Moving into a new home is exciting. Actually making the move on moving day, not so much. It’s a lot of work — and then there’s the price, which takes experience to get just right. For six tips on how to get the best price from a moving company, we enlisted the help of Beltway Movers.

Beltway Movers is a local company that has been in the business for more than 50 years. They’ve got an outstanding track record (they haven’t missed a moving commitment in all those 50+ years), and their accumulated moving wisdom is bound to save you time and money.

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Here’s what Beltway Movers tells UrbanTurf about getting the best moving price:

1. Book in advance. “Like booking plane tickets, the earlier you book a moving company, the better the rate will be,” says Beltway Movers’ long-time president Doug Shelton.
    
2. Don’t book a move on a peak day. Avoid movers’ busiest times: weekends, federal holidays, and the end-of-the-month turnover. Opt instead for an off-peak day either mid-week, mid-month or, best of all, both.
    
3. Reserve a parking spot or loading dock as close to your place as possible. That way the movers won’t need to waste time circling the block for parking and walking an unnecessary distance from your place to the back of their truck. “It’s important to remember that you’ll be billed in 15-minute increments, so shaving off extra steps along the way helps,” says Shelton.
    
4. Reserve your building’s elevator. If movers have to wait even just two minutes every time they use the elevator, you could pay hundreds more than necessary. Consider this: If 15 trips are made for your move, and there’s a two-minute wait on either end of the elevator, you’re adding 60 minutes. At the going hourly rates for movers, that adds about $150 to the price of the move.
    
5. Pre-pack, disassemble your furniture and be prepared. Again, it’ll save a lot of time, and time is money for movers.
    
6. Go with a flat-rate option. Beltway Movers has great flat-rate options for smaller moves, including $195 for 5 household items and 5 boxes; $295 for 10 household items and 10 boxes; and $395 for 15 household items and 15 boxes. “Knowing the guaranteed price of a move upfront can take a lot of the pressure off a tight budget,” says Shelton. “If you can manage the small things yourself, a flat-rate move is a great money-saving option.” Click here for more details on the Small Move option from Beltway.

If you have a move on the horizon, take a look at the Beltway Movers website or call 301.420.2200 (DC office), 301.340.2310 (MD office) or 703.971.3550 (VA office).