving dates,” Lephart said. “I kid and say we’re the grayest industry out there, and if you’re a black-and-white person, you want to stay away from the moving business. We have things postponed and rescheduled, but the more notice you can give, the better.”
Movers can also save time – and cut costs with some moving companies – if they box items before the company starts the time clock.
“If they’re doing their own packing, we recommend anything small enough to be in a box should be taped up and ready to go and take that time to do a spring cleanup around the house,” Sturtevant said.
“Divorce, death, taxes and moving are the four horsemen of life,” said local attorney David Downs, who is in the middle of his fifth move. Wanting to downsize, he and wife Julie Downs are leaving their county home off Florida Road. “Whatever you think the cost and the time will be, double that.”
While local moves are cheaper, Julie Downs said hauling in-town can be a greater challenge because movers tend to forgo boxing all their items for local moves, which makes loading and unloading a more difficult process.
Customers shouldn’t be surprised to see their bills at the end of the move, but superfluous costs can be tacked on inconspicuously, and they can add up.
Last-minute cancellations on a company can mean fees from $50 to a few hundred, depending on the company. Customers should also ask if there is a fuel surcharge, or if mileage is rolled into the flat fee.
Charges can also be imposed for pit-stops en route to a destination, moving supplies including packing tape, no elevator access, delivering during specific hours and for extra weight.
And local companies agree: Don’t trust an over-the-phone or online quote. For local moves, companies can take inventory by visiting the site and providing an estimate.
“I warn people these days: Don’t count on getting an estimate online,” Lephart said. “You think you have an estimate from a moving company and it’s a broker. They’ll give you an outstandingly cheap price, and that’s asking for disaster.”
A company requiring a deposit prepayment should be an immediate red flag. Movers should always verify a company’s ProMover certification and use the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration database to look up an interstate moving agency’s legitimacy and performance record.
But there is no more assured way to save than by handling the move yourself.
U-Haul rents trucks by the day for as little as $14.95.
“Make your reservations at least two to three weeks in advance,” said Tony Miely, general manager at the U-Haul on South Camino del Rio. “The beginning and end of every month is the busiest time because that’s when people’s leases are up. Moving yourself is a lot less expensive, and if something breaks, who’s fault is it?”
jpace@durangoherald.com
What drives migration in and out of Durango?
Durango Transfer Moving and Storage and Green Apple Moving, two locally owned moving companies, have noted empirical trends of Durango’s populace and moving habits over the years.
Retirees moving out and second homebuyers moving in are two of the most ubiquitous stories.
“We see people move in from California, Texas and Oklahoma, and that’s where they move back to because of oil and gas,” Durango Transfer co-owner Jeanie Lephart said. “Because of the downturn in Farmington, a lot of people are moving out of there to Texas, Oklahoma, North Dakota and Pennsylvania, where gas and oil are more on the upsurge.”
A 2014 National Movers Study, produced by United Van Lines, indicated a high inbound rate for Colorado, which ranked fourth for population gains that year. For the past 25 years, Colorado’s net migration, or the sum of those moving in and out of the state, was positive, though the numbers fell during the recession.
Durango’s moving services didn’t take much of a hit in 2008, however, because of a lack of competition and Durango’s constant state of flux.
“We were better off because most of our customers pay for their moves themselves, whereas in 2008, a lot of companies were not moving people,” Lephart said. “I think 2015 was an indication that the economy is doing well. Our moves were up 30 percent compared to 2014.”
“The recession didn’t really affect us,” Green Apple business partner Adam Peterson said. “Everyone wants to be here, and a lot of people can’t make it here. They can’t find a job or use their degree. We’re more affected by weather.”
jpace@durangoherald.com
