How to Choose a Moving Company
If you are preparing for a move, then one of the most important things on your list should be to choose a reliable, honest and hard-working moving company. Here are some steps for picking a good moving company:
Ask for Recommendations
When you start your search for the perfect moving company, you should begin to ask for recommendations from you friends, co-workers, family, etc. to find out possible selections and to see how well their move went. You can also look up various moving companies online and read testimonials from previous customers.
Get an Estimate
Once you have chosen a company, set up an appointment for them to come to see how much stuff you have. It’s worthless to get a quote over the phone, as they won’t be able to give an accurate quote without seeing what you have. You should also explain to the company the details of the new home in case they have specific policies on things like moving furniture up stairs, putting things back together, etc.
Once they give you an estimate, make sure you understand it and that it includes things like move date, delivery date, and an accurate list of your items being moved. Make sure that they have a good reputation for things like getting fragile items or things like computers and other electronics to and from moving sites without breakage or theft.
Get Accurate Info on Company
During the in home assessment, you can get more information about the potential moving company you want to hire. Be sure to ask any questions you have and watch out if they seem to give you a really low quote, as this could mean hidden charges later on.
Be sure to check the company out with the Better Business Bureau or other agency that rates businesses to see if there have been any complaints or problems with the company before hiring them for your move. Also check with the Department of Transportation to see if they are licensed or bonded. Make sure their safety record is good as well.
Consider Moving Insurance
You should also consider buying some sort of moving insurance to make sure that if anything happens to your stuff in transit, then you can get payment for it. Sometimes a moving company has insurance, but it may not be enough to cover your big ticket items. Be sure to get replacement value insurance, as many moving companies will only give you the cost of the moved item and if it is, for instance, a five year old TV, the money you recoup is likely not going to cover the purchase of a brand new TV.
The bottom line is that moving is a big experience and it can sometimes be complicated or expensive. Be sure to carefully consider all of these and whatever other factors meet your situation when you are choosing a moving company. That way your move should go smoothly as you travel to your new home.
