- Christchurch, New Zealand
There are few experiences as exciting or stressful as a big moving day. Settling down into a brand-new space is thrilling, but getting there is the hard part. Many people tend to make moving mistakes that bring a lot of additional costs raining down on their heads, not to mention the delays and headaches that come with them.
There are ways to avoid these pitfalls, and that’s where we come in. As the reigning authority on packing, unpacking, moving, and furniture removals in Christchurch, we’re here to shed some light on the important (and occasionally unexpected) ways to save yourself a dime on moving day.
What if we told you that, in our many years of doing furniture removals in Christchurch, this is the most important lesson we would have to impart? Most people are concerned about getting their furniture and belongings into the truck, thinking that the journey from place to place is the easiest part…
But it’s actually the most dangerous for your furniture! All that jostling in close proximity with other important pieces can wreak massive havoc on your belongings when you least expect it.
In this case, your best friends are straps and protective blankets. Straps will help to keep your furniture and boxes in place, while blankets will protect any delicate surfaces and corners from getting scratched. That’s a win in our book, and well worth the investment in these tools.
We’ve all had that one friend ask us to help them on moving day; you might have even been the friend asking, a time or two. But there’s something that holds true no matter what: moves strain friendships, and friends aren’t professionals.
Friends are fantastic for company and a bevvy or two at the end of the day, but when it comes to the actual packing and unpacking, or moving furniture and boxes, that’s a job for the pros to tackle.
Even if you’re not tempted to bring your friends along to a move, hiring professionals to take care of just one part of your move isn’t something a lot of people know they can do! You can hire specialists in everything from packing and unpacking to furniture removal. That frees up your time and headspace to tackle the parts of the move that you’re comfortable with. Not to mention, it costs a lot less than hiring full-service furniture removals in Christchurch!
When it comes to packing things up in boxes, dimensions matter. Getting a set of boxes with the exact same dimensions makes it so much easier to stack the boxes in stable piles rather than playing Tetris with different sizes.
Do what you can to minimise what you have to pack, as this can reduce the number of boxes you have to move (and thus help you avoid any piles from falling over, which can cost a lot in broken crockery).
The more time it takes to move your home from one place to another, the more it will cost you! The only way to truly reduce both the time it takes to move and the amount you have to shift is to lean into what Marie Kondo calls the life-changing magic of tidying up!
Take a look around your home, and be ruthless. What absolutely needs to come with you, and what have you lugged around for the past two moves without ever actually using? Sort through your belongings, donate what you can to charity, responsibly recycle anything that can’t be donated, and pack the rest!
Many people underestimate just how much stuff they own, which can lead to chaos if you try to do this the day of the move. So, make sure to either allocate plenty of time to tackle it yourself or hire the pros to help you get it done quickly.
If you’re a renter, one of the most costly moving mistakes you can make on the big day is not taking pictures of the place you’re moving into. There are, unfortunately, landlords who would rather blame regular wear and tear on a mistake of yours made during moving day.
Before you move anything in, take a moment and walk around the home while it’s empty, making sure to take plenty of pictures as you go. Make a note of any existing damage on the pre-inspection report and make sure everyone’s clear on pre-existing damage before the big day. This can save you the entirety of your bond when the time comes to move out again!
Finally, we tackle furniture removals in Christchurch every day, but one of the most common costly mistakes we see homeowners make is losing their small, precious items. The things that disappear into boxes or get lost under car seats are the things that bother us most, because they’re the hardest to find again.
Luckily, it’s just as easy to prevent them from getting lost. We recommend creating an essentials box to keep your vital documents, your most expensive technology, and the small things you’ll need in the first few days readily accessible! Think phones, passports, wallets, chargers, lamps, kettles, a butterknife or two; if you can’t unpack straight away, these boxes are a massive help.
At the end of the day, the most important thing to do is to plan ahead. Feeling caught off guard on moving day can induce a domino of costly mistakes, so it pays to plan what you can and cover your bases with professional help when you need it.
Whether you’re after a specialty team to shift your piano or just some extra support on the big day, the Truck About team has your back. Give us a call today to secure our team for everything from a quick pack to full-on furniture removals in Christchurch. A minimum charge of 2 hours applies, and we charge a $60 + GST callout fee within the CBD. Depot to Depot charges apply for anything outside the CBD
The Buyer orders the Goods and/or Services on the Terms and Conditions set out herein:
1.1 Truck About NZ’s price for Goods and/or Services sold to the Buyer shall be the total net price set out on the front of the invoice as determined by Truck About NZ from time to time for any such Goods and/or Services.
1.2 In addition to the total net price of the Goods and/or Services set out on the front of the invoice, the Buyer shall pay GST thereon and all such taxes, duties, fees, transport costs, postage and packaging costs and other costs which the Truck About NZ determines are payable in respect of the Goods and/or Services ordered by the Buyer (“the Buyer’s Order”) together with any GST thereon (called “the Total Price”).
1.3 Payment by the Buyer of the Total Price shall be due upon delivery of the Goods and/or Services unless the Truck About NZ has entered into a written credit arrangement with the Buyer authorising payment on other terms. If such an arrangement exists, payment by the Buyer shall be in strict accordance with that credit arrangement.
1.4 Notwithstanding clause 1.3, if the Buyer commits an act of bankruptcy, compounds or arranges with all or a number of its creditors or being a company has a receiver appointed or goes into liquidation whether voluntarily or otherwise, then payment of the Total Price by the Buyer shall be due immediately upon the happening of any such event. The parties acknowledge that the performance of this clause is essential to Truck About NZ.
1.5 Where the Total Price has become due and payable pursuant to clause 1.3 or 1.4 hereof, then without prejudice to the Truck About NZ’s right to sue for payment or any other remedy Truck About NZ may have, the following shall apply:
1.5.1 All amounts payable to the Truck About NZ in respect of any Goods and/or Services delivered to the Buyer shall thereupon become immediately due and payable to Truck About NZ without further notice in respect thereof; and
1.5.2 Interest shall be payable by the Buyer on all amounts due to the Truck About NZ at the rate of 24% per annum and such interest shall be calculated on a daily basis from the due date for payment until payment is received in full by Truck About NZ; and
1.5.3 The Buyer shall pay all of Truck About NZ’s legal costs (including Solicitor/Client costs) pertaining to any enforcement action taken by Truck About NZ against the Buyer for payment of all or any amounts due.
2.1 Truck About NZ shall deliver the Goods and/or Services to the Buyer as soon as is reasonably practicable after acceptance of the Buyer’s Order.
2.2 Delivery of Goods shall be deemed to have taken place when Truck About NZ delivers the Goods to the Buyer or the Buyer’s agent or any other person or carrier to whom Truck About NZ has been authorised by the Buyer to deliver such Goods whether expressly or impliedly and whether in writing or orally.
2.3 Unless expressly agreed in writing between the parties as to the means of delivery of the Goods, Truck About NZ may effect delivery in any manner the Truck About NZ determines.
2.4 Delivery of Services shall be deemed to have occurred upon completion of the Services.
2.5 All references to proposed delivery dates made by Truck About NZ whether orally or in the Sales Invoice or in any other form of communication are estimates only and Truck About NZ shall not be bound by such estimates. The Truck About NZ shall take all reasonable steps to comply with such proposed delivery dates.
2.6 Unless stated otherwise in writing, all goods will be carried solely at “Owners Risk” as defined under the Carriage of Goods Act 1979.
2.7 Backload Deliveries — Any quotation provided at a “Backload Rate” is based on the availability of our trucks travelling through the area. As such, Truck About NZ cannot guarantee a specific delivery date or time. Delivery will be completed when our vehicle is scheduled to be in your destination area.
2.8 Delays Beyond Our Control — While Truck About NZ makes every effort to deliver your belongings within the estimated timeframe, delays may occur due to circumstances beyond our control, including but not limited to:
• Ferry cancellations or delays • Adverse weather conditions • Road closures • Traffic accidents • Mechanical breakdowns or other unforeseen events
Truck About NZ will not be liable for any accommodation costs, living expenses, loss of income, or any other consequential costs or damages incurred as a result of such delays. By accepting our quotation, you acknowledge and agree to these terms.
3.1 Truck About NZ can offer full transit insurance with no commission charges for both commercial and household moves from our partner brokers and providers of transit insurance. Just ask us for details.
3.2 Truck About NZ will use their greatest care and attention but there remains an unavoidable risk of marks and rubs on internal walls and stairwells, especially with some larger items. While these risks are low, work carried out on site while either loading or unloading will be done on an “Owners Risk” basis and cannot be insured.
3.3 Damage caused by our vehicles to sewerage installations, underground pipelines, cables, driveways, footpaths as well as overhanging power or telephone lines cannot be insured. If our removal team is instructed by the owner, consignee, consignor or shipper or any person acting on their behalf to drive any of our vehicles across an area where such damage may arise, we will not accept liability for any subsequent damage which may occur. Responsibility will reside exclusively with the owner or Buyer.
4.1 Truck About NZ cannot accept liability for damage arising from third-party faults and liabilities. For example, in the event of a traffic accident where another party is found to be at fault, the Buyer will need to progress their claim for damages directly with the insurance company of the other party.
5.1 A minimum fee will apply for all prepaid bookings cancelled with 7 days’ notice. For local deliveries, this will consist of a minimum one-hour time fee plus a call-out fee of $60 or otherwise advised.
5.2 A minimum fee of 25% will be applied to all cancelled prepaid bookings where less than 7 days’ notice is provided. The final cancellation fee will be determined by notice provided in conjunction with factors such as the effort and cost incurred in reserving capacity and making consequential arrangements.
6.1 The Buyer and Truck About NZ hereby agree that any dispute or difference (“the Dispute”) which may arise between the Buyer and Truck About NZ as to the meaning or application of any part of this Agreement or any other matter touching or concerning this Agreement shall be actively and in good faith negotiated by the parties with a view to a speedy resolution of the Dispute.
6.2 If the Buyer and Truck About NZ are unable to resolve the Dispute, then the Buyer and Truck About NZ hereby agree to endeavour in good faith to resolve the Dispute expeditiously using informal dispute resolution techniques such as mediation or such similar techniques agreed upon by the Buyer and the Truck About NZ.
6.3 If the Buyer and the Truck About NZ do not agree within five (5) business days as to the dispute resolution techniques and procedures to be adopted then the Dispute shall be referred by the parties to arbitration pursuant to the Arbitration Act 1996 or any statutory provisions relating to arbitration.
7.1 Truck About NZ shall not be liable for any loss of any kind whatsoever suffered by the Buyer as a result of any breach of any of the Truck About NZ’s obligations under the contract, including any cancellation of the contract or any negligence on the part of Truck About NZ, its servants, agents or contractors, nor shall Truck About NZ be liable for any loss, damage or injury caused to the Buyer’s servants, agents, contractors, buyers, visitors, tenants, trespassers or other persons. The Buyer shall indemnify the Company against any claim by any such person.
8.1 This Agreement and these Terms and Conditions of Sale shall be governed by New Zealand law and the New Zealand Courts shall have exclusive jurisdiction in connection herewith.