Julia is stressed out.
She’s just received the keys to her new house, and as she rolls her suitcase across the threshold of her front porch, it hits her: she’s going to be living in an empty home until the movers arrive. She knew this was going to happen, but now that she’s staring at her fridge-less kitchen and curtain-free bedroom, she’s not exactly sure what to do.
While this can certainly be frustrating, it’s not a unique experience. Every moving company has a spread of dates for when they’ll deliver your belongings, also known as a moving delivery window (if they don’t, their guarantees might not be realistic!).
A delivery window helps set the most accurate, reasonable expectations for the moving process. Since there are so many variables that go into planning a move, setting one date in stone for delivery just isn’t feasible, and it could set clients up for disappointment if there’s a last minute change in schedule. Having realistic expectations can keep this situation from being less of a surprise during your moving process.
So, hang tight, Julia! Your furniture will be here before you know it. In this blog post, we’re going to talk about why delivery windows exist and what to expect when your movers give you a delivery range.
How is a moving delivery window created?
Delivery windows are established based on the weight of the shipment and how many miles it’s going. The delivery window takes travel time into account (most truckers have a limit on how many miles they can travel in one day), as well as other stops they may have to make on the way (if your shipment isn’t the only one being transported in the truck).
Typically, smaller moves traveling a shorter distance will have a smaller delivery window, while larger shipments that have a longer way to go will have a larger one. For example, a 10,000-pound shipment traveling 1,500 miles might have a delivery window of 4 to 11 days. If that same shipment were to travel only 500 miles, the range could be 2 to 7 days.
Within the delivery window, the client chooses a smaller window of four consecutive days for their shipment to be delivered. We know four days can seem like a lot when you’re hanging out in an empty house waiting for your stuff to arrive, but having a range of dates helps provide a more realistic understanding of your moving timeline. In the meantime, take advantage of this (very temporary!) furniture-free life to explore your new town and maybe try out that Thai place down the road!
What other factors can affect my moving delivery window?
In addition to the size and distance of the shipment, there are other variables to take into account when scheduling your move. The delivery window can be affected by several factors, such as when the move is. There’s also the unlikely possibility that something unexpected could cause a delay.
Weekends and holidays
Typically, our crews don’t work on Sundays, so you’ll need to add a day if a weekend occurs within your delivery window. Likewise, you’ll need to add an additional day if your move falls near a major holiday.
Time of year
If you’re moving during peak season, your delivery range might be longer due to the amount of moves we have scheduled on the books. Your truck may have other customers’ shipments as well as yours, so they’ll be making additional stops along the way.
Unexpected delays
While delays or setbacks are very few and far between at Appleton, they do happen. Unexpected scenarios like inclement weather, a broken down truck, or a sick driver could affect the timing of your delivery window.
When you schedule a move with us, you’ll be assigned a coordinator who will be your main point of contact. Your coordinator will keep you updated on all aspects of your move and let you know about any updates or delays regarding your delivery window.
What to expect when you’re given a moving delivery window
So, what does this look like in the real world? We’ll illustrate with an example:
Bob and Sue are moving 1,500 miles away with a shipment size of 10,000 pounds. The moving crew pack Bob and Sue’s belongings on June 14th and load the truck on June 15th.
The delivery window begins the day the truck is loaded, and they’re given a delivery window of 4 to 10 days. In Bob and Sue’s scenario, their belongings will arrive between June 19th and June 23rd (an extra day was added due to the weekend).
As always, if you have any questions about your move, you can reach out to your coordinator who will guide you through the process. If you don’t have your upcoming move scheduled yet, please contact us to get the ball rolling on your next adventure!
