Have Truck Will Haul Moving Service
- A careful courteous reasonable reliable moving
service.
My name is Jonathan Lathrop. I have been providing local moving
services in the Washington Metropolitan Area since 1981. I have a 16
foot truck, dollies, pads and tools. I generally bring one helper. More
are available as needed.
RATES: The labor rate is $50/hr for myself and one helper.
Additional
helpers are $20/hr each. The Truck is $2/mile. The time and mileage are
from when we arrive at the job until when we finish. I have a two hour
minimum. This means if a job takes less than two hours I still charge
for
two hours. For each 15 miles away from Riverdale MD, add an hour to the
minimum.
YOUR ESTIMATE
The following are rule of thumb estimates for various size households
based on no long walks and a few miles drive to the new place:
- A typical efficiency apartment
generally has 12
items of furniture and 20 other things including boxes and takes 3
hours to move with two men for an approximate price of $160.
- A typical one bedroom
apartment generally has 18 items of furniture and 30 other things
including boxes and takes 4 hours to move with two men for an
approximate price of 210
- A typical two bedroom
apartment generally has 24 items of furniture and 50 other things
including boxes and takes 5 hours to move with two men for an
approximate price of 260
- A typical three bedroom house
generally has 35 items of furniture and 75 other things including boxes
and takes 6 hours to move with three men and two trips for an
approximate price of 430.
- A typical four bedroom house
generally has 45 items of furniture and 100 other things including
boxes and takes 8 hours to move with three men and two trips for an
approximate price of 570.
The way to figure out if your place fits in to the above categories is
to
count the number of items of furniture. Count dining room chairs,
coffee tables, end tables, and anything larger. Do not count Boxes,
bags, suitcases, TV sets, microwave ovens, lamps, pictures, etc. These
all count as boxes. Each 25 items in a normal distribution of large and
small items along with 50 boxes makes a truck full. Each truck full
takes 3-4 hours with 3 men or
5-6 hours with 2 men. Generally add one hour for each 60-80 walking
steps.
In all cases I work by the hour and the mile. NO FLAT
RATES.
I try very hard to make all moves damage free. However if
things are
damaged I do not provide insurance on the goods, for my prices it would
be impossible. If you wish that kind of service you should deal with a
formal mover. Their rates are roughly double mine.
MOVING TIPS:
- Boxes... Pack boxes 30-50 pounds. When
a box is full close
the lid and seal it. Do not over fill them. Put books in SMALL boxes.
Large
boxes are for light things.
- A local company called Greenbelt Paper
carries boxes at 1/2
the price of other places and they deliver. Call them at (301) 345-9472.
- Dressers... Chests and dressers are
best emptied. However it
is only necessary to empty drawers if a piece is heavy. If you can not
budge one end of a dresser by pressing against it with your hip please
empty it.
Generally drawers do not make good boxes it is best to leave them in
place.
If a piece is light it is OK to leave things in the drawers as long as
they
are not breakable or spill able.
- Desks... Office desks are always best
emptied. Bedroom desks
are OK left full.
- Clothes... For fancy clothes nothing
can beat a wardrobe box,
but they are expensive and waste space. Plastic Trash bags
with plastic pull strings work well. Put
the sealed end on the bottom and tie the strings on the open
end around the hangers.
- Phone... You can ask the phone company
to turn off the phone
at your old place the day after you move and turn on the phone at your
new place the day before you move. That way you have working phones at
both places
during your move.
- Parking ... If you live in a densely
populated area such as
Adams Morgan, Georgetown or Old Town Alexandria then it would be great
if
you could get Emergency No Parking Signs from
your local police precinct. You must ask for them four
or more days in advance. Three days in advance is too late to get them.
Even if you don't get the signs it is helpful if you can park your car
in the space closest to your door so we can put the truck there.
Remember the back of the truck wants to be nearest
to the door.
- The Last Box... Leave one open box for
critical items which
might be needed during the move. Things to place in the box include:
hammer, pliers, screwdriver, scissors, knife, paper cups, toilet paper,
paper towels, packing tape, plastic trash bags, etc. all things useful
while loading and
unloading. This box goes into the truck last and comes off first
- Plan ahead at your new place. It is
most efficient to move
each item only once. Plan where to place each piece ahead of time and
we
will place each item exactly where it goes. I don't mind moving things
around repeatedly, but remember it takes time to do that. Mark boxes
with their destination so we can put them where they go.
- The more thoroughly everything is packed and sealed in
moderate weight boxes, the quicker and easier
the job will go.
To arrange your move call me at home before 9:30 AM or after 7:00 PM or
on the cell phone during the day.
Jonathan Lathrop
Phone (301)779-7190
Cell (202)352-8549 (mnemonic = 202 flat liz)
You may contact me by e-mail at jonathan@lathrop.com
Jonathan Lathrop
5708 63rd Ave.
Riverdale, Maryland 20737