The Moving Industry in Connecticut is regulated by The Department of Transportation, Public Utilities Division. Under the regulations issued by the state, all movers licensed within the state must publish a Tariff or “schedule of charges” for their moves. Vanguard Logistics is licensed by the CT-DOT and is the holder of license # HG-1770.
The state puts forth a requirement of movers that they must issue “non-binding,” also known as time and materials estimates in “good faith.” At Vanguard we take this requirement very seriously. We are one of the very, very few movers in the state who accept personal checks, and calculate your bill at the conclusion of the move. Most movers in the state require payment in full by authorized credit card(or Cash or Bank Check prior to the commencement of the unload. Because we are honest in our estimating process we do not have problems with getting paid!
Many of you will speak with Mike Speller prior to your appointment and be subject to his “cliché ridden” narrative. “Any estimate done over the phone is going to end in tears, and they are not going to be mine”. “The only way we can give you an honest estimate is with an in home estimate.” “Dave Anton or Jim Setaro, will walk through your home with you, you’ll identify the items you wish for us to move; what you are leaving or moving yourself; what you want us to pack; what you are planning on packing yourself; and those items that you have ‘no business packing yourself.’”
Your estimate from Dave or Jim will include a “Table of Measurements,” or a list of the items that you have indicated that you would like us to move. Often, we will give multiple estimates, such as “large furniture only”; “furniture and boxes”; “Full pack”; “Fragile pack”; etc. One of the clichés that Dave and Jim use (although they are not as bad as Mike in this area) is “a local move is what you make of it”. ALWAYS review the list of items, while there may be a few errors (nobody is perfect), your table of measurements defines the scope of your move and the validity of the estimate. If you plan on moving items yourself and do more, you should save money compared to the estimate. If you plan on moving items yourself and end up falling behind, you can expect to pay more than the estimate.
Based on the information you provide to us, we issue an estimate that you can count on, given the scope (as you define) it for the move. We also make decisions regarding crew size, equipment(there are different size moving trucks), and materials on site, based on the information you provide. If the scope changes, please let us know right away and we can adjust as needed.
Your estimate is based on your belongings being ready to go. Items that can be boxed, should be boxed. Please avoid contractor bags as they are not conducive to loading in a truck (a few is fine, but boxes are your main tool). The contents of the boxes you pack (PBO – Pack By Owner) are not covered under your valuation policy. If you are planning on moving items yourself: lamps and shades (avoid a box); dishes and glasses (not as labor intensive for you to move in your car); Small TV’s, pictures and flat glass will NOT be loaded on the truck unless they are properly packed, focus on these items to get maximum “bang for your buck”, (more clichés).