We Moved the Blog

We decided to integrate the blog into our company website. You can now find everything published here plus new content at www.intelligentlabor.com/blog. We hope you'll join us and keep reading!

How an Interstate Move Works - Researching Your Options

image courtesy of ops.fhwa.dot.gov

One of the first and most important things anyone moving across state lines should do is research. As with any large, expensive purchase you want to be as informed as possible about what you'll be spending your money on.

It is a good idea to get quotes from multiple companies so you have a source for comparison. This could include van lines or local, independent companies, shipping containers or all three. Which way you want to go has a lot to do with how you want to go about your move and the price. Large van lines have affiliates all over the country and will most likely be able to combine loads and/or have a back load to decrease both their costs and yours. Most often they will give you a delivery window instead of a hard and fast drop off date. Independent movers will often own their own trucks and will be working on your move exclusively, meaning it will only be your goods on the truck. Shipping container companies, such as ABF, will fit your goods in the same container as other shipments and give you a window of delivery dates that it will arrive by at the facility. None of these are hard and fast rules, but generalizations of the options.

A very important thing to consider when getting interstate moving quotes is the moving company's interstate authority. As we've mentioned before, interstate moving is a federally regulated business. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), which is a part of the Department of Transportation (DOT), is the regulatory body of interstate moving. Moving companies must apply for operating authority through the FMCSA. Once this is granted, the moving company is given a DOT number. By law, that DOT number should be featured in a moving company's advertising, which includes ads, their website and even craiglist posts.

The federal government provides an invaluable resource for interstate moves in the form of their website, https://www.protectyourmove.gov/. There is a lot of fantastic information on there about what you can expect as a customer, what to watch out for, valuation options, etc. You can also research a moving company by searching the FMCSA database for complaints and violations here.

As licensed interstate movers we are required to hand you two booklets called "Your Rights and Responsibilities When you Move" and "Your Rights and Responsibilities When You Move." Though we will hand you both when we do an on site estimate, you can also find the information on the government's website.

If you have any other questions about researching an interstate move let us know. We like to help customers be informed about their moves!

REPOST: Protecting Your Basement Goods When There's Wet Weather

Given the recent weather, this information is very relevant at the moment and we thought it deserved another post on the blog. We hope your homes and basements survived Sandy without any damage, but it also never hurts to be well prepared!

Below is a really helpful article on protecting the goods you keep in your basement by Intelligent Labor and Moving's owner, Ezekiel, that originally appeared in a real estate newsletter. 

photo courtesy of http://www.inspectapedia.com/interiors/Basement_Water.htm

Water in your basement can be a real disaster, particularly if like most people, your basement is disorganized and full of stuff. Here are some tips for organizing your basement to minimize the damage, and even with the absence of moisture, make your basement a friendlier and more useful place.

Elevate. Get everything off the floor. Wood, cardboard and chipboard all wick water upwards when they get wet, so even if just the bottom of something gets damp, it's likely to ruin the rest of it. Shipping pallets are a great and economical way to do this. They are commonly available for free or cheap. Try the want-advertiser, craigslist, or just look behind commercial buildings for a bunch leaned up by a dumpster. Stacking goods on these keeps them about 3 inches off the floor. Also, with a flash-light, you'll be able to check for water without having to move anything. Also, leave a 2 inch gap between items and exterior walls (they give off moisture).

Organize. Get some folding tables, use these to get important items far off the floor and as a place to do some organizing. With a good work surface you'll be able to go through all those boxes of stuff, organize it, and re-box anything you want to keep. Having a spot you can sanely go through things makes the task much easier, and therefore more likely to happen.

Sweep. The difference between having a basement with a layer of mud, and a basement with a little water in it is the dust that accumulates in your basement. Sweeping in a dusty basement of course causes a terrible dust cloud which settles on everything and ends up in your lungs, but there's a solution. Get some sweeping compound, it's readily available from a number of online sources. You spread it around where you'll be sweeping. It prevents dust from becoming airborne, and pulls dust out of porous surfaces (cement, tarmac, brick). It's also useful for soaking up oils and other spills so they can be swept.

Stretch-wrap. This an industrial saran-wrap that movers use to keep soft goods clean. You can use it to wrap furniture in your basement to provide a clear-plastic barrier against drips, and also to keep dust and mildew off your stuff. Available on-line or places that sell packing material. Get the 18"-20" variety for covering furniture.


Even with dry weather, though, following these steps will make your basement a much easier place to store and find your goods with a minimum amount of hassle.

New Real Estate Developments in the Area

There's a few new housing developments we've noticed close to us recently that bear mentioning.

image courtesy of http://www.altabrighamsquare.com/brigham-square

First, there's Alta Brigham Square by Wood Residential. Its on the former site of Brigham's Ice Cream headquarters in Arlington. The construction seems to be moving along, though the website still says there's a website coming soon and there's no date available for leasing/move in. They have a Facebook page you can check out here.

image courtesy of http://www.windsorcommunities.com/apartments/boston/vox/

Another one is Vox Two by Windsor Communities. This is the one going up right by Lanes and Games/Alewife Station, on the site where Faces used to be. Their website says units will be available starting May 2013.

image courtesy of http://ccfne.com/?portfolio=70-fawcett-street

The third property, 70 Fawcett St. Cambridge, is still in the early stages of construction. According to a website, the 428 apartment building will be called Atmark and the first of two buildings will be ready the summer of 2013. The developers also state that are "breaking ground in developing Cambridge's next neighborhood district." While we are excited to see the new complex, we hope it stays a least a little industrial as our warehouse is within walking distance and we like it there!

Besides being under construction properties, these three developments have one other thing in common. They're close to us! If you hope or plan to move into any one of these three residences give us a call! Its short to almost non-existent travel time back to our warehouse from both Atmark and Vox Two and only approximately 15 minutes travel back from Alta Brigham Square. Less travel time means a more affordable move. Not, only that, but we have a certificate of insurance should any of the buildings require it and we are familiar with working with new construction.

We'll keep checking in on these buildings as they progress. Based on their websites, they look like they'll be fantastic!

Heavy Truck Equipment vs a Fast Food Hambuger

image courtesy of http://www.overdriveonline.com

How could these two being going head to head? It seems like a strange comparison to make, but its very illustrative. According to a study conducted by the University of California Riverside, which focused on commercial charbroilers found in burger restaurants, "an 18-wheeler diesel engine truck would have to drive 143 miles on the freeway to put out the same mass of particulates as a single charbroiled hamburger patty."

While what that says about fast food hamburgers and their health effects is best left to other blogs, it also says a lot about diesel emissions from heavy duty equipment.

In 2000, the Environmental Protection Agency moved forward with its scheduled plan to make buses and heavy duty trucks cleaner starting in 2007. Since 2007, new bus and truck models have had to follow strict emissions standards. The UCR study, perhaps unintentionally, highlights the strides heavy duty truck equipment and buses have made since the 2007 standards were put in place. It hasn't always been an easy process, but it is undoubtedly a very important one and it is good to see the gains of all that hard work.

Why You Should Always Heed No Truck Route Signs

image courtesy of lifeasatrucker.com

It can be oh so tempting to ignore those no truck route signs you see on certain roads around Boston. Its definitely not a good idea to test your luck, though. Those signs are there for a reason. Maybe its a low bridge. Maybe its a densely populated area. Maybe the road is too narrow to accommodate trucks. Whatever the reason, stay off that road if you're in a truck! Rental companies will not take to kindly to a call from you when you've gotten stuck under a bridge. Nor, for that matter, will the state police or the drivers in the traffic jam caused by a mistake like this. Also, truck rental insurance coverage, should you have signed up for it, does not cover the box, only the cab.

Check out this slideshow from Boston.com showcasing some really good reminders as to why you should pay attention to no truck route signs. Its ok to giggle a little bit at these, just make sure you never make it on to one of these slideshows!

photo courtesy of boston.com

Cambridge Lights

Image courtesy of Cambridge Lights

During the holiday season we do deliveries for Cambridge Lights, a Christmas tree delivery company servicing Cambridge, Boston, Somerville, Arlington, Belmont, Brookline and the greater-Boston area.

Not only does Cambridge Lights deliver Christmas trees, they hang lights, wreaths, garlands and other holiday decorations. At the end of the Christmas season they'll even pick up your tree and recycle it for you. They have a lot to offer during the very busy holiday season. The best part is, if you want, they'll string lights on the tree for you, giving you more time to wrap presents and drink some delicious egg nog!

If you'd like to speak to them about a Christmas tree delivery or having some lights hung around your house give them a call at 617.600.3204. You can also e-mail them at info@cambridgelights.com. They'd love to hear from you and we'd love spread some holiday cheer by dropping off a tree at your house!

What is Stretch Wrap?

image courtesy of mcmahonpaperandpackaging.com

If you've ever received an estimate from us before you've seen that we include something called stretch wrap. Stretch wrap is an industrial strength saran wrap that we use to protect your goods during the move. Our movers use it to wrap soft goods like mattresses and couches to keep them clean during transport. Also, the movers use it to adhere moving blankets to your hard furniture like dressers and tables.

We use stretch wrap instead of other materials for a few reasons. We find it works better than tape for adhering moving blankets because there is no sticky residue that might damage your furniture. Also, we find that our movers like it better than mattress bags and other specialty bags because its easier to grip and it fits around the item perfectly, whereas the bags are often loose and slippery. Stretch wrap protects against rain and snow just like a bag would, but because of its grip, the movers like it better in wet weather.

We also have two different sizes of stretch, so we're really able to tailor our approach to your particular goods. And, while the stretch wrap can't be reused, it can be recycled through the City of Cambridge, which we really like.

Overall we feel stretch wrap is the right material for the jobs. If you have any questions about it please ask away!

UPDATE: Somerville Parking (yet again)

In August we were asked by a customer to obtain a Somerville moving van permit for their move. This permit would involve metered spots. Perhaps we haven't had to get a metered spot in Somerville in a long time or maybe there's a new rule, we're not sure.

Here's how it worked when we requested a spot with meters: Fill out the form, including all of the relevant information. The clerk will enter this info and process as usual. However, with metered spots you will NOT receive permit paperwork as you would with a non-metered spot. Somerville will put your request in the system and bag the meters, but you will not receive signs to post or permit paperwork for your files. Also, each meter head is $35 and then there's another fee on top of that for the request. Its a little confusing and kind of expensive, but it worked for us when we had to do it.

If you need a moving van permit from Somerville we would suggest calling them before you go down or just heading over there and figuring it out on site. It seems there's have been a lot of changes, but they don't show up on the website.

Local Businesses We Love

We're back from our hiatus (it was a busy summer!) and ready to blog.

This one isn't about moving, because, after all, all work and no play makes for some cranky movers. Instead, we want to focus our attention on some local businesses we use on a regular basis because we love working with them and/or patronizing them. Definitely check these out when you're in the neighborhood.

image courtesy of google maps

- Cambridge
Iggy's Breads of the World - Delicious. Its almost embarrassing how often we go in here. Sometimes twice a day...
Basil Tree Catering - We moved them into their new space just down the street from us and they have some great breakfast and lunch options
McGeoghean Waste Systems - We've been using them for our dumpster rental for years.
Verna's Donuts - The best glazed doughnuts on the planet.
Newtowne Grill - A regular after work spot for a long time.
Redemption Tattoo - More than half of us have been in here at least once to get tattooed. You can't go wrong with any of the artists.
Porter Square Books - If we need a business related book we call here. If they don't have it, they'll order it and it'll be there fast. Great for all books, not just business!
Bob Slate Stationer - We used to go to their Porter Square location, now we head to their Harvard Square spot. We get everything from binders to custom stamps here.
Middle East - Most of our movers either are in or have been in bands and have played either the Upstairs or Downstairs. Its a great place to see a show and grab some tasty Middle Eastern food.
TT The Bears - Another venue many of our guys have played at.
Plough and Stars - We eat here, we drink here, we play shows here, we see shows here. We're here a lot.

- Somerville
Ace Wheelworks - We've got a lot of cyclists at the company and this is where most of us go to get the best bike stuff around. 
Highland Kitchen - Great specials and drinks, nice staff (we've moved a lot of them) and spelling bees!
Diesel Cafe - There's some hard to resist caffeinated beverages in here, even if it is hard to find a place to stick our trucks so we can run in!
Redbones - Another after work favorite for a long time. 

- Arlington
Dudley Automotive - Ed and the guys do a fantastic job keeping our trucks in great shape. Stop into the Barbecue Barn right next door for some grills and accessories.

This is by no means an exhaustive list or even a greatest hits, just some places we'd recommend you check out if you're new to the area. For more comprehensive lists of local businesses in Somerville and Cambridge check out Somerville Local First and Cambridge Local First. 

UPDATE: Somerville Parking (again)

Apparently, Somerville parking office now requires that if you are putting up moving van permits you call and let them know the day you do so. For instance, if you pick up your moving van permit and signs two weeks before your move you must call them the day you put them up (we'll assume the bare minimum of 48 hours in this case). They say that if they do not receive a phone call about the signs going up they will not enforce the signs. So, if you don't call the parking office about your signs and someone is parked in those spots on the day of your move you have no recourse.

We just learned about this today so we haven't given it a go yet, but we'll be calling them soon for some permits we've got waiting to go up. If we learn anything new we'll keep you updated!

Fouth of July!

We're taking the day off on the Fourth of July. No moves will be going on and the office will be closed. We'll reopen for business on the 5th. We hope you all have a safe, happy, cook out and fire work filled (if that's your thing....) holiday!

Image courtesy of destination360.com

Moving Out of the Ordinary Goods

Though our focus is mostly on residential moves, we occasionally get asked to handle goods that are a bit outside the normal list of bookcases, beds and TVs. We relish opportunities like this because its always neat doing something different and we love to put our skills to use in unusual ways.

Photograph is our own.

We once were asked by a regular customer of ours to move the above stone statues. Each statue was so heavy (approximately 400 lbs) the movers had to use dollies and four wheelers to get them to the truck.

We also once moved a megalethoscope. Its a bit like a very large viewfiender you might have had as a kid. Photographs are inserted and, with the help of a large lens and a light source, the illusion of perspective and depth is created.

One of our favorite jobs ever was moving Peter L. Stern & Co., Inc. They are antiquarian booksellers with some truly amazing stuff. We moved there shop from one address in Boston to another. We also help them with the Boston International Antiquarian Book Fair every fall.

Another regular customer of ours had us go down to Rhode Island to get a fire escape for him to put on his new house. It was heavy and bit awkward but it fit in our 26' truck!

We've moved a lot of pianos, from spinets to uprights to grands and even some organs, but we got a do a fairly rare piano one time. It was a Mason and Hamilin Butterfly grand piano. Instead of the cover hinging on one side it hinges in the middle and opens like a butterfly.

This is actually a Wurlitzer, not a Mason and Hamilin. Image courtesy of pianoworld.com

A neighbor of ours in Fresh Pond, E Ink, creates the displays for eReaders like the Kindle and the Nook, among other technology. Another neighbor right around the corner, NK Labs, creates the machines that make the screens for E Ink. We've had the pleasure of transporting those machines for NK Labs multiple times. Not only are the machines themselves interesting, but we get to crate them, which is always a unique challenge.

The Bedford Whaling Museum was getting some large display cases from the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum and were the lucky ones able to pick up the cases and deliver them to New Bedford. Those cases were quite large and heavy, but what a treat! The staff at both museums were very kind and helpful and it was a joy to assist both of them.

If you have a pieces or pieces that falls outside the "normal" spectrum give us a call. We've handled a vast variety of goods. If we haven't moved your exact item before chances are we've moved something like it! Give us a ring at 617.549.9880 or e-mail us at help@intelligentlabor.com to get a quote. We look forward to hearing from you!

Moving Outdoor Goods

Now that the warm weather is in full swing (fingers crossed), people are moving and bringing their outdoor items with them. Here are a few tips on how to prepare these goods for your move.

Image courtesty of chosensites.us

- Charcoal grill
Prior to the movers arrival empty out any soot and charcoal briquets inside. This saves time and helps insure a clean truck and, therefore, clean goods. The same thing goes for any chimineas, fire pits or similar items.

- Gas grill
We are not allowed to transport the gas tank. Removing it from the grill and giving a quick clean will save time.

- Lawn mower
If you have a gas powered lawn mower please make sure it is empty of all fuel. We are not allowed to take any gas on our trucks. The same thing goes for other gas powered items such as snow blowers.

- Swing sets
This really deserves its own post, but here's the quick run down. If you'll be taking care of any disassembly yourself, make sure that its taken apart and ready to go when the movers arrive. WD-40 or some other lubricant will probably be necessary as the screws holding swing sets together often rust a bit due to being outside of all the time. If you're having us take care of the disassembly we'll have all the tools on hand to take care of it.

- Compost bins
If you have a portable compost bin make sure it is empty so its ready for transport. Most compost bins, even if they're portable, will be too heavy to move with the contents inside.

If you have any questions about this or anything else moving related give us a call at 617.864.0620! We're happy to answer any questions you may have.

First Come, First Served

We operate as a first come, first served basis. This means that whoever has received an estimate from us and gets back to us first gets to book the slot. We believe this is the fairest way to go about things. Below are the steps that it takes to book a move within Massachusetts with us:

- If we have a crew available for a move on the customer's requested day we will tell them so.
- We go over the details of the customer's move either over the phone or by e-mail. If we send a customer a questionnaire by e-mail that e-mail states that receiving the questionnaire DOES NOT mean the customer is booked.
- Once we have the information we need, we will send the customer as estimate.
- After a customer has received his estimate he MUST tell us he would like to book. We NEVER assume that a customer is happy with the estimate he has received.
- If a customer is happy with the estimate they get in touch with us to book.
- If we still have the customer's preferred day available then we will book them for that day.
- If another customer who has received an estimate for that same day has booked the last slot then we will tell the customer it is no longer available. We will give that customer alternative dates that we are available. If those days don't work we can always recommend other moving companies.
- We never cancel on a customer that is already booked to make room for another customer, whether that second customer has received an estimate or not. 

First come, first served allows us to treat all customers fairly and it also allows us to run our business instead of going out of business. If we assumed every customer who received an estimate wanted to book there would be many days where our movers didn't work.

We ask that our customer take the time to read the whole questionnaire and the whole estimate. There's a lot of important information in there. Of course, we are always happy to answer any questions you may have about the questionnaire, booking, the estimate, anything really. So, call us at 617.864.0620 or e-mail us at help@intelligentlabor.com. We'd love to hear from you!

Deposits

We do not take deposits for most moves. The only time we take a deposit is for an interstate move that originates outside of Massachusetts. For instance, if you live in New York City and are moving to Cambridge, we would require a deposit for your move. Otherwise, we do not take money from a customer before the move has happened.

We operate this way for a couple of reasons. One, we like to show faith in our customers. Probably 95% of the time is faith is well placed and so we continue to go about payments in the same way. There have only been a few times that we've booked a job then had the customer back out at the last minute, leaving us in a lurch. Intelligent Labor and Moving operates on the honor system. No deposit means we ask that if you have to change the date of your move or cancel it all together you give us as much notice as you are able. We don't want to punish customers for something they might not have control over. Two, it simplifies the process. No deposit means more streamlined bookkeeping, less time spent tracking deposits, sending people out to pick them up or waiting for them to show up in the mail, etc. Getting the entire amount at the end of the job also makes it easier on our crew chiefs. No deposits allows both office staff and movers to focus on other, more important tasks, like the actual picking up and putting down of your furniture or responding to e-mails and phone calls in a timely manner.

One time we followed up on a move with a customer to see how she felt it had all gone. She was very pleased with the move but wished we had required a deposit because she would have felt more secure in her booking that way. That's the only time we've ever heard that from a customer, but she can't be the only whose felt that way. We strive to make you, the customer, feel secure in your choice and booking with us. One way we do that is to send an e-mail when you book stating the date and time you are in our calendar. Then, usually two days in advance of your move we send out another confirmation with all of the details - date, time, addresses, inventory, phone numbers - so you can go over the information we have for you and make any necessary changes. We like this system better than deposits for letting a customer know we are thinking about and preparing for their move.

Image courtesy of apartmentwiz.com

Graduation Schedule 2012

image courtesy of librarydoriot.wordpress.com

Its that time of year again. Below is a list of the graduation dates for some of the schools in the Boston area. This list is by no means comprehensive. If you are planning on moving in or around Boston on any of these dates be aware of traffic and possible parking issues. Congratulations to all of the 2012 graduates!

- May
Emerson College                              May 14th
Lesley University                             May 19th
Suffolk University                            May 20th
Boston University                             May 20th
Tufts University                                May 20th
Boston College                                 May 21st
Harvard University                           May 24th

- June
MIT                                                   June 8th
                  

Parking Permits - Changes to Boston and Somerville

Both the City of Boston and the City of Somerville have recently made changes to their procedures for moving van permits.

Boston used to have two offices for moving van permits, one for the signs and one for the paperwork. Now, they have consolidated the process into one office. Getting a permit should now be more streamlined and it only requires one check instead of two. Everything else about the process remains the same.

Somerville previously put up the moving van permit signs for you. Now, however, it is the responsibility of the person or company requesting the permit. They signs must go up 48 hours in advance of the requested date(s).

If you're moving to or from Boston or Somerville keep these changes in mind when its time to request your moving vans. And, of course, if you have any questions about getting through us if you're using Intelligent Labor and Moving for your move, just let us know!

Also, as a random side note, I just found a picture of our truck on this blog. Nice shot!

Navigating Belmont in a Truck

Here's another helpful truck driving post from our owner Ezekiel. 

image courtesy of leftbankofthecharles.com

There's a bridge in Belmont Center, it's an old railroad bridge and it's pretty low. The clearance posting on it is 10'9" I believe. This bridge causes a lot of problems for a lot of truck drivers. On one hand, you can get a 12'6" straight truck through the very center of it, but even if you fit, it's still illegal to pass through it in an inappropriately marked truck. The problem is that getting from Fresh Pond to the other side of that bridge in a truck legally is a pain. It may look like you can take Blanchard St. to Brighton St. and then cut back to Belmont Center, but that involves no truck routes (they're rather loosely enforced, however). The only official way is to take Rte. 16 (Fresh Pond Parkway) to Rte. 2 to Rte. 60 and then go into Belmont. Belmont is bisected by those train tracks and getting from one side of them to the other requires going around, especially in a truck due to that low-clearance bridge. Options for turning a rig around if you head down Concord to that bridge are slim at best as well.

So, if you're planning to move yourself in or out of Belmont be very careful not only of the no truck routes but also that low bridge in Belmont Center. If you're hiring movers keep this information in mind as well. We may quote you a travel time that seems inappropriate to you, but remember that the way you drive in your car is not the same way we would go about things in a truck, so it may take longer. 

The Busy Season Approaches

image is our own!

Moving in the Boston-area (and perhaps everywhere else) is a very seasonal business. Winters are slow and summers its hard to keep up with demand. Part of this has to do with the leasing/university schedule in Boston and part of it is just that its not that pleasant to move when its very cold and possibly snowy out.

Every year, sometime in April, is when we start to get busy. We have hit that point this year. The phones are ringing more, the inbox has a lot more e-mails and we're filling up the calendar.

If you are looking to use a moving company sometime this summer or to move yourself with a rental truck we have some recommendations:

1. When you know you are going to move start planning. Call truck rental places to book a truck if that is your plan. If you're using a moving company call around to get estimates as soon as you know you're moving.
2. Think about moving van permits. On very busy days during the summer moving van permits can become unavailable due to someone else requesting a permit for the same address.
3. Know what days are busiest and if you have any flexibility with your move date. Traditionally, the first and last days of the month are the busiest. The 15th is also usually fairly busy. Weekends are also very popular. If you have a specific day in mind and you know that the landlord's or your schedule doesn't allow for any wiggle room about that make sure you call to make reservations as soon as you are able.
3. The above applies particularly for September 1st. Everyone in the greater Boston-area knows that is the hardest day of the year to try and move, whether you're doing it yourself or using a moving company. That day books up FAST, so keep that in mind when planning.
4. Last minute moves are hard to pull off in the summer, at least for us and most likely for any truck rental places. While during the winter we can often schedule you within a day or two, during the summer we tend to book up at least a week or two in advance, sometimes more. It never hurts to try, though, so if you do have a last minute move or change of plans definitely give us a call or shoot us an e-mail.

Being prepared is the key to any low-stress, happy moving experience of any kind and even more so in the summer. If you have any questions about moving this summer please give us a call (617.864.0620) or e-mail us (help@intelligentlabor.com). You can also check out our excellent, revamped website for tips and information. We'd love to help you move!

Navigating Cambridge and Somerville in a Truck

Here's another helpful post from our owner, Ezekiel. If you're planning on renting your own truck for a move in Cambridge or Somerville this information will be a huge help!

image courtesy of dreamstime.com

Getting from North Cambridge to Somerville in a truck can be tricky. Almost all the roads that go from Massachusetts Ave. towards Somerville west of Porter Square are one-ways or no truck routes. This even applies once you get into Arlington all the way to the intersection of Massachusetts Ave. and Rt. 60. The best route to know is Davenport St. in Porter Square. It's a short street that runs from Massachusetts Ave. in Cambridge behind the Porter Square shopping plaza back to Elm St. Somerville. Located on that street are the loading docks and commercial parking for the shopping plaza so it can also be a handy place to turn around if you've missed a turn.

An Organization We Love: NuPath

image courtesy of providers.org

Occasionally we do work for a company called NuPath Inc. Their offices are located in Woburn but they have 11 locations around the greater Boston area. They provide day and residential services "for people living with developmental disabilities, autism spectrum disorders and acquired brain injury." NuPath is also an active advocate for people with disabilities. We're proud to work with them and so pleased they choose us to help move them when they need it.

If you're interested, check out their Facebook page. They have a lot of upcoming events, including a walk and a book presentation, among other events, for Autism Awareness Month in April.

Website Upgrade!

We've just completed a major overhaul to our company website. We're really proud of how it turned out. Here are just some of the changes:

- More information about moving van permits and how they work
- An expanded link section with links to businesses we work with and organizations we belong to
- Information about how and what we recycle
- A section about how we participate in our community
- An expanded section on our rates, including rush rates, extra charges, insurance, and disposal

Go take a look and tell us what you think! We'd love to hear from you about ease of use, comprehensiveness of information, etc. We think we've now got best site for a moving company in the Boston area!

Kiva Update and a Local Event

Time for another Kiva update!

Most of our current loans are doing really well, which we love to see! Amor y Paz, a group that runs an upholstery and furniture making shop, is 90% repaid. All of the rest of the loans are between 40% and 62% repaid, which is wonderful. Sadly, one of our loans is delinquent in his repayments, but hopefully he can make his business work despite whatever challenges he's facing.

Since most of our loans are doing so well we've got credit to relend. We chose to lend to Rasheeda, a woman in Pakistan, who is seeking a loan to a buy a young horse for loading and transportation services. A mover in Pakistan, we love it! We also lent to Tony, a school bus driver in Lebanon, so he can make improvements to his bus and Manuela, a furniture maker in Peru, so she can buy supplies.

In more local news, we're a booster for the Friends of Cambridge Athletics race that's coming up on April 1st. Its held at Fresh Pond and raise money for student athletes. There's still time to sign up for either the run or the walk if you're interested.

Moving Expenses and the IRS

image courtesy of forbes.com

Tax season is upon us again!

No one at Intelligent Labor and Moving is a tax professional, but, being movers, we do know that the IRS lets you deduct some moving expenses.

According to the IRS, if you moved this year "due to a change in your job or business location, or because you started a new job or business, you may be able to deduct your reasonable moving expenses but not any expenses for meals." There are two tests you must use to determine if qualify for the deduction:

1. Distance
Is your new job 50 miles or more farther away from your old home than your old job was from your old home? If you've never worked before, is your new job 50 miles or more away from your old home?

2. Time
If you're an employee you must work at least 39 weeks at full-time for the first year following your arrival in the general area of your relocation. If you're self-employed the same applies, as well as needing to work at least 78 during the first 24 months in the general area of your new location.

There are exceptions to each rule. If you're move is due to military service you do not need to meet either requirement. The time requirement can be waived due to death, disability, involuntary separation among other things. If your employer paid for or reimbursed you for your move you do not qualify for this tax deduction.




The IRS provides a more comprehensive guide to moving tax deductions here. Its definitely worth a read if you moved in 2011. And, for a tax guideline its not so bad to read! If you still have questions after reading over the guide it is best to contact a tax professional.

Happy filing!

Moving Company Website Red Flags

image courtesy of thebookdesigner.com

There are a lot of ways to find a moving company. The best way is through a personal referral, but sometimes that's not possible. There's also review sites, but some of those must be taken with a grain of salt. Trade organizations (AMSA, MMA) are also good resources.

Then, there's a good old fashioned internet search. So, you type in your search terms and a whole host of websites pop up in the results. If you go to any of these websites here are some important pieces of information you should be on the look out for .

- Rates
Does the moving company make its rates available on their website? If not, beware. All Massachusetts moving companies need to have a tariff with all of their rates on file with the Department of Public Utilities. If this tariff doesn't appear on the moving company's website you can always check with the DPU, but if they don't bother to post the information themselves, there's a good bet they're not on file or the tariff is out of date.

- Photos
Are there photos of the actual movers and the company's trucks? Or are there stock photos of trucks and warehouses with maybe a Photoshopped logo? A lot of moving companies just starting out can't afford to own their own trucks and that's doesn't mean they are disreputable or unlicensed. However, the company should not set out to deceive you with photos either.

- Licenses, Tariffs, etc.
Check the website to see if the company lists its license number. If the company is Massachusetts based this number will be called a MDTE number. If the company offers interstate moving those license numbers will be called DOT and MC numbers. Both of those numbers can be researched through the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (specifically here). It is federally required that all interstate moving companies listed their DOT number on all written/printed material, so this is a very important piece of information

- Trade Organizations
Almost without fail, reputable moving companies belong to their trade organizations. Locally, that's the Massachusetts Movers Association. Nationwide it is the American Moving and Storage Association. There are also more general business organizations like the local Chamber of Commerce and Better Business Bureau. Just because a moving company does not belong to one or even all of these or similar organizations does not make them bad or disreputable, but it should inspire further research.

- Address
Look up the address the company lists as their place of business. Is it shared by many other moving companies? That could be a sign that the entity operates under several business names or d/b/a's, which could have an effect of the way the business(es) are run. If the listed address is just a residential location, that raises other questions.

- Insurance
Is information about the company's insurance listed somewhere on their website? If not, and you're considering hiring them, double check with the company. A good moving company will have insurance on their trucks and for cargo. Workers compensation insurance is not required, but its always a good idea and is often either provided for the workers by the company or the movers provide their own.

- Name
This is more for craiglists postings. If there's an ad with a phone number but no other identifying information (company name, e-mail address, website, etc.) beware. That almost definitely means an unlicensed, uninsured mover.

Vacation

image courtesy of residenciadelpaseo.com

We're headed on vacation again, so we'll be absent from the blog for a couple of weeks. When we get back we'll continue to post helpful information and tips on moving in and around the Boston area!

Diesel Additive, Part 1

Here's another post by our always informative owner, Ezekiel.

Image courtesy of bajaquest.com

We use a diesel additive in our trucks to promote longer engine life, low temperature reliability and better fuel economy. Due to the multiple reasons and benefits of additive this will be a multi-part blog post, with each post focusing on a different element. It's easy to see the financial benefit of getting more miles out of each gallon of fuel and each diesel engine, but there's more to it than that.

ULSD-Ultra Low Sulfer Diesel

Since '06 fueling stations in North America have been selling ULSD. Sulfur content in diesel has a number of effects. One is pollution, the sulfer content in diesel is one of the main contributing factors to the soot that is emitted from a diesel engine. Another effect that sulfer has is that it is a lubricating agent in the operation of the diesel engine. When you drop the sulfer content of your fuel,  the level of lubricity also goes down. Lubricity of fuel impacts engine wear in that a higher lubricity diesel will coat the cylinder walls of the engine with a greater film of oil, thereby enhancing the movement of the pistons and reducing the wear between the piston and the cylinder wall. Lower sulfer content can therefore cause premature wear on moving parts (not just the cylinders, but also other moving parts that come in contact with fuel, like injectors). The fuel companies, the government and the engine manufacturers had come to an agreement about how much lubricity a ULSD fuel should have. Hypothetically at that level there is enough lubricity where premature engine wear is not a factor, however some might dispute that. The real problem with ULSD fuel is that the lubricity agents that they add to the fuel for use in diesel engines is added late in the transportation scheme, so sometimes the lubricity agent is not fully mixed in so you can get very low dosages at the pump, which would potentially lead to low level engine damage. Based on this study we use Optilube XPD in the winter and Optilube summer formula in the warmer months.

Rents Continue to Increase in the Boston Area

"Boston is a desirable place to live," says Eric Belsky, managing director of Harvard University's Joint Center for Housing Studies in a Boston Globe article today.

Of course, we Bostonians (and greater Bostonians) know this, but we also know that can translate into some pretty high rents. Much as other Globe articles have recently mentioned (and we've blogged about here and here), the rising rents are due in part to the current state of the housing market. People just aren't buying right now, so they continue to rent and prices continue to rise in response to the demand.

Its an interesting article and worth a read whether your looking to rent or buy in the near future. And of course, if you do find that great apartment in or around Boston and need help moving, give us a call!

Piano Moving Seminar

The other day we held a piano moving seminar for our guys at the warehouse. One of our movers has spent many years moving pianos at a previous job so we had him show our other movers how to do everything properly. A lot of our guys have piano moving experience already, but it never hurts to have an expert go over the finer points for clarification.

There's a lot more that goes into a moving a piano than with most other goods. First, they're often very expensive. They also have a lot of delicate parts and they're heavy. There's even special equipment, skid boards, that we use just for pianos (though they do sometimes get used for other heavy weight items).

Check out all the pictures from the seminar. I think everyone learned a lot!

Legs have been removed.

A baby grand properly wrapped and strapped to a skid.

Practicing moving the pianos on dollies.

Laying the piano onto a skid.

Piano Technicians Guild

image courtesy of www.ptg.org

We are now a proud member of the Piano Technicians Guild. They are a nationwide organization that serves as a source of piano service expertise. If you need a piano tuned, a piano teacher or a piano restored, among other things, they are the group to check out. PTG is really one stop shopping for all things piano related. There are chapters all over the country, including the Boston chapter we joined, so you can check out the local websites as well.

We're really proud to be a part of PTG and we look forward to working with them.

UPDATE: Moving Tip #8: Appliances

Happy New Year!

Here's an update by our owner on our previous post about moving appliances.

image courtesy of homerefrigeratorrepair.com

The conventional wisdom is that refrigerators should not be plugged in after being moved for at least 2 hours to let chemicals to settle in the lines. If the refrigerator had to be layed down or was hoisted, it should be left upright for at least 24 hours for the oil in the compressor to settle.

We cannot hook up any of your appliances that have connections to water or gas. We recommend if you do it yourself to pay particular attention for the hours following the hookup. Water can do a lot of damage to a home, and making sure your plumbing is well sorted is of paramount importance. Wait to plug your washer in until you can be home and keep an eye out for leaks or other issues until you're sure everything is fine.

Usually dishwashers are hard-wired into the house with a switch, so an electrician will be needed to unhook your dishwasher in addition to a plumber. If you would like a recommendation on a local plumber or electrician, let us know, we might have some suggestions.