How to Choose a Moving Company – Tips for Hiring the Right Mover

When you decide it’s the best time to move, the first thing that crosses your mind is how you will do all the relocation stuff, and it is even worth it. Of course, you need to stick with your reasons for the move and plan the whole process, especially if you’ve never done it before. So, if you want to have a stress-free move, you should know how do you find a mover you can trust and handle the relocation day like a professional. Here are relocation hacks you should follow and ensure your belongings are in good hands.

Is It Cheaper to Hire a Moving Company or Do It Yourself

When you’re getting organized to move, the main question, of course, is how much money is enough for an average move. We all know that professional long-distance moving services aren’t free. That’s why the reasonable concern would be whether it’s better to hire a relocation company or DIY?

So, there is no right answer to the question of what’s cheaper – hiring professional movers or taking care of each relocation service on your own. Even though hiring relocation companies can knock some money out of your wallet it still means you won’t have to deal with all those tasks that often can be overwhelming. With professionals by your side, you won’t have to pack on your own, rent a truck, buy relocation supplies and equipment.

How Much Money Should You Set Aside for a Trustworthy Mover?

Start saving money to move right after you decide where you should live, especially if you look for the cheapest way to move out. It’s an inevitable step in this whole process because you can’t get any service for free. Of course, the price will depend on your new location and how many boxes you have to move.

How to Choose a Moving Company – Start Your Research Early for the Suitable Movers

If you’re wondering why relocating is so stressful, it’s probably because there are many tasks you need to do before the relocation day comes. Another reason is that we’re often unable to check if a relocation company is legitimate or recognize relocation scams. So, it’s essential to give yourself enough time to do thorough research and be sure the relocation crew won’t break your precious belongings or charge you more. Gathering all the information you can find can’t be harmful, so get comfortable in your chair and get in the detective mood.

Follow the Popular Rule of Threes

Like everything in life, having a second opinion can’t do anything else but good. So, the essential thing for doing your research is not to settle with the first relocation crew that comes along. Even if you’re in a last-minute move, ensure you get this task like a professional because, in this case, the saying better safe than sorry is completely true.

Movers that claim they can estimate your household goods without seeing the stuff first or having a complete list of belongings are probably scammers. Then let at least more than three different relocation companies give you an estimate and then compare the prices. You should also compare the services they offer and ask if they are willing to provide you with all the necessary relocation information. When wondering what the best moving company to use is, the answer would be the one with the best service and the most transparent one.

Value Recommendations You Get From Your Family and Friends

Word-of-mouth nowadays means a lot, especially if you get a recommendation from your family, friends, coworkers, and people you trust. Don’t neglect this kind of help because the positive experience of people who moved recently can save you a lot of trouble surfing the internet for hours. Take advantage of these recommendations and make the process of hiring movers a breeze.

How to Find a Good Moving Company – Don’t Miss the Reviews of the Relocation Companies

After word-of-mouth, the best way to check if a relocation crew is capable of taking care of all the services you need, from storage to auto transport, is to go online and visit their websites. There you’ll find all the reviews and comments customers left. Here are some other sites you should visit and ensure the comments can be trusted:

• Yelp,
• Google,
• Better Business Bureau.

This is extremely important because you don’t want all the effort you put in removing a chandelier to go in vain just because you didn’t know how to find a moving company. Use all the resources there are and ensure you’re in good hands. Luckily, nowadays, it isn’t hard to do it with all the technology there is.

How to Pick a Moving Company – Make Sure There Are All Services You Need

Between all the questions to ask movers when you’re relocating to a new home, you’ll need relocation tips on how to choose the right relocation crew. When they offer you their assistance, ensure you can get a good offer for storage facilities, efficient packing, and relocation insurance.

Ask everything you want to know. It’s better to spend some extra moments getting all the info about the services than realizing on the relocation day that movers can’t move your piano. So, look for companies that can provide you trustworthy relocation services and make the whole process effortless.

Check Is Storage Service Available for Your Belongings

One of the most common relocation mistakes when wondering how do I choose a reputable moving company is not asking them everything you want to know. That’s why if you donated all unwanted items and there is still some stuff you don’t want in the new home, then storage will be the best option for you. Movers that don’t even mention that kind of storage possibility are probably scams, and you should look for another team that will offer you this service.

Ensure the Professional Crew Is Dealing With Relocation of Cars and Bigger Appliances from Your Home

A reputable relocation crew shouldn’t deal just with packing service and the possibility of keeping your items in storage facilities. What about shipping your vehicle across the country? Every serious relocation business can offer you safe transportation for your four cars and do it transparently so the potential customer is aware of in what condition the vehicle will be transported.

There’s another thing to consider when relocating to a new home and you want to move the bigger appliances and furniture – the professionals will do it for you without any bigger problems. So, when you contact customer support and the relocation crew agrees to estimate your household goods, ensure you check if they will disassemble and assemble the furniture and move other bulkier items.

Ask For Estimates and Compare Prices

If you want to avoid scammers, the first thing you can do is to ask for a binding estimate in writing. An even better solution would be to ask for a binding not-to-exceed estimate. The nonbinding ones are legal, but you should expect a higher price for the whole relocation process once the move is done. However, reputable movers will give you written and signed home estimates without any hidden fees and additional costs.

In both cases, the essential thing is to ask for more than one quote. This will allow you to compare the prices and each service that is offered to you. Remember, the cheapest quote doesn’t mean the cheapest service. Sometimes, in the end, those cheap estimates actually cost twice more than the original price.

Reliable Long Distance Movers Have to Be Licensed and Verify Their Credentials

According to the Census Mobility Data report, there were over 30 million home moves in the last year. If you plan to move any time soon, then you should start your research for reliable movers that meet all the regulations that Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) set.

Another thing you have to know before you decide to hire a relocation crew is that if you hire one that isn’t licensed and insured, you’ll be breaking the law. So, here are steps you can take to ensure companies are meeting requirements such as insurance, safety measures, and financial responsibilities:

• Look for the USDOT number – it is a unique number that allows you to check all the info you find about the relocation crew, and it’s usually on their website.
• Ensure there’s business certification – reputable crews are certified at least by one of these two associations: Better Business Bureau or the American Moving and Storage Association (AMSA). Relocation crew that has AMSA also has a ProMover title that helps customers make differences between reputable ones and scammers.

How to Select a Moving Company – Avoid the Red Flags

Relocating efficiently should be the ultimate goal because not only will it save you a lot of nerves, but it will also prevent depression after relocating. Also, you won’t have to deal with adjustment insomnia after the move. However, sometimes all the red flags that are right in front of us can be misunderstood and lead to unwanted negative experiences. That’s why you should look at the following red flags and avoid them:

• No online presence – if you can’t find a relocation team online and they don’t have a website, you should keep looking.
• Name changed several times in the past couple of years – it’s normal that a business changes name, but if it does far more often than it should, then something’s wrong.
• No contract – if a relocation crew doesn’t provide you with a contract and all accordions in writing, you should find another one.
• Unprofessionalism – if a customer service agent isn’t ready to answer your questions or isn’t willing to give you all the info regarding the move process, keep your research until you find one that will give you all the answers you need.

In the video below, you can see the other experience when hiring an unreliable relocation crew without insurance and all the necessary certifications.

Final Tip – Trust Your Gut

So, you see that on your relocation to-do list shouldn’t be just how to pack glasses, but there’s some investigation to do first. Take all the tips we mentioned above and ensure that relocation to your new apartment goes smoothly because relocation day is one of the most stressful events in people’s life. And in the end, why not do some simple steps and your gut to prevent being scammed and without your money and belongings?