Cleaning service, for both places if possible...then hurt your back so the guys have to move all the boxes to your place, LOL. Is BIL voting for the moving service because he'll be helping with the move? ;~) I gather you are doing a custom where all the various things are spec'd out and paid for separately...so cleaning the new place isn't already included by the builder?

Oh brio, you have no idea how close you are lol! I suspect that is why BIL is voting that way yes. Just before we moved here we bought this HUGE plush leather reclining set. Apparently it's quite heavy, my DH threw out his back just moving the chair.

"So cleaning the new place isn't already included by the builder?" Actually my DH is a commercial GC, so he is also the GC for our new house. I am quite suspicious that he failed to mention how dirty the new house would be lol, so no, I didn't ask for it upfront cause I had no idea.

Saying that I've hurt myself to get out of the move part isn't that far of a stretch either lol. I threw out my hip joint last weekend when we were laying baseboards. And this morning when I rolled out of bed, my butt forcefully introduced me to muscles I had long forgotten even existed lol. (We were cutting baseboards outside, and I was the lucky one who had to run up & down the stairs a million times to check each piece if it fit. Who knew stairs could do that to you???)

I'm only 36, but I feel like I'm 80 lol.

I would go with the cleaning service, for several reasons:

1. It's usually easier to get a fleet of friends and family to help with a move. Cleaning seems to generate fewer volunteers.

2. The standards are a lot clearer to everyone with a move when compared to cleaning. "Clean" means different things to different people, so if you rely on friends/ family for help with cleaning, you may not be completely happy with the results (and yet be unable to push them to do more, since they're volunteers). Moving is easier: "everything out/everything in" isn't as subject to personal interpretation.

3. Depending on how many people you can shanghai into helping, the move may take less time than cleaning would.

4. It sounds as if the cleaning service is the one you really would prefer to do. (And surely this is the best reason of all. ;) )

I understand what you are going through because I just did it three weeks ago! I opted for the moving company mainly due to dh's poor back but my mom and I cleaned at the new house for 2-3 hours each night for 3-4 nights before the move and still didn't get everything exactly as I would have liked it. But, cleaning services for new construction here were too expensive in my mind ($300 more than the moving company). Hard decision but I would still go with the moving company unless you have lots of friends to volunteer with the move.

I agree with everyone who is voting for the cleaning service. Tell your husband to start calling his friends to help with the move! ;) (If you choose the cleaning service, he just may decide to hire the moving service anyway so that he does not have to do it himself or inconvience his friends.)

Gosh, y'all are lucky! I have to clean and move when the time comes!! LOL!

;-)

Thanks Sovra, I agree that we can get a lot more people to help with moving than we can for cleaning (that would be ME only).

Wow txgal, I wonder why it is so much more to clean there than moving! Unfortunately my mom doesn't live here and I feel guilty asking friends to help me clean, it's not their house after all. For some reason, it is more acceptable to ask friends to help with a move. lol, they know they can expect beer & pizza afterwards.

Mel, I like your way of thinking lol. DH knows I've been feeling guilty about choosing the cleaners because I don't want to be selfish considering how hard he & BIL have worked over the last months. That's probably what he'll do lol.

Kelly lol! I'd help you move and clean if I were there!

For me there wouldn't be any question. Definitely go with the cleaning service, for all the reasons already stated. Plus, I HATE to clean.

I suspect, and you pretty much said as much, that you would be stuck doing the cleaning yourself, whereas the moving would be a group effort that would involve your husband, BIL, friends, etc.
Sexist generalization alert: [Men will help move. They won't help clean.] ; )

You would get the short end of the stick, IMO, if you do all the cleaning and moving gets hired out.

Good luck with everything!

If it were me, I'd definately choose the cleaning service. I never thought about the amount of construction dust that occurs until my FIL moved into his new house. Even the slides/rails on the insides of the drawers need to be cleaned because that fine dust gets inside the cabinetry. Think about all the nooks and crannies that will have to be cleaned. Makes me tired just thinking about it.
I'm a neat freak and actually enjoy cleaning, but I don't think even I could clean every surface inside and out the way it should be after construction. I'm looking forward to the luxury of having (just once in my life!) a brand new-squeaky clean home that is REALLY clean inside and out!

You say cleaning you have to do all by yourself, and moving I imagine you'll have help with (that's why BIL is voting for moving help). So if it was me I would hire the cleaning and then let the guys do the moving.

After having done both the cleaning and moving ourselves, I vote for the cleaning service.

If your DH is also your GC....I think you need to make an addendum to your contract that includes a cleaning crew in exchange for "wifely" services!

You guys are too funny lol!!

YAY, I get my cleaning service. They come in next Wednesday and will do everything including the windows for.....drumroll please...$86 taxes in!!! Can't beat that!! Then we move in Thurs & Fri.

I think I'm getting excited now lol.

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