Walk the truck, walk the house, check your count against the inventory, and note any damage in writing before you sign the bill of lading. Those four steps take about twenty minutes, and they are the difference between a claim that resolves easily and one that turns into a debate. Our crews finish residential jobs across Salt Lake City, Utah, with a walkthrough for exactly this reason, and we have completed more than 10,000 moves since 2013 doing it the same way. A local moving service that walks the empty truck with you has nothing to hide at the end of the day. Plan for that half hour instead of treating the unload as the finish line.
Walk the Truck Before Anyone Closes the Door
Empty means empty, and the only way to know is to look. Items get wedged behind the wheel wells, slide under blankets, or sit in the cab where a mover set them during loading. A quick walk through the trailer with the crew takes two minutes, and it is the cheapest insurance in the whole move.
Look at the corners, the front bulkhead, and under any padding still on the floor. Small things hide well, and a lampshade or a box of hardware left in a truck heading back to the yard becomes a phone call and a second trip. Our crews expect this walk and will do it with you rather than waiting to be asked.
Check the Count Against the Inventory
Every item that went on the truck was documented, and the point of documenting it is to check it at the other end. Go through the list, room by room, counting boxes rather than glancing at stacks. Boxes stacked four high read as three to the eye.
Furniture is easier to verify than boxes, so start there and finish with the count. If something is missing, say so before the crew leaves, because a piece still on the truck is solved in thirty seconds and a piece you notice on Thursday is not. The tracking system behind this is worth understanding, and the inventory checks a crew runs explain what gets recorded and when.
Inspect for Damage While the Crew Is Still There
Damage noted in the moment is documented damage. Damage found later is a conversation about when it happened. Check furniture surfaces, corners, and legs, then look at the house itself, since walls, doorframes, and floors take impact during an unload too.
Check these before signing:
- Furniture tops, corners, and legs for scratches, dents, or chips
- Anything with glass or a mirror, including cabinet doors
- Appliance sides and backs, which scuff on doorframes
- Walls, banisters, and doorframes along the carry route
- The floor at the entry and the top of any stairs
Photograph anything you find, with the damage in frame and something for scale. Note it on the bill of lading before you sign, not after. Coverage works from what is documented at delivery, which is why we settle the coverage level with you at booking rather than at the door.
Read the Bill of Lading Before You Sign It
The bill of lading is the contract for the job. It records the addresses, the terms, the inventory, and the condition of what was delivered. Signing it closes the record, so read it while the crew is present and while anything that needs correcting can still be corrected.
Check that the hours match what happened. Local moves bill hourly in 15-minute increments, breaks come off the clock, and the rate we quote is the rate on your invoice. If any line does not match your understanding of the day, ask before signing. Crews would rather answer the question at the curb than have you call the office on Monday with a document already signed.
Not sure what to check once everything is unloaded? Call us at (801) 871-5221, and we’ll help you plan your Salt Lake City move so you know what to look over before settling in.
Get the House Functional Before You Get It Organized
Unpacking well is a different job from unpacking fast. Start with the beds, the bathroom, and enough of the kitchen to make coffee and feed people. A made bed on the first night does more for the week ahead than three organized closets.
Then work one room at a time rather than circling the house opening boxes. Room-by-room keeps the boxes you have not opened out of the way of the ones you have, and it gives you a visible finish line. Households that would rather not spend a fortnight on it can add unpacking services to the booking and have the crew open and place everything the same day. Check that utilities are live, test the furnace or the air conditioning depending on the season, and locate the water shutoff before you need it. The wider case for pacing this is covered in why moving feels harder than it should, which is worth reading if the unpacking is already feeling like a second move.
Handle the Boxes, the Claim Window, and the Follow-Up
Break down boxes as you empty them rather than stacking them in a spare room, since flattened cardboard takes a fraction of the space and recycling accepts it that way. Keep a few intact for the things that always need repacking later.
If something does need attention, start the claim in writing promptly and include the photographs and the noted bill of lading. Our office handles this directly rather than routing it elsewhere, which is one of the practical benefits of booking a company that employs its own crews. Should the new place not be ready for everything, our vaults hold roughly 245 cubic feet each, tagged and inventoried, and we can hold the overflow while you sort the space out.
A move that considers your kids from the start tends to go better for everyone in the house. Call (801) 871-5221 or email contact@bestofutahmoving.com to schedule your Salt Lake City move.
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