Moving can be quite tedious, especially if you own a lot of stuff. Packing up all of your things, renting a truck, loading the truck, driving to the new place, and unloading everything... That is all very time-consuming. Consequently, many people choose to hire a moving company to accomplish all or section of it.
Unfortunately, although hiring a moving company can help you save a lot of time and stress, hiring the wrong moving company can truly add to it. To protect yourself and your belongings, you need to know how to select a moving company.
Here are a few points to consider when buying good moving company.
1) How much of the move do you want the moving company to handle?
The saying is you could hire someone to do just about anything for you - for a cost. This is certainly true in this instance. Many people elect to box up all their belongings themselves, and hire movers to load/unload the truck and transport everything. Some people, particularly if they're moving cross-country, might rent a truck and hire movers to box everything up and pack the truck, then do the driving themselves. Others hire movers to do absolutely everything, from packing the boxes to unloading it all into the proper rooms in the brand new house.
2) How much are you currently budgeting for the move?
Of course, everything that you have the moving company do will add to your bill. When you are on a tight budget, you may want to balance quality and convenience against cost. Therefore you might have to accomplish a number of the work yourself, and hire movers who'll just do probably the most difficult parts - usually loading and driving the truck. Compare prices between moving companies, and decide which will best suit your needs.
3) How far away are you moving?
Long-distance moves affect a couple of things when choosing a moving company: the expense of the move, and the moving companies you must pick from. Some local companies will not be in a position to move you across state lines. Also, for long-distance moves you should hire a moving company enough beforehand to ensure that they have availability.
4) Does the moving company insure your belongings against damage or loss?
You have a large amount of capital invested in your belongings. Think how much money it would try replace some or everything if something were to happen during the move. Would you even be able to?
Many moving companies is only going to reimburse a fraction of the value of your belongings if something happens in their mind. Ask a moving company just how much they pay for lost or damaged belongings, and become sure to get a copy of this policy in writing. If the moving company's policy doesn't provide enough coverage, you might like to look into additional insurance.
5) What sort of reputation does the moving company have?
We've all heard the horror stories of things arriving missing or broken following the movers have unpacked the truck and left. Just as you need your belongings protected from damage or loss, additionally you need to know whether a moving company has a reputation for breaking or stealing things.
One method to research a moving company's reputation is to seek out their name online. Look for both complaints and follow-ups, since how the company handled the complaint is at least as important because the complaint itself. It's also advisable to check to see if the business is a member of the higher Business Bureau. Even though BBB will try to mediate a conflict even though the moving company is not a member, there is less incentive for a non-member to work toward an answer.
The length of time the business has been in business is also a good indicator of reputation. Companies with bad reputations generally don't stay in business for lengthy, so a company that is around for years would probably be considered a better choice than one that only started up recently.
6) Can the moving company offer you references?
A good moving company will be able to present you with references upon request. Do check these references, but additionally keep in mind that exactly like individual, the moving company is likely to offer references that they know will be positive.
Of course, by far the best reference you can get is a referral from the friend or acquaintance. You're probably better off using a moving company recommended by someone you understand, rather than one you haven't heard of before.
Final Tips for Selecting a Moving Company
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When you hire movers, you're putting a large part of your life in somebody else's hands. Things like furniture, clothing, and kitchenware are expensive, but since we usually accumulate them over time, most people don't realize how much cash they have tied up within their household items until they need to replace them all at once.
Since there is so much based on having good movers, focusing on how to select a moving company is essential. Before starting contact moving companies for quotes, be sure you make a set of the questions you should ask. This will help you stay focused through the conversation.