Choosing a Moving Company

Are you looking to move and relocate, but don’t know where to begin? Well, you’ve come to the right place. This article is going to help you with the most important things you need to know to help you choose the right moving company.

There are many moving companies available in the phone book or on the internet. However, to choose the right one can be quite a task. It may sound simple but it is much more difficult than simply looking up a website or the directory. In fact, selecting the right moving company to move your possessions is one of the most important aspects of moving. It requires great attention and thought.

To begin with, search through your preferred medium and shortlist several moving companies. Each type of company will specialize in a particular moving method. Different kinds of moving companies that you are likely to come across are house movers, furniture movers, piano movers, and long distance movers to name a few. Your personal requirements for relocating should be the determinant factor for choosing the right moving company that you would like to use.

The charges for these moving companies also tend to vary. Different moving companies will charge you differently for the same services. Browsing through the local directory may not be too helpful in getting the right estimates that suit your pocket and will take up a lot of your time as well. You may even encounter fraudulent moving companies that will quote lower prices, only to demand extra hidden charges once you’ve appointed them.

One good option is renting a van. To enable you to do this, there are many self-moving companies. Simply log onto the internet and provide some information about yourself and where you want to move to. In no time you will get the estimates from various moving companies.

Always find a moving company who is known for their punctuality, and has a proven track record. A good mover should complete its work of moving within the estimated budget.

It rarely happens that a mover doesn’t cause some damage while moving. Therefore, look for a company whose claims ratio is relatively low. Make sure that the company is quick in settling their claims.

While selecting your moving company, remember that while saving money is definitely a priority, it should never be at the cost of the quality of the service. So while you settle for a cheaper moving company just to save money, you may end up paying more than what you would have paid to a moving company which charges a bit more.

This is because cheaper moving companies are often inefficient. They can be slow, cause damage to your belongings, and finally, have hidden costs and charge you much more than the initial estimate.

A common complaint with moving companies is that they often deliberately provide low estimates to get the moving job. Later on, customers find that the real costs of moving are much higher than the estimate they had earlier been provided with.

According to your state's Commerce Commission (which is a governmental body that controls the moving industry), there is a rule that local movers should be paid for all actual time spent while moving (regardless of whatever estimate the company has given). You are also required to pay up to 10% of the estimated charge on the moving day and the rest within a month’s time. So the law is such that it requires the customer to pay more than the estimated price quoted, as he pays according to the total amount of time spent on the job.

However, the good news is that a few supervisory bodies maintain track records of professional moving companies. You should always check with as many of these regulatory bodies as possible.

Always opt for a moving company with a current license with your state Commerce Commission.

Get to know the mover's management or their employees in person. Find out if they have been in the industry for a considerable amount of time. This operational time span, however, is just one of the many things you should check about moving companies. Some appalling moving companies have been around in many cities for a very long time.

Ask known people like your friends, neighbors and colleagues for references. Check with your state's Commerce Commission and if the moving company that you want to hire has had any complaints against them in recent years. Remember, not every customer who has had an unpleasant experience will complain, so multiply the complaints registered with the supervisory body to judge the true performance of the moving company. Also check with your state's Movers Association and with the Better Business Bureau. Also verify with private regulatory bodies such as Angie's List or The Franklin Report that track the performances of moving companies.

After you have done all this, also check the different estimates provided by the different companies. Expensive estimates may mean that the moving company has taken into account some tasks for your moving that the other moving companies with lower estimates have missed.

Visit their office for a fair idea of their expertise, staff and the necessary tools, that you would want them to provide you with. After you do all that we have suggested undoubtedly you would be able to hire the right moving company!