With careful planning, moving can be a relatively problem-free process. Whether moving across the street or across country, a comprehensive plan can help with the step-by-step process of relocating.
Bay Area-based services designed to help make moving easier include temporary housing, storage, career counseling and job-placement services. One of the first steps to planning and managing a move is collecting information.
Moving Companies
People moving from another state likely will require the services of a moving company. But those moving to the Bay Area from less than 250 miles away might want to consider moving themselves. The extra time and effort expended in a self-move should be considered when comparing costs with those of a moving company.
Select a moving company by asking for recommendations from people who have used a moving company recently and by checking prices
and information to determine what
is involved.
and information to determine what
is involved.
Prices and services vary considerably among moving companies and can be based on an hourly rate, per delivery person or a flat fee. Most give free estimates based on the length of the move and the weight of the items to be moved. There are two kinds of estimates: binding and nonbinding. The binding estimate describes in exact detail the shipment and all services that will be provided. This type of estimate limits total charges to the estimated amount.
The nonbinding estimate approximates cost. Movers may not charge for providing a nonbinding estimate. However, the final bill can be more than the estimate, but not by more than 10 percent.
With a nonbinding estimate, every service must be outlined in writing. Do not sign or accept the order for service or bill of lading unless the amount estimate is entered on each form when prepared by the mover.
Moving companies can fall behind schedule. Search for a company that will guarantee a pickup and delivery day and make sure those times are in part of the contract. Do not agree to a pickup or delivery on an “as soon as possible” basis. It is best to move at times other than the end of the month or during the summer vacation period of June, July and August, which are the busiest times for moving companies.
Although a moving company provides liability insurance on items it moves by the pound, it might be wise to purchase additional insurance.
Before a moving company begins work, take an inventory of belongings even if the company promises to do one. Be sure to note scratches and other blemishes that will help verify a damage claim later. If the company does its own inventory, check it carefully against a personal inventory before signing anything. Listed below are a few points to remember.
• Try to get rid of any unnecessary items before moving.
• Do not use heavy containers to pack belongings. Use wardrobe space wisely by packing off-season garments in regular boxes.
• Consider mailing books, because post office book rates are less than that of some moving companies.
• Remember that movers are trained professionals, and there is less chance of damage if they do the packing. Movers usually can pack in one day.
• Be at the new home at the time when the company has agreed to be there. If no one is home, belongings will go into storage (usually for an extra fee). The moving company will expect payment in cash before unloading.
Moving Expenses
Tax deductions might apply to a move, but it is best to understand the law before moving in order to keep the appropriate records and to comply with any necessary provisions.
Keep in mind that a move must be at least 50 miles from a current home and involve changing job locations in order for expenses to be deductible. Records to keep include:
• travel, meals and lodging expenses incurred during the move;
• moving of household goods and personal items (this includes some storage expenses);
• cost of looking for a new home;
• home-scouting trips;
• lodging and meals;
• temporary living arrangements in the new location; and
• disposing of a former home and acquiring a new one.
Movers may call the Internal Revenue Service at 800-829-1040 or visit www.irs.gov to request a free booklet explaining exactly what can and cannot be deducted.
Temporary Storage
If you need to store household goods temporarily, self- and warehouse-storage space is available in all sections of the San Francisco Bay Area. Check on security arrangements at specific storage units, liability for loss or damage, availability of units and whether the facility is climate-controlled. The California Self Storage Association at www.cssaweb.com provides a searchable database of all California members.
Utilities
Pacific Gas & Electric Co. supplies gas and electricity to San Francisco Bay Area residents. Service requests may be completed over the phone or online. To apply for service and obtain information, call800-743-5000 or visit www.pge.com. The company provides natural gas and electric service to approximately 15 million people throughout a 70,000-square-mile service area in northern and central California.
The San Francisco Public Utilities Commission (SFPUC)manages a complex water supply system stretching from the Sierras to the city and featuring a complex series of reservoirs, tunnels, pipelines and treatment systems. Two unique features of this system stand out: the drinking water provided is among the purest in the world, and the system for delivering that water is almost entirely gravity fed, requiring almost no fossil fuel consumption to move water from the mountains to the tap.www.puc.sf.ca.us
415-923-2400
415-923-2400
Water
The SFPUC, the third largest municipal utility in California, serves 2.4 million residential, commercial and industrial customers in the San Francisco Bay Area. Approximately one-third of delivered water goes to retail customers in San Francisco, while wholesale deliveries to 28 suburban agencies in Alameda, Santa Clara and San Mateo counties comprise the other two-thirds of SFPUC’s deliveries.
Water Sources:
Hetch Hetchy Source – The Hetch Hetchy watershed provides approximately 85 percent of San Francisco's total water needs. Spring snowmelt runs down the Tuolumne River and fills Hetch Hetchy, the largest reservoir in the SFPUC system. This surface water in the Hetch Hetchy Reservoir is treated, but not filtered because it is of such high quality.
The Alameda and Peninsula watersheds produce about 15 percent of the total water supply. The Alameda watershed, located in Alameda and Santa Clara Counties, contributes surface water supplies captured and stored in two reservoirs: Calaveras and San Antonio. The Peninsula watershed in San Mateo County contributes surface water supplies captured and stored in lower and upper Crystal Springs and San Andreas Reservoirs and in two smaller reservoirs, Pilarcitos and Stone Dam.
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