Friday, January 18, 2013

Where can I find Pottery Barn like furniture for less than PB prices? Or, who is the manufacturer of PB furn?

Q. I love the Sumatra bedroom set but it is really expensive so I'd like to either go directly to the manufacturer of the furniture or find something similar for less.

A. PB is having a lot their furniture manufactured in SE Asia. But, check out Home Decorators online or in their catalog. They are less expensive and have similar designs that are of good quality.


Is it worth it to hire professional movers for a small move or to do it yourself?
Q. My husband and I are moving from our duplex (much like the size of a large apartment) to a house in the immediate local area. We have the basics: living room set, dinning table, bedroom set (1), washer and dryer, and other small furniture peices (computer desk, etc). Is it worth it to hire professional movers or to do it ourselves. And what would be the typical cost for a small move?

A. Depends on how the professional moveers charge you - either by the hour or by the weight of things they are moving and the distance they are moving it.

I've moved twice in the past 12 years and did it both ways. With professional movers, you get people who know how to lift and move large items most effectively. They will know how to pack them and how to cushion them to prevent them from being damaged during the move - and have those items on their trucks. If you do it yourself, you will have to buy these items.

Movers that are paid by the hour will give you all manner of excuses for not being in a rush. In my first move, I was going across town into the boondocks from a downtown house. It was mostly interstate driving and they followed me. Never saw a truck go so slow in all my life! I kept trying to get them to at least do the speed limit of 55 and they kept falling back. They wouldn't go faster than 40 the whole way and then they would brake at every traffic light even while it was green. They gave me some sorry excuse that they had trouble with their brakes and wanted to be sure they could stop if the light changed - to avoid jostling my furniture.

Professional movers have some of the sorriest rules I have ever heard of. They wouldn't take a folding bed because it wasn't in a box. They wouldn't take my bikes because they weren't in a box. They wouldn't take a mattress because it wasn't in a box. They wouldn't take a western saddle becuase it wasn't in a box. You get the picture. And when I suggested they load up my dog house - you got it - had to be in a box.

The advantage of hiring professional movers is that it will save you from personal injury such as a back strain. It's common when people try to move furniture when they really aren't experienced with that kind of activity. But if they lose something or neglect to get all your things off the truck, you will play heck trying to get them to admit they made a mistake - much less recover your missing item.

The first time I moved, I wanted the professional movers to take the things that were too awkward for me to lift or put in my car - like my dog house, bikes and folding bed. We've already been down that road.

I wanted to save money. I knew how long it took to get from point A to point B. I hadn't counted on the moving company hiring slowest drivers in the galaxy.

If the movers take your stuff, they will call for aid and move all your things into a second truck to get your things to the destination, no matter what. If you are moving yourself and have a breakdown, you are on your own. Do you really want to leave all your possessions in the back of a truck while it is in the repair shop?

If you don't own a pickup truck but have a friend offering you the use of theirs, don't do it. Go to U-Haul or Ryder and rent one. What your friend isn't considering is that heavy and large furntiure can dent the bed or the side of the truck if it the item is even remotely off balance in the truck. The legs of furniture can scrape the paint right off the truck bed. And even though you might think that a truck is a truck, this is not the case. Do you really know what your furniture weighs and what the truck is capable of carrying - safely? Trust me on this - rent a truck designed to move furniture and household items.

On my second move - I went three states away. Professional movers were a necessary evil. No matter what the estimate was, be sure and have MORE on hand because they will always gouge you and then try to make some sorry excuse as to why it cost more than the estimate. And don't try to pay the extra with a traveler's check. You wouldn't believe how many movers have never heard of them and don't know what they are - much less accept them. I insisted they were all I had.

There is no typical cost for any move. It all depends on who you hire to do it and how they charge you. Some have a flat hourly rate while others have a flat rate for the estimated weight of the items you have - while others will take the truck to weigh station to get written documentation of the weight of the truck with all your things in it.

If you can get a local mover who never goes out of the state, go with that company. They want to be home for dinner and they will work faster than a national mover.


Does anyone know how warranty's work on furniture that are faulty in design?
Q. I purchased a bedset from Art Van last Feb. My bedframe keeps cracking right down the face of the bed posts. I've had my bed replaced twice now and it's not even a year old yet. I just found out that I have not recieved a new warranty with these beds and my warranty will expire next month. Anyone know what I can do about this? Is there any way I can get them to take this bedroom set back and replace it with a different style? They are supposed to have a 5 year warranty I can buy for $100, but they say I could only buy that within 30 days of recieving the bed, even if they would allow me to buy it now should I, I will just end up with a bed that's split in 5 years right? Any help is appreciated!

A. Not only would I call, as Uncle Bob advised, but I would also write a detailed letter of complaint. Find out who the letter should be directed to and send it "registered mail."

In the letter, be as detailed and specific as possible. State the facts, and send pictures if you can. Give dates, contacts, etc. and anything else that would be of help.

Keep your letter professional and to the point. End it by stating precisely what you expect the company to do. Don't make any threats, just say something like..." In view of the problems I have outlined, I would like your company to ......". Here you can say "replace the defective furniture with another style," if that's what you want. Be assertive without being rude, but make your dissatisfaction very clear and your request for resolution concise and emphatic.

Good luck.


Does anyone have any bedroom ideas?
Q. I have a plaid comforter with like pinks, yellows, and browns. It looks like its from a country cottage. I think I am going to paint my walls light yellow and brown. What bedroom set would look good with it? Check HOM furniture, Slumberland, or Ashley Furniture. What are some other cute touches I could put in my room?

A. Hi, try this. Go into Google or Yahoo image search. Key in country cottage bedroom or bedroom designs or whatever you think best describes the item you're looking for. Voila, you now have thousands of photographs to choose from. Also, try a site called glidden.com, it allows you to paint a room and see what it looks like, really cool! Most images link to a website for more information.





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Title Post: Where can I find Pottery Barn like furniture for less than PB prices? Or, who is the manufacturer of PB furn?
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