We all know how planning and preparation can help make your home moving process a successful one. But unexpected things can happen that may delay your moving process resulting in a not so good moving experience.

Factors That Can Cause Delays

Yes, delays can happen. Even if moving companies do their best to move your belongings on time, there are things that are out of their control that can cause a delay. 

Bad Weather

When there are bad weather conditions like heavy rain and snow, truck drivers need to be very cautious and usually will be the first to pull over and wait until the condition is better. After all, driving a large truck is not as easy as driving a minivan and with extreme weather conditions. Sometimes, a storm can affect ferry schedules, so if you are moving to a different island, or your mover needs to travel from a different island to get to the pick-up location, this will inevitably cause a delay.

Heavy Traffic

A traffic jam can occur most especially in a busy city. There can be road construction, road accidents, and even community events that can cause traffic jams. So, even if drivers leave on schedule to arrive at the pick-up location at the agreed time, if one encounters a snafu on the road, it can eat up a large portion of their allocated time and will most likely need to make changes with their schedule to pick up your belongings.

Mechanical Issues

Moving companies generally inspect their moving trucks before they send them out in your direction. But it can still possibly develop issues while on the road. Fixing mechanical fault can take hours, causing the dreaded delay on your move.

Your Location

The logistics involved in moving home is very complex, and there are many things that can surprisingly cause delays to your move. If the location of the move is an urban area, getting a parking spot for your mover’s large moving truck can take a while. Or, if the road to your house is narrow or along an unpaved and curvy road, it can be difficult for movers to navigate with their large truck. Most of the time, if this is the case, they will have to use smaller trucks and may require multiple trips to complete the job.

How to Handle Potential Delays

No matter how you and your movers planned it, moving delays can happen, so it’s better to plan for it. Change your expectation on an on-time arrival. Moving companies will tell you they will do their best to honour the schedule you agreed on, but they will generally provide you with a window of their arrival since anything can occur that may cause delay. Here are the things you can do to handle it.

• Remain calm and positive. Try to focus on planning your next step.
• Let your realtor know of a possible delay in leaving your old residence.
• Inform utility companies about your schedule change.
• If you have taken some time off work for your move, talk to your boss to see if you can still extend another day off.
• Do something fun with your friends or family rather than sitting in an empty home.
• When planning for your relocation, set a budget for unexpected costs that may arise, like when there is a delay.

How you handle a moving delay is very important. Don’t look at the negative aspects, so you don’t get too stressed out. It can be very frustrating, but remember that it’s just temporary. Do understand how things work during relocation and have a good plan. And lastly, make sure to choose your movers wisely.